Human exploration is an area of strategic importance and value to nasas missions and national priorities. The collaborative center for advancing human exploration and education is strategically…

This federal contract award, NNX15AP43A, was granted by NASA to Langston University, a historically Black land-grant university in Oklahoma. The $5,185,194 cooperative agreement, which does not have a set-aside designation, is part of NASA's Collaborative Center for Advancing Human Exploration and Education program. The goal of the project, known as the MUREP Institutional Research Opportunity (MIRO), is to strengthen Langston University's research capacity, infrastructure, and STEM education in the area of human exploration and space operations. The award will establish the Langston University NASA Advanced Research in Biology Center (LUNAR-BC), increase the number of STEM degrees awarded to underrepresented students, and help the university secure additional non-MIRO funding. This effort aligns with NASA's and the federal government's commitment to enhancing the STEM experience and increasing the diversity of STEM professionals.

Human exploration is an area of strategic importance and value to nasas missions and national priorities. The collaborative center for advancing human exploration and education is strategically designed to contribute to developing the stem workforce and the disciplines needed to achieve nasas strategic goals. The proposed murep institutional research opportunity (miro) project will have a dramatic and critical impact on strengthening and developing the research capacity, infrastructure and stem education at langston university in the area of NASA human exploration and space operations. The overarching goal and significance of the proposed NASA miro project is to contribute to expanding the nations base for aerospace research in human exploration and increase the numbers of students in stem careers. The three following objectives will be fulfilled: (1) establishment of the langston university NASA advanced research in biology center (lunar-BC) a significant research center at langston university (LU) that will contribute substanfially to the human exploration operations mission directorate; (2) increase the number of degrees awarded to students at LU, that have been underrepresented in NASA related fields; and (3) strategically advance LUS core capability in obtaining funding from non-miro sources. By achieving this goal langston university will realize nasas and costems commitment to enhancing the stem experience of undergraduate students, increasing the number of students from underrepresented groups earning stem undergraduate degrees, and increasing the number and diversity of stem professionals with basic and applied research experience.