KSGC invites proposals for support of space-related research projects by faculty involving students at Consortium member institutions.

Diversity Needs: NASA and KSGC are committed to increasing diversity of participation in space-related research and education. KSGC strongly encourages proposals for Research opportunities conducted by, or strongly involving, women, members of underrepresented groups, and persons with disabilities. Priority will be given to well-qualified proposals that would increase the diversity of participation in our programs.

Awards of up to $5,000 require a 1:1 match, and larger awards of up to $15,000 require matching 2:1.  The PI must be a member of a Consortium institution, which must provide adequate faculty time and any indirect costs, which may be used as cost sharing.

Goals of funding for research projects include:

Equipment cannot be purchased with federal KSGC funds, but may be used as cost sharing.  For cases in which a small item of equipment (no more than a few thousand dollars) is essential to the project and cannot be fully purchased by the institution, a separate (attached) proposal may be submitted.  It must strongly justify the need for the equipment and its impact on the proposed research, and must be matched 1:1, preferably by contribution to the equipment purchase by the institution.  Computers and items of general office utility will not normally be allowed, although there could be very special instances of integral need, requiring very special justification.

Longitudinal Tracking: NASA now requires recipients to keep track of the success of students supported by grants.  The PI will be responsible for following and annually reporting students' subsequent progress in graduating, receiving advanced degrees, and eventually being employed.

It is the intent that research funding will provide an intensive research experience for the student(s) and will also enhance the investigator's competitiveness for future funding.  Eligibility for renewal will be contingent upon indication of student benefits and project output in publications/presentations and proposals. Preference is given to projects that include student stipends in the budget. Investigators are strongly encouraged to develop projects related to NASA' interests, to collaborate with NASA Centers or missions, or to utilize NASA data.

KSGC invites applications for Graduate Fellowships and Undergraduate Scholarships based on mentored research in space-related fields at Consortium member institutions. 

Diversity Needs: NASA and KSGC are committed to increasing diversity of participation in space-related research and education. KSGC strongly encourages mentors to seek women, members of underrepresented groups, and persons with disabilities to propose for Fellowship and Scholarship opportunities. Priority will be given to well-qualified persons who would increase the diversity of participation in our programs.

Special Opportunities with the Kentucky Satellite (KySat) Project: A statewide project is underway to design and launch an earth-orbiting satellite. Broad participation is sought among affiliate institutions. If you wish to propose for a mentored student project supporting KySat (http://www.kysat.com), please contact the KySat project coordinator, Kris Kimel (kkimel@kstc.com, 859-233-3502 ext. 223), for information about possible avenues of involvement on which to base your proposal.

Longitudinal Tracking: NASA now requires recipients to keep track of the success of students supported by grants.  The mentor will be responsible for following and annually reporting students' subsequent progress in graduating, receiving advanced degrees, and eventually being employed.

Graduate Fellowship awards, based on mentored research projects, are in amounts up to $18,000 total -- including up to $16,000 stipend and up to $2,000 additional for required travel to visit a NASA researcher, and other travel and supplies to facilitate the project.  The amounts must be strongly justified in the application.  Matching of at least $12,000 is required, and should insure that the faculty mentor has adequate time committed to the project.  Indirect costs can neither be charged nor used as match for fellowship awards.

Undergraduate Scholarship awards, based on mentored research projects, are in amounts up to $5000 total -- including up to $4,500 stipend and up to $500 additional for required travel to visit a NASA researcher, and other travel and supplies to facilitate the project.  Proposals may also be submitted for summer scholarships for mentored research.  For academic year or summer scholarships at member institutions, matching of at least $4,000 is required, and should insure that the faculty mentor has adequate time committed to the project. Indirect costs can neither be charged nor used as match for scholarship awards.

Fellows and Scholars must be U.S. citizens and must be accepted for admission to a program at the Consortium institution leading to a graduate or baccalaureate degree in a space-related field or teaching specialization.  We encourage applications from women and underrepresented minorities, and from students involved in NASA projects, programs, and NASA EPSCoR.  Preference is given to schools that provide and cost share tuition.

The application must be submitted by the faculty mentor with the concurrence of the Department Chair and the Campus Director.  The faculty mentor must show evidence of publication, suitable resources, and adequate assignment time to support the student's mentored research project, such as time committed as match.  As PI, the mentor will administer the award and guide the study.

Assistance with introductions and arrangements for visits with NASA researchers is available by working with the University Affairs Officers, whose contact information is given later in this webpage and with the current KSGC RFP on the KSGC website at http://www.wku.edu/ksgc/

The student must provide as part of the application an essay describing space-related interests and career goals.  A student is eligible for renewal in competition with first-time applicants, with priority given to renewals.  Renewal is contingent upon the quality of the student's research and satisfactory performance in the program of study, as evidenced by grades, presentation of research results, and evaluation of the student's progress by the mentor.  Selection is based on the following criteria:

(1) academic qualifications of the applicant
(2) quality of the proposed research program and relevance to space-related science/technology
(3) applicant's motivation for a space-related career expressed in an essay on interests and goals
(4) written and oral presentations of research accomplishments (for renewal).

KSGC invites proposals for up to $10,000 per workshop for curriculum development or enhancing the capabilities of college or precollege teachers in the teaching of space-related subjects.

The PI must be employed at a member institution.  Funding should be concentrated on maximum benefit to participants.  The purpose of KSGC-sponsored workshops is to enable teachers to utilize the excitement of space-related science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to inspire students from an early age to consider and prepare for a STEM career path.

The proposal must demonstrate how the workshop will incorporate materials and results from NASA programs or missions, and how the content addresses the Kentucky Core Content for Assessment for precollege education. Proposers are encouraged to develop workshops for college faculty who teach Kentucky's future science and mathematics teachers, providing space-related content and inspirational hands-on learning activities to enrich their students' preparation for teaching.  Proposals may also be submitted for substantial development of higher-education curriculum based on space-related science and engineering.

A cost sharing commitment of at least 1/8 year FTE in paid faculty time for a corresponding reduction of teaching load is required of the institution to facilitate development and delivery of a substantial training experience; and the total match must be at least 1:1.  If the time commitment alone results in less than the total required match, then additional direct and indirect cost contributions are needed.

Equipment and indirect costs may not be covered with KSGC funds, but may be contributed as match.

Cover Sheet (and supporting documents):  The cover sheet (a KSGC form) should include all requested information and signatures.  Supporting documents for fellowship and scholarship applications are itemized in a checklist on the cover sheet.  Projects should not begin prior to June 2009.  Submissions must be printed single-sided, unbound, with all parts secured by staple in the upper left-hand corner.

Budget: A single-page budget sheet, on the KSGC budget form, should separately show costs to be covered by the grant and cost sharing provided by the host institution. Explicitly detail time commitments (who, when, amount of time, cost). The budget narrative section of the proposal should also detail time commitments and costs, as well as specific justification and description of supplies, travel, and any other direct costs (specify).

No equipment may be purchased with federal KSGC funds; however, equipment purchased for the project by the institution during the period of the grant may contribute cost sharing. A separate proposal (with independent budget) may be submitted justifying absolutely essential equipment in amounts up to a few thousand dollars, with 1:1 matching, preferably by institutional contribution to the equipment.

Indirect charges may not be associated with fellowships or scholarships. For research and workshop grants, indirect may not be charged to the grant but may be contributed as cost sharing. The budget page and budget narrative should contain detail of the indirect calculations (rate and basis). The budget form is available as an active spreadsheet from our website  http://www.wku.edu/ksgc/.

Abstract:  A single-page abstract (500 words or less, written for public access) should summarize the objectives of the proposed project, the plan for achieving them, and the relevance to space-related science, technology, or education.

Project Description:  A thorough description of the proposed project should be given, including discussion of the relevance to the goals of the Consortium and NASA.  Interaction with NASA at some level is required, and must be acknowledged by an involved NASA researcher.  The proposal narrative should be concise, not exceeding the equivalent of 6 single-spaced pages, including budget justification.

Brief Vitae for Personnel:  The relevant qualifications and credentials of PIs, mentors, or workshop instructors should be described in the form of one-page vitae.

Current and Pending Support:  Describe current and pending PI support and time commitments.

Submission of Proposals:  Proposals should be received by the deadline date given below.  For further assistance, or information about other KSGC opportunities, contact your Campus Director or the KSGC Center Office at the e-mail, address, or telephone below.

Acknowledgement:  Appropriate acknowledgement of the sponsorship of the Kentucky Space Grant Consortium and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration should be included in printed materials, publications, and presentations related to the project.

Reports:  Project information will be collected upon request for the KSGC annual report to NASA. A final project report must be submitted by the PI within 60 days following the end of the term of support, concisely describing the project, telling how the goals were met, and listing results such as publications and follow-on grant applications and awards.  One copy each should be sent to the KSGC Center Office and to the KSGC Campus Director at the PI institution.  The final financial report and invoice are also due from the institution within 60 days following the ending date.

Application Deadline:  Wednesday February 11, 2009, at 4pm CT

Please submit original and 20 proposal copies to:

Karen Hackney, Director
Kentucky Space Grant Consortium
Department of Physics and Astronomy, TCCW 246
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Boulevard, #11077
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1077
Phone: (270) 791-4506/792-2905

E-mail inquiries to:  NASA@wku.edu

BUDGET FORM:
The current budget form is downloadable separately as an Excel file, which facilitates data entry and accuracy in adding the data columns. See http://www.wku.edu/ksgc/

COVER SHEET:
The cover sheet is given on the last page of this downloadable Word-file RFP.

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