THE MAINE SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM (MSGC) A CAPABILITY ENHANCEMENT CONSORTIUM IS PROPOSING A THREE-YEAR PROGRAM TO ADDRESS BOTH THE STATE AND NASA NEEDS IN STEM RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. THE CONSORTIUM PROPOSES TO INVEST IN A PROGRAM MIX THAT ALIGNS WITH OBJECTIVE 2.4 OF NASA'S 2014 STRATEGIC PLAN NATIONAL SPACE GRANT COLLEGE AND FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND THE NASA OFFLCE OF EDUCATION CURRENT AREAS OF EMPHASIS. OUR PROGRAM MIX IN YEAR 1 INCLUDES UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATEFELLOWSHIPS SUMMER INTERNSHIPS FOR UNDERGRADUATE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INTEGRATION OF RESEARCH IN STEM CURRICULUM SCIENTIFIC BALLOONING FACULTY RESEARCH SEED GRANTS COLLABORATIONS WITH MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS AND A SMALL INVESTMENT IN K-12 TEACHERINITIATEDSTEM PROJECTS AND SPACE DAY MAINE. IN RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGING 30% BUDGET REDUCTION IN OUR BASE BUDGET IN YEARS 2 AND 3 OUR STRATEGY IS NOT TO FUND PRE-COUEGE ACTIVITIES REDUCE INVESTMENTS IN OTHER PROGRAMS AND REDUCE STAFF LEVELS OF EFFORT BY AN AVERAGE OF 20%. THIS STRATEGY IS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE A MEANINGFUL CAPABILITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM MIX THAT FOCUSES ON NASA INTERNSHIPS FELLOWSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS; FFLGHER EDUCATION; AND RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE. WE INTEND TO RESTORE AU PROGRAMS AND STAFFING LEVELS OF EFFORT TO YEAR 1 LEVELS WHEN OUR BASE FUNDING IS RESTORED. FINALLY OUR AFFILIATE NETWORK IS AGGRESSIVELY REACHING OUT TO WOMEN UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO INCREASE THEIR AWARENESS OF MSGC PROGRAMS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DIRECTLY AND/OR INDIRECTLY PARTICIPATE IN AU MSGC SUPPORTED ACTIVITIES. THIS EFFORT WILL HELP USENSURE THAT STUDENTS FACULTY AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS REPRESENT THE DIVERSITY OF THE AFFILIATES OF THE MAINE SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM AS WELL AS MAINE.
$2,698,765FY2015National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNASA
Maine Space Grant Consortium