The office of stem engagement (ostem) seeks to: attract students to stem through unique learning opportunities that spark interest and provide connections to nasas mission and work engage students…

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shared Services Center awarded a cooperative agreement totaling $600,000 to Iowa State University of Science and Technology on October 1, 2025, to attract and engage students in STEM through unique learning opportunities that connect to NASA's mission and people under the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (CFDA 43.016).

Performance runs through September 30, 2028, at Ames, Iowa. The University of Iowa serves as a sub-grantee, with Dr. Linton contracted to provide ophthalmic imaging and expertise on patients with eye conditions analogous to those developed by astronauts during long-term spaceflight, including optical coherence tomography imaging of optic nerve head swelling and choroidal folds, and consultation on mathematical models to explain and predict similar problems during spaceflight. The sub-award was obligated on January 4, 2026.

The office of stem engagement (ostem) seeks to: attract students to stem through unique learning opportunities that spark interest and provide connections to nasas mission and work engage students in authentic learning experiences with nasas people