The overarching purpose of this project is to design, create and provide workshops, sustainable training materials and support to minority serving institutions (msis) as a means of enabling a…

This federal contract award was made by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Shared Services Center to the Alabama A&M University Research Innovation in Science and Engineering (AAMU-RISE) Foundation, which is partnering with the University Space Research Association (USRA). The purpose of this $371,728.97 cooperative agreement is to design, create, and provide workshops, sustainable training materials, and support to Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to enable a competitive advantage in securing federal funds and improve MSI institutional capacities. The project aims to foster mutually beneficial relationships between MSIs and NASA by incorporating NASA content and collaborations into MSI professional training workshops. Key goals include growing the U.S. academic and industrial base for NASA research and technology transfer, engaging the public in NASA-unique STEM learning, and supporting interagency and academic-industry partnerships. This award is not associated with any set-aside designation.

The overarching purpose of this project is to design, create and provide workshops, sustainable training materials and support to minority serving institutions (msis) as a means of enabling a competitive advantage in securing federal funds for msis to yield improvements in MSI institution capacities. Alabama a & m university research innovation in science and engineering (aamu-rise) foundation is partnering with the university space research association (usra) to create workshops in the form of: face-to-face institutes, partner-delivered workshops, online music themed workshops for the dissemination and use for msis. We will define, develop, test, implement, and manage a superior national initiative to incorporate NASA content and collaborations into msis through innovative professional training workshops to foster mutually beneficial relationships with msis and NASA. The goals of the project are consistent with the NASA s strategic objectives (3.1, 3.3. And 4.1): 1) foster the growth and utilization of the U.S. Industrial and academic base in tandem with NASA for research, development and transfer of innovative technologies to expand the exploration capabilities for NASA; 2) engage the public with exposure to NASA-unique science, technology, engineering and mathematics (stem) learning opportunities and outreach activities to inform, educate, and encourage public interests and diversify the future NASA workforce; and 3) support and engage in partnerships interagency, partnerships between industrial and academic partnerships to utilize greater capabilities and reach. The objectives of the project are to: 1) develop and deliver training workshops for msis at all levels incorporating: face-to-face institutes, partner-delivered workshops, online training modules, and distribution of materials; 2) leverage the considerable NASA research portfolio to provide opportunities to inspire and engage the public by: creating awareness of NASA-unique stem research and facilities, exposing msis to the value and work at NASA, and augmenting NASA s public presence at msis to encourage diversification of the NASA stem pipeline; 3) provide msis with the improved ability to leverage relationships in academia and industry to participate in current, innovative research and development aligned with the aims of technology transfer. The expected results of the proposed activities will yield training materials and forums for use at msis facilitating: 1) improvements in the throughput of funding applications to NASA contracts and grants, as well as improved funding of MSI research, 2) greater collaborative involvement between msis with common goals, and MSI-NASA research efforts, and 3) improved diversity in NASA employment.