The goals of discover are to: (1) develop foundational skills for college-level academic success (2) support exploration of majors and career pathways particularly in stem fields (3) buildconfidence…

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shared Services Center awarded the University of California, San Diego $1,031,000 on September 1, 2026, under the Congressionally Directed Programs (CFDA 43.014) to support the DISCOVER project, a college preparation and STEM career exploration initiative.

DISCOVER develops foundational academic skills for college-level success, supports exploration of majors and career pathways particularly in STEM fields, builds confidence navigating a university environment, and strengthens readiness for college enrollment and persistence. These activities advance NASA Strategic Goal 4 of enhancing capabilities and operations to catalyze current and future mission success.

Performance occurs in La Jolla, California, with a period of performance from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2029. The award is a project grant, a non-competitive allocation specified by Congress that circumvents merit-based processes and applies to a designated recipient identified in the Explanatory Statement.

The goals of discover are to: (1) develop foundational skills for college-level academic success (2) support exploration of majors and career pathways particularly in stem fields (3) buildconfidence navigating a university environment and (4) strengthen readiness for college enrollment and persistence. These goals also advance NASA strategic goal 4 of enhancingcapabilities and operations to catalyze current and future mission success.