Ann Marie Trotta
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1601
ann.marie.trotta@nasa.gov

Veronica McGregor
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-9452
vcmcgreg@jpl.nasa.gov
RELEASE: 10-225

NASA GRANTS INCREASE STEM LEARNING FOR MINORITY STUDENTS

WASHINGTON -- NASA has awarded grants to nine academic institutions
and their partners that serve large numbers of minority and
underrepresented students to strengthen offerings in science,
technology, engineering, and math, or STEM. The grants total
approximately $1.15 million through the agency's Curriculum
Improvement Partnership Award for the Integration of Research
(CIPAIR) project.

Seven institutions and their partners will receive one-year funding
ranging from approximately $145,000 to $150,000 per year for up to
three years, based on performance and availability of funds. Two
organizations will receive planning grants. The grants must be used
to increase the quantity and quality of STEM curricula. The
institutions and partners selected are:

- Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, and Southeastern
Community College in Whiteville, N.C. (Planning Grant)
- LaGuardia Community College in Long Island, N.Y., and Medgar Evers
College in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Planning Grant)
- Atlanta Metropolitan College
- New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Hostos
Community College in the Bronx, N.Y.
- San Mateo/Canada Community College in San Francisco and San
Francisco State University
- Santa Monica Community College in California and the University of
California, Los Angeles
- Spelman College in Atlanta and Gadsen Community College in Gadsen,
Ala.
- United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, N.D.
- Virginia State University in Petersburg, Va., and Louisburg
Community College in Louisburg, N.C.

Selections were based on proposal reviews by scientists and educators
from private industry, academia, the National Science Foundation and
NASA. The formal award, financial arrangements and grant
administration will be made through the NASA Shared Services Center.
CIPAIR is managed for NASA by the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
in Pasadena, Calif.

These awards provide funding that continues NASA's commitment to
achieving a broad-based, competitive aerospace research and
technology development capability among the nation's minority serving
institutions. NASA continues to invest in projects that will build,
sustain and provide a skilled, knowledgeable and diverse workforce to
meet the emerging needs of the agency and the nation.

For more information about CIPAIR, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/offices/educati...ulum_Improvements_Partnership_Award.html


For more information about NASA's education programs, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/education