NASA
is soliciting proposals for university faculty to develop an
Engineering Senior Design Course. Senior design projects are intended to
stimulate undergraduate research on current NASA activities and to bring out
innovative and novel ideas that can be used to complement those currently
under development at respective NASA Centers. Additionally, such academic
involvement would improve the prospects for graduating seniors to pursue
graduate studies and to seek careers in the
space
industry. We invite university faculty who teach engineering senior design
courses to submit a proposal to develop a two-semester senior design course
based on a project from the approved list found at
http://education.ksc.nasa.gov/ESMDspacegrant/Sr_Design.htm.
Proposals Due: January 18, 2011
The ESMD Senior Design Course Development solicitation can be
viewed here:
2010 ESMD
Course Development.pdf
All inquiries must be emailed to:
Diane
Ingraham, C&C Int’l Computer and Consultants, Inc.
ESMD Space Grant
Education Project Specialist
Email:
zola.d.ingraham@nasa.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where can I review the previous
developed courses?
A: Previous developed courses can be reviewed at
http://education.ksc.nasa.gov/esmdspacegrant/CoursesIndex.htm
Q: How do I find out the name of the
technical expert to discuss their project(s)?
A: E-mail Diane Ingraham atzzola.d.ingraham@nasa.gov
to request the name of the technical expert(s) associated with the
project(s) in which you are interested.
Diane will contact the technical expert(s) to find out if
they will have time to support a course developed around their ESMD
Project.
If so, you will
receive their contact information via e-mail.
Q: Can I submit more than one proposal?
A: Yes, you can submit more than one senior
design course development proposal.
Q: Are the topics restricted only to
the projects listed on the website?
A: No, with the approval of a technical expert,
additional topics can be added.
The technical expert must e-mail Diane Ingraham at
zola.d.ingraham@nasa.gov
to complete the required form(s) to add the project(s) to the list.
Q: What is the award amount for the
selected senior design proposal?
A: There will be one award that will not exceed
$50,000.
Q: Should the senior design course
adhere to a systems engineering approach?
A: Yes, it is required that the senior design
course adhere to a systems engineering approach.
See the
NASA Systems Engineering Handbook
for requirements.
Q: Does my university have to be an
affiliate of the Space Grant Consortium?
A: Yes, only universities that are an affiliate
with the Space Grant Consortium are eligible to submit a senior
design course development proposal(s).
Q: Are you required to submit your
senior design course development proposal(s) to the Space Grant
Consortium for approval?
A: No, universities and faculty are not required
to submit the proposal(s) to the Space Grant Consortium for
approval.
Q: What document should I submit to
support evidence of my professional/work experiences?
A: Faculty must submit a Curriculum Vita (4 pages
maximum) to support evidence of their professional/work experiences.
Q: What
should I submit to confirm the NASA Technical Expert(s)
commitment/support for my project(s)?
A: Faculty must submit a signed confirmation of
support from the NASA Technical Expert that is matched with the
selected ESMD senior design project.
Q: What should I submit for the
confirmation of citizenship”?
A: Faculty must submit a signed confirmation from
the university stating that the faculty is a U.S. citizen.
Q: Is the Department Chair eligible to
write a letter of commitment/support for my project(s)?
A: Yes, a department chairman is an acceptable
level to submit a letter of commitment/support for your project(s).
Q: How many semesters should the course
cover?
A: The course should span 2 semesters, which is
equivalent to 32 weeks of instruction.
Q: When do I begin the development of
the senior design course?
A: The senior design course development will
begin in the spring of 2011.
Q: When should the pilot testing of
senior design course begin?
A: The senior design pilot-testing will be
implemented during the fall of 2011-2012 academic year.
Q: Will a student be eligible for hire
with NASA when they have completed the course?
A: Completion of this course does not guarantee
employment with NASA.
If
an individual is interested in employment with NASA, they can review
job openings and apply for positions at
http://www.usajobs.gov.
Q: Should project materials be included
in the budget?
A: Yes, project materials should be included in
the budget section of the proposal(s).
Q: Who should determined overhead
costs?
A: The university administration should determine
the overhead costs.
Q: How do I submit my proposal?
A: Proposal(s) should be submitted through the
National Space Grant Foundation’s website at
https://secure.spacegrant.org/proposals/esmdsg/.
Q: How many senior design course
proposals have been submitted in previous years?
A: ESMD has received an average of 5 to 10
proposals since the first announcement in 2007.
