/PRNewswire/ — WASHINGTON, June 2, 2022 — NASA has awarded $12.5 million in grants to a number of programmes that take novel ways to increasing student engagement in science, technology, engineering, and math. The grants will assist the sponsoring schools, universities, and informal learning organisations, like as museums, in providing spaceflight inspiration and high-priority research opportunities to students from underrepresented populations in STEM areas.
“Providing real STEM experiences and opportunities to kids is an investment in the workforce we’ll need to accomplish our nation’s space goals today and in the future,” said Mike Kincaid, associate administrator for NASA Headquarters’ Office of STEM Engagement. “It’s critical that we continue to engage with educational institutions and support their efforts to introduce children in their communities to the thrill of NASA’s missions.”
The awards are funded by three NASA Office of STEM Engagement programmes: NASA’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), which provides meaningful aerospace research opportunities to students in eligible U.S. jurisdictions; Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) for American Indian and Alaska Native STEM Engagement (MAIANSE), which serves Native American and Indigenous communities; and Next Generation STEM (Next Gen STE), which serves Native American and Indigenous communities.