Welcome to the Maine Space Grant Consortium!

We invite you to learn about our competitive Grant Programs that allow us to invest National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Grant and NASA EPSCoR funds in Maine faculty, students, and educators who are interested in increasing their involvement in research and education activities in areas of interest to NASA. Space grant and NASA EPSCoR grants enable:

Faculty to seed the development of competitive research programs that have direct relevance to our national space program.
Undergraduate and graduate students to engage in research of interest to NASA here in Maine or at one of several NASA field centers.
Maine K-12 teachers to use NASA materials to improve their curricula and to enhance their students' learning experiences through hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) activities.

You may download a summary description of the current investments we are making in Maine residents who are involved in research and education activities of interest to NASA and to Maine.

Image of the Day

NASA 50th Anniversary Logo

Fifty years after its founding, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration arguably leads the world in exploration, standing on the shoulders of a long line of explorers throughout history. Its astronauts have circled the world, walked on the moon, piloted the first winged spacecraft, and constructed the International Space Station. Its robotic spacecraft have studied Earth, visited all the planets (and soon the dwarf planet Pluto), imaged the universe at many wavelengths, and peered back to the beginnings of time.

You can read more about NASA's 50th Anniversary:

http://www.nasa.gov/50th/50th_magazine/index.html

In addition to providing information on grant opportunities our website provides the following:

MSGC News: Grant announcements and events.
Student in Focus: Highlights students who have received space grant and NASA EPSCoR awards.
Affiliate in Focus: Highlights researchers who have received space grant and NASA EPSCoR awards.
Industry in Focus: News on businesses in Maine and elsewhere who are conducting aerospace-related research or using NASA technologies for product development and enhancement.
NASA in Focus: News on NASA research and education activities and events.
Affiliates: An interactive map showing our Affiliates and links to their websites.
NASA Links: An extensive list of NASA links to programs targeted for faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, K-12 educators and technology-based businesses.
Cool Things for Kids and Families: A new feature under development that will provide kids and parents links to many space and science related fun activities.

For future activties, we are working on restarting MERITS (Maine Research Internships for Teachers and Students) which is now a program of the Maine Space Grant Consortium. An announcement for 2008 summer internships for high school junior and senior students with technology-based businesses and research organizations in Maine is anticipated this fall. Also, we are in the exploratory phase of setting up an informal science education coalition. The intent of this coalition is to enable Maine residents to leverage existing informal science education resources in Maine and in NASA to increase their communities' STEM knowledge and experience.

Please feel free to contact us if you need additional information. We would also welcome any suggestions to improve our website both in terms of content and presentation.