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 agencyâs MOSAICS (Mentoring
and Opportunities inâ¯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 NASAâs workforce.
âThe STEM workforce continues to grow, and todayâs students, studying at a variety of higher-education institutions â community colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, and minority-serving
institutions â 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,â said Padi Boyd, director of MOSAICS at NASA Headquarters in Washington. âExposing
todayâs students to the incredibly inspiring and cutting-edge discoveries made through NASAâs 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.â
NASAâs 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 agencyâs research enterprise â 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:
âBridging Fundamental Ice Chemistry Studies and Ocean World Explorationsâ
Principal investigator: Chris Arumainayagam, Wellesley College, Massachusetts
NASA center: NASAâs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Southern California
âPlanetary Analog Field Science Experiences for Undergraduates: Advancing Fundamental Research and Testing Field Instrument Operationsâ
Principal investigator: Alice Baldridge, Saint Maryâs College of California
NASA center: NASAâs Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
âBuilding an FSU-JPL Partnership to Advance Science Productivity Through Applications of Deep Learningâ
Principal investigator: Sambit Bhattacharya, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina
NASA center: NASA JPL
âCSTAT: Establishing Center for Safe and Trustworthy Autonomous Technologiesâ
Principal investigator: Moitrayee Chatterjee, New Jersey City University
NASA center: NASA Goddard
âDevelopment of Biomechanics Simulation Tool for Muscle Mechanics in Reduced Gravity to Enhance Astronaut Mission Readinessâ
Principal investigator: Ji Chen, University of the District of Columbia
NASA center: NASAâs Johnson Space Center, Houston
âNASA Next Levelâ
Principal investigator: Teresa Ciardi, Santa Clarita Community College District, California
NASA center: NASA JPL
âControlled Assembly of Amphiphilic Janus Particles in Polymer Matrix for Novel 3D Printing Applications in Spaceâ
Principal investigator: Ubaldo Cordova-Figueroa, Recinto Universitario Mayaguez
NASA center: NASAâs Glenn Research Center, Cleveland
âDevelopment of a Non-Invasive Sweat Biosensor for Traumatic Brain Injury Compatible With In-Space Manufacturing to Monitor the Health of Astronautsâ
Principal investigator: Lisandro Cunci, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Pedras
NASA center: NASAâs Ames Research Center, Silicon Valley, California
âExamining Climate Impacts of Cirrus Clouds Through Past, Present, and Future NASA Airborne Campaignsâ
Principal investigator: Minghui Diao, San Jose State University Research Foundation, California
NASA center: NASA Ames
âCSUN-JPL Collaboration to Study Ocean Fronts Using Big Data and Open Science Structures in Coastal North Americaâ
Principal investigator: Mario Giraldo, California State University, Northridge
NASA center: NASA JPL
âAccelerating Electric Propulsion Development for Planetary Science Missions With Optical Plasma Diagnosticsâ
Principal investigator: Nathaniel Hicks, University of Alaska, Anchorage
NASA center: NASA JPL
âAdvancing Students Through Research Opportunities in Los Angeles (ASTRO-LA)â
Principal investigator: Margaret Lazzarini, California State University, Los Angeles
NASA center: NASA JPL
âBridging Toward a More Inclusive Learning Environment Through Gamma-ray Burst Studies With Machine Learning and Citizen Scienceâ
Principal investigator: Amy Lien, University of Tampa, Florida
NASA center: NASA Goddard
âHampton University STEM Experience With NASA Langley Research Center: Polarimetry for Aerosol Characterizationâ
Principal investigator: Robert Loughman, Hampton University, Virginia
NASA center: NASAâs Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
âAerocapture Analysis and Development for Uranus and Neptune Planetary Missionsâ
Principal investigator: Ping Lu, San Diego State University
NASA center: NASA Langley
âPathways from Undergraduate Research to the Habitable Worlds Observatoryâ
Principal investigator: Ben Ovryn, New York Institute of Technology
NASA center: NASA Goddard
âPoint-Diffraction Interferometer for Digital Holographyâ
Principal investigator: James Scire, New York Institute of Technology
NASA center: NASA Goddard
âFrom Sunbeams to Career Dreams: Illuminating Pathways for NMSU Students in Solar-Terrestrial Physics in Partnership With NASA GSFCâ
Principal investigator: Juie Shetye, New Mexico State University
NASA center: NASA Goddard
âCONNECT-SBG: Collaborative Nexus for Networking, Education, and Career Training in Surface Biology and Geologyâ
Principal investigator: Gabriela Shirkey, Chapman University, California
NASA center: NASA JPL
âMultiplexed Phytohormone and Nitrate Sensors for Real-Time Analysis of Plant Responses to Pathogenic Stress in Spaceflight-Like Conditionsâ
Principal investigator: Shawana Tabassum, University of Texas, Tyler
NASA center: NASAâs Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Learn more about the MOSAICS program at:
https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/smd-bridge-program
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