NASA Funds Research Projects
Advancing STEM Career Development
Aug. 14, 2024 RELEASE 24-105
Credit: NASA
NASA has awarded $6 million to 20 teams from emerging research institutions across the United States supporting projects that offer career development opportunities for science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students.
This is the third round of seed funding awarded through the agency’s MOSAICS (Mentoring
and Opportunities in STEM with Academic Institutions for Community Success) program, formerly the Science Mission Directorate Bridge Program. The program seeks to expand access to NASA research opportunities in the science and engineering disciplines, as well
as to NASA’s workforce.
“The STEM workforce continues to grow, and today’s students, studying at a variety of higher-education institutions — community colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, and minority-serving
institutions — are the STEM workforce of tomorrow, who will work to solve some of our biggest challenges at home while answering some of our biggest questions about our universe,” said Padi Boyd, director of MOSAICS at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Exposing
today’s students to the incredibly inspiring and cutting-edge discoveries made through NASA’s space science people and resources ensures that these students get the training they need to persist in STEM careers, while fostering enduring collaborations between
NASA researchers and faculty at a wide range of institutions.”
NASA’s Science Mission Directorate MOSAICS program funds research projects building relationships between college faculty and researchers at the agency while providing mentorship and
training for students in STEM disciplines. The projects support teams at academic institutions that historically have not been part of the agency’s research enterprise — including Hispanic-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities,
Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, and primarily undergraduate institutions.
The program previously awarded seed funding to 11
teams in February and 13 teams in April. This third cohort brings the total number of projects
funded to 44 teams at 36 academic institutions in 21 U.S. states and territories, including Washington and Puerto Rico, in collaboration with seven NASA centers. A new
opportunity to apply for seed funding is now open until March 28, 2025.
The following projects were selected as the third cohort to receive seed funding:
“Bridging Fundamental Ice Chemistry Studies and Ocean World Explorations”
“Planetary Analog Field Science Experiences for Undergraduates: Advancing Fundamental Research and Testing Field Instrument Operations”
“Building an FSU-JPL Partnership to Advance Science Productivity Through Applications of Deep Learning”
“CSTAT: Establishing Center for Safe and Trustworthy Autonomous Technologies”
“Development of Biomechanics Simulation Tool for Muscle Mechanics in Reduced Gravity to Enhance Astronaut Mission Readiness”
“NASA Next Level”
“Controlled Assembly of Amphiphilic Janus Particles in Polymer Matrix for Novel 3D Printing Applications in Space”
“Development of a Non-Invasive Sweat Biosensor for Traumatic Brain Injury Compatible With In-Space Manufacturing to Monitor the Health of Astronauts”
“Examining Climate Impacts of Cirrus Clouds Through Past, Present, and Future NASA Airborne Campaigns”
“CSUN-JPL Collaboration to Study Ocean Fronts Using Big Data and Open Science Structures in Coastal North America”
“Accelerating Electric Propulsion Development for Planetary Science Missions With Optical Plasma Diagnostics”
“Advancing Students Through Research Opportunities in Los Angeles (ASTRO-LA)”
“Bridging Toward a More Inclusive Learning Environment Through Gamma-ray Burst Studies With Machine Learning and Citizen Science”
“Hampton University STEM Experience With NASA Langley Research Center: Polarimetry for Aerosol Characterization”
“Aerocapture Analysis and Development for Uranus and Neptune Planetary Missions”
“Pathways from Undergraduate Research to the Habitable Worlds Observatory”
“Point-Diffraction Interferometer for Digital Holography”
“From Sunbeams to Career Dreams: Illuminating Pathways for NMSU Students in Solar-Terrestrial Physics in Partnership With NASA GSFC”
“CONNECT-SBG: Collaborative Nexus for Networking, Education, and Career Training in Surface Biology and Geology”
“Multiplexed Phytohormone and Nitrate Sensors for Real-Time Analysis of Plant Responses to Pathogenic Stress in Spaceflight-Like Conditions”
Learn more about the MOSAICS program at:
https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/smd-bridge-program
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