California Space Grant Consortium

Executive Summary

The California Space Grant Consortium (CaSGC) received Space Grant designation in 1989 under the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. It is funded, in part, through a Training Grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and is administered by its Lead Institution, the University of California, San Diego.

The Space Grant College and Fellowship program in California has continued to expand and grow in both the number of affiliate institutions involved and the number of curriculum and hands-on projects initiated. The CaSGC is presently comprised of the following affiliates:

• UC Berkeley
• UC Davis
• UC Irvine
• UC Los Angeles
• UC Riverside
• UC San Diego
• UC Santa Barbara
• UC Santa Cruz
• CSU Fresno
• CSU Sacramento
• CSU San Bernardino
• CSU Long Beach
• CSU Los Angeles
• San Diego State University
• San Jose State University
• Astronomical Society of the Pacific
• CalPoly – San Luis Obispo
• CalPoly – Pomona
• CalTech
• Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District
• Palomar College
• Pomona College
• San Diego Supercomputer Center
• San Francisco Art Institute
• Santa Clara University
• Stanford University
• University of San Diego
• University of Southern California

Specific actions are being taken to expand the consortium membership beyond the present membership to include other educational institutions with significant programs relating to aerospace-related research, education and outreach.

The organizational and administrative structure of the CaSGC has the Consortium Headquarters Office (Principal Investigator – John Kosmatka, California State-wide Director – Michael Wiskerchen) at UC San Diego. Each affiliate institution has a campus director and a scholarship/fellowship selection committee. The CaSGC is executing expansion while carefully maintaining a balance between statewide visibility and participation with continued high quality in targeted areas of aerospace research, education, and public outreach.

The California Space Grant Consortium (CaSGC) and the NASA Strategic Plan

The mission and goals of the CaSGC are structured to support NASA’s overall Strategic Plan. That NASA Strategic Plan formulates the following vision and mission:

NASA Vision

• To improve Life here,
• To extend life to there,
• To find life beyond.

NASA Mission

• To understand and protect our home planet,
• To explore the universe and search for life,
• To inspire the next generation of explorers, …as only NASA can.

The Plan creates a Strategic Enterprises framework to communicate to external constituents and contribute to national priorities. The six NASA Strategic Enterprises are:

• Earth Science Enterprise
• Space Science Enterprise
• Biological and Physical Research Enterprise
• Aerospace Technology Enterprise
• Education Enterprise
• Space Flight Enterprise

CaSGC Mission and Objectives

CaSGC Mission

The mission of the California Space Grant Consortium is to continue and enhance the United States’ capabilities in aerospace science, technology, and education and to provide aerospace-related information to students, researchers, and the general public.

CaSGC Objectives

To develop and maintain a network of institutions of higher education throughout California with interests and capabilities in aerospace science, engineering, and technology.

To recruit and train aerospace professionals, especially women and underrepresented minorities, for careers in aerospace science and engineering. This is accomplished through the provision of scholarships, fellowships, and training internships within the industry, government, and academic sectors. A primary focus of this effort is student – mentor projects which provide an effective way to:

• Translate space-related research results for education and public use;
• Train and retrain the aerospace workforce;
• Build education and research infrastructure;
• Provide undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships;
• Outreach to underrepresented groups (women & minorities).

To promote a strong science, mathematics, and engineering education base from elementary through university levels.

To encourage interdisciplinary education and training, research, and public service programs related to aerospace. To encourage collaborative development programs among universities, industry, and federal, state, and local governments.