This fiscal year (April 1, 2009 – March 31, 2010) the California Space Grant Consortium will provide fellowships totaling $40,000 (individual awards of $5,000-$7,000) to support UCSD graduate students for aerospace-related research in the designated research theme area of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and their associated science payload sensors and technology.

These graduate student fellowship opportunities are for students in aerospace-related science, engineering, technology, and management. This program will act as a catalyst to focus a campus-wide interdisciplinary team’s (particularly 1st and 2nd year graduate students) attention on the science and engineering opportunities involved in the U.S. aerospace program. The Fellowship Program guidelines are as follows: (more…)

Several Sacramento State students have had the opportunity to intern at NASA centers all across the nation.

Click the link to read the full story:
http://media.www.statehornet.com/media/storage/paper1146/news/2009/11/12/News/Students.Aim.For.Stars-3828529.shtml

Saturday’s high altitude balloon launch took place near the southern tip of the Salton Sea near the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge. This change in location (originally scheduled to be Plaster City) was a result of weather prediction simulations showing where the winds would take our balloon and payloads. On the morning of the launch, the winds were headed south-east and we therefore shifted the launch site to avoid having our balloon and payload cross the U.S. – Mexico border.

UCSD faculty, students, and staff worked closely with teachers and students from The Preuss School, Lincoln High School, Helix Charter High School, and El Cajon Valley High School. All worked hard at incorporating their payloads in preparation for the launch and in working hands-on with mentors from UCSD. The students showed much spirit and braved the warm temperatures of the desert with gusto.

After the balloon was launched the teachers and students waited patiently for the return of their payloads. Lincoln High School put on a barbecue, students observed desert plant life, played football and board games, and watched UCSD Aerospace Engineers perform real-time tracking of the balloon using GPS and mapping software.

Results for the launch will be shared next week with the teachers and students. We commend everyone for their hard work and great spirit during this exciting day.

This activity was sponsored by the California Space Grant Consortium, a NASA-funded organization providing hands-on student-mentor experiences in Science and Engineering.

To view photos taken during Saturday’s launch, CLICK  HERE.

NASA announces a call for graduate fellowship proposals to the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) program for the 2010-2011 academic year.  This call for fellowship proposals solicits applications from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines.  The purpose of NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA’s scientific goals.  Awards resulting from the competitive selection will be made in the form of training grants to the respective universities.

The deadline for NEW applications is February 1, 2010, and the deadline for RENEWAL applications is March 15, 2010. (more…)

Applications are now available!

• NASA Undergraduate Student Research Project Spring and Summer 2010 Sessions
• 2009 NASA Postdoctoral Program Accepting Applications
• 2010 RASC-AL Competition for College Students
• National Space Biomedical Research Institute Announces Opportunities for College Students
• Graduate Education Program in Space Life Sciences
• National Space Biomedical Research Institute Summer Internship Program

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We have been funding two of our MAE students, Casey Barrett and David Hernandez, to work on aerospace projects this summer, including an interdisciplinary archeological balloon flight project with the Department of Anthropology (Professor Thomas Levy), Calit2, and the California Space Grant Consortium. Below is a description of the project, written by Professor Levy.
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Click here to read about California Space Grant Consortium projects in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) at our California affiliate campuses.

Elena S. Amador is the California Student Ambassador for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy. The International Year of Astronomy is a global program that aims to bring astronomy and all space sciences to a wider audience. Elena is currently a 4th year undergraduate student at the University of California, Santa Cruz where she is studying planetary sciences and astrophysics.

For her biography, click here.

For the IYA website, click here.

Congratulations to the 2008-2009 Graduate Fellowship Awardees: