Cooperative Agreement NNX13AB15A

THE MISSION OF MSGC IS TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A STATEWIDE PROGRAM THAT IS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO THE STATE AND NASA THAT EFFECTIVELY LEVERAGES NASA AND STATE RESOURCES TO (1) IMPROVE MAINE'S RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IN AREAS CONSISTENT WITH THE NEEDS OF THE MISSION DIRECTORATES AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE STATE OF MAINE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PLAN; (2) ENCOURAGE MORE STUDENTS TO CONSIDER CAREERS IN FIELDS OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM); AND (3) ENHANCE NASA'S PRESENCE THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MAINE. THE GOALS OF MSGC ARE DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF RESEARCH HIGHER EDUCATION PRE-COLLEGE AND PUBLIC SERVICE. RESEARCH GOAL: STRENGTHEN THE AFFILIATES SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH CAPACITY IN AREAS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO MAINE AND NASA. HIGHER EDUCATION GOAL: INCREASE PARTICIPATION OF MAINE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE AFFILIATES AND NASA FIELD CENTERS. PRE-COLLEGE GOAL: STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF MAINE K-12 TEACHERS TO DELIVER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE STUDENT AWARENESS KNOWLEDGE AND PARTICIPATION IN STEM ACTIVITIES. PUBLIC SERVICE GOAL: INCREASE THE PUBLICS AWARENESS OF STEM RESEARCH EDUCATION AND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH NASA AND THE AFFILIATES. MAINE NASA EPSCOR SUPPORTS THE RESEARCH AND HIGHER EDUCATION GOALS BY FOCUSING NASA EPSCOR RESEARCH FUNDS TO COMPETITIVELY SUPPORT RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT ALIGN WITH NASA AND MAINE'S R & D PRIORITIES. NASA EPSCOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT (RID) FUNDS ARE USED TO SUPPORT TRAVEL FOR FACULTY WHO CURRENTLY HAVE NO NASA-RELATED RESEARCH CONNECTIONS TO VISIT RELEVANT NASA CENTERS TO INITIATE ENGAGEMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH NASA COLLEAGUES IN AREAS OF MUTUAL INTEREST TO STIMULATE FUTURE COLLABORATIONS. NASA EPSCOR RID FUNDS ARE ALSO USED TO SEED SUPPORT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND POSITION FACULTY FOR FUTURE FUNDING FROM NASA EPSCOR RESEARCH COMPETITIONS OR OTHER COMPETITIVE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FROM NASA AND OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES. SPECIFIC PRIORITIES AREAS OF INTEREST TO THE MAINE NASA EPSCOR PROGRAM ARE THOSE IN WHICH THE AFFILIATES EXCEL INDIVIDUALLY OR COLLECTIVELY AND DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES TO HELP THOSE AREAS BECOME NATIONALLY PROMINENT. SEED DEVELOPMENT IS DEFINED AS SUPPORT FOR THE EXPLORATORY PHASE OF HIGHLY INNOVATIVE RESEARCH AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS OR ASPECTS OF COMPLEX PROJECTS.