NASA To Fund Innovative Museum Exhibits And Planetarium Shows
WASHINGTON -- Innovative planetarium shows and traveling museum
exhibits are among nine projects NASA has selected to receive agency
funding this year. NASA's Competitive Program for Science Museums and
Planetariums will provide $7 million in grants to enhance educational
outreach related to space exploration, aeronautics, space science,
Earth science and microgravity.
This year's grants to nine informal education providers range from
approximately $177,000 to $1.25 million and have a maximum five-year
performance period. The projects are located in Arizona, Connecticut,
Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, Utah and Washington.
The selected projects will work with NASA's Shared Service Center in
Mississippi to complete the business review necessary before a NASA
award is issued.
"Science centers and planetariums contribute significantly to engaging
people of all ages in science, technology, engineering and math,"
said James Stofan, acting associate administrator for NASA's Office
of Education. "NASA wants to give the informal education community
access to a variety of agency staff and resources while offering
professional development opportunities for informal science educators
and encouraging the formation of collaborative partnerships."
The selected organizations will partner with NASA's Museum Alliance,
an Internet-based, national network of more than 400 science and
nature centers, planetariums, museums, aquariums, zoos and related
organizations. The projects will engage the public and educators by
providing NASA-inspired space, science, technology, engineering and
mathematics learning opportunities.
Congress initiated the Competitive Program for Science Museums and
Planetariums in 2008. The first group of projects began in 2009.
NASA's Office of Education and agency mission directorates
collaborated to solicit and review the grant applications.
For a list of the selected projects, visit:
http://nspires.nasaprs.com
Click on "Selected Proposals" and look for Competitive Program for
Science Museums and Planetariums.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., leads the Museum
Alliance for the agency. For more information about the Museum
Alliance, visit:
http://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/
For more information about NASA's education programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/education
Source: NASA
