North Dakota Space Grant seeks applicants to promote NASA The North Dakota Space Grant Consortium (NDSGC) seeks applications from North Dakota’s undergraduate and graduate college students to represent North Dakota and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in celebration of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy (IYA: http://www.astronomy2009.org). The winning applicant, who must develop an outreach program to educate North Dakotans about NASA’s past and current contributions to astronomy, will receive a $2,000 stipend and $700 for materials required as a part of the project. Student proposals must clearly align with NASA’s 2009 IYA goals (see http://astronomy2009.nasa.gov for more information), must demonstrate an ability to accomplish the proposed program, and display a record of superior academic achievement. The proposal deadline is Sept. 29, and must be submitted online at https://secure.spacegrant.org/apps/?pk=niya. Eligibility requirements include: 1) Must be a U.S. citizen at least 18 years of age by Jan. 1, 2009, 2) be studying at an institution affiliated with the North Dakota Space Grant Consortium, 3) be a full-time undergraduate or graduate student, 4) be able to obtain a passport by Jan. 1, 2009, for a possible trip to France to participate in the IYA 2009 opening ceremony, and 5) participate in activities that align with the NASA IYA goal “to offer an engaging astronomy experience to every person in the country, nurture existing partnerships, and build new connections to sustain public interest in astronomy”. Applicants are encouraged to develop programs that can reach the maximum number of North Dakotans possible, utilize state-wide astronomical resources where possible (i.e., http://observatory.space.edu), educate the public about NASA’s variety of space astronomy missions, and develop partnerships with state media to promote NASA space science and exploration. The North Dakota Space Grant Consortium is the state’s premier organization promoting NASA workforce development, research, and higher education in North Dakota. The Consortium promotes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and future careers at 18 affiliates across the state and facilitates student involvement and participation in a wide variety of NASA projects, both in North Dakota and at NASA field centers across the country. For more information, contact Paul Hardersen at 777-4896 or Hardersen@space.edu, or Suezette Bieri at 777-4856 or bieri@space.edu. For more information about the Consortium, visit us online at http://www.nd.spacegrant.org. -- Karen Ryba, director of communications, aerospace, ryba@aero.und.edu, 777-4761