Inside TIDE is a free service of
  
  and brought to you by

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Quote of the Day
"Humanity is acquiring all the right technology for all the wrong reasons."
R. Buckminster Fuller

Topics in This Issue
01. You're Invited. . .
02. Career Connection 2009
03. Engineering byDesign™ News
04. International Conferences
05. Engineering and Technology Resources From Public Television
06. News From Museum of Science, Boston
07. ITEA Member Receives Recognition From NSTA
08. Inspire the Next Generation of Engineers!
09. Engineering Activities with Paper and Cardboard
10. NAEP Seeks Examples for Assessment of Technological Literacy
11. From the JASON Project: Argonaut Adventures
12. Annual Engineering/Technology Education Day, February 11, 2009
13. K–12 Students have the Chance to Speak Up to President-Elect Obama
14. International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2009 – Call For Entries
15. Best Buy and EA Announce the National "INVENT-A-GAME CHALLENGE"
16. Survey: Majority of U.S. Teens Feel Prepared for Careers in STEM, Yet Many Lack Mentors
17. ITEA Member and Former Teacher on Next Shuttle Flight
18. NASA Opportunities
19. NASA Calendar
20. Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day – February 19, 2009
21. We Want to See YOU. . .

You're Invited. . .
to attend the 2009 Louisville Conference, where you will:

Challenge Yourself to learn more about robotics, CAD, CNC, interactive technologies, and more at the coming ITEA Louisville Conference. Network with leaders from some of the leading suppliers in the engineering and technology education field.

Become the Expert in your school system—the one who knows where the resources are and who to ask for the latest technical information about anything in technology teaching. 

Bring home an army of new friends who do the same thing that you do every day into your classroom and laboratory. They will be with you for a lifetime! Where else can you get a lifetime of experience as a result of a few days of professional development?

The conference theme, Delivering the T & E in STEM, will consist of presentations that address the following five subthemes or tracks: TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, DESIGN, ENGINEERING, and STEM INTEGRATION. The discussions are sure to be of crucial interest to those in the field of technology education.

And you'll also enjoy this year's keynote presentations from educator Alfie Kohn, whose topic “Many Children (and Much Learning) Left Behind: Rethinking How We Teach and What We Value" is sure to be thought-provoking, and Nate Ball, host of the engineering reality-competition program, Design Squad, on PBS. 

Please join us March 26-28 at the Kentucky International Convention Center, to hear these experts in your field and also to participate in over 100 professional development learning sessions, in addition to educational tours, workshops, and great networking opportunites. These offerings will give you real "take home value" that you can implement directly into your classroom environments.

Go to the Louisville Conference Guide at http://www.iteea.org/Conference/conferenceguide.htm for all the conference information.

And be sure to register before the February 27, 2009 deadline (that's next month!) for fantastic preregistration savings and a chance to win a $100 VISA gift card. And don't forget that your ITEA membership must be current through March 2009 in order to quality for member rates, which offer terrific discounts.

Registration and Housing are both open, and reservations can be made online through our website (registration: http://www.iteea.org/Conference/registration.htm; housing: http://www.iteea.org/Conference/housing.htm). The ITEA conference hotels are filling up fast, so don't delay in making your housing arrangements. The hotel deadline to guarantee your room at the special ITEA rates is also February 27.

And, don’t forget that there is FREE ITEA CONFERENCE REGISTRATION and a $2000 honorarium for participants of the special workshop cosponsored by Hofstra University and the NSF-funded MSTP Project. (http://hofstra.edu/Academics/Colleges/SOEAHS/CTL/ITEA/index.html)

See you soon in Louisville!

Let ITEA Help Connect You to Positions in Technology Education.

Are you considering a job change or looking for a qualified technology educator? ITEA will be offering a Career Connection booth at the annual conference in Louisville, KY, March 26-28, 2009. Members can post a resume or place a position announcement. Attendance at this conference is not necessary to take advantage of this member benefit. Email your resume or position announcement by March 2 to: members@iteea.org. ITEA can accept Word, html, PDF, and plain text files.

Resumes received from ITEA members will also be placed on ITEA's website free of charge for two months. ITEA Institutional members may advertise position openings on ITEA's website free of charge. Position announcements from schools and nonmember universities will be taken to conference for the Career Connection booth free of charge for the duration of the conference. If you'd like to post the advertisement to ITEA's website following the conference, the cost is $100 for one month or $175 for two months. To facilitate payment, please fax your request with a VISA, MasterCard, or Discover number and expiration date. You may also mail credit card information or check, payable to ITEA, 1914 Association Dr., Suite 201, Reston, VA 20191. Listings will be renewed upon written request.

Engineering byDesign™ News

EbD™ Master Workshops. The EbD™ Curriculum Specialists met December 5-7, 2008, in Baltimore, Maryland, to prepare for the upcoming ITEA meeting in Louisville and to work on finalizing the Master Workshops for EbD™ Program courses, including the EbD™-NASA units. These Master Workshops will become available to states for Summer 2009. For more information, contact ebd@iteea.org or 703-860-2100.

EbD™ Online Asssessment Continued Development. The EbD™ team convened a meeting of assessment writers to work toward finalizing the online assessment for two courses, Technological Systems and Advanced Design Applications. These online assessments will be available to the EbD™ Network schools for Spring 2009. For more information, contact ebd@iteea.org or 703-860-2100.

EbD™ Welcomes Virginia! The EbD™ team would like to welcome Virginia as the newest official member of the Consortium of States. As a full member, Virginia receives access to the complete EbD™ program, including courses, professional development opportunities, involvement in strategic planning, access to the EbD™ Network via eTIDEonline™, access to the online assessments by EbD™ Network schools, and much more. Congratulations, Virginia, for making this commitment to moving your teachers and students forward as competitive STEM scholars for the twenty-first Century. For more information, contact ebd@iteea.org or 703-860-2100.

EbDLabs™ in Louisville. Some exciting new additions to the ITEA Conference this year are the EbDLabs™. Previously, training sessions for EbD™ courses were restricted to Consortium States and consisted of all-day, preconference workshops. Now, in addition to the preconference workshops, the EbD™ team is offering EbDLabs™. For a small ($15) registration fee, you can get a refresher on an EbD™ course or experience what a specific EbD™ course is about for the first time. Registration for the EbDLabs™ is accepted with ITEA conference registration, or some limited openings may be available on-site in Louisville. For more information, contact ebd@iteea.org or 703-860-2100.

EbD™ Booth in Louisville. Stop by the EbD™ booth on the vendor floor in Louisville at the ITEA Annual Conference. Take advantage of this opportunity to speak with teachers and other educators about implementing EbD™ in the classroom. Free raffle and goodies are available as well. For more information, contact ebd@iteea.org or 703-860-2100.

International Conferences

PATT-22 Conference to be Held in Delft, the Netherlands, August 24-28, 2009

Strengthening Technology Education in the School Curriculum: Past PATT conferences have shown that there is a worldwide interest in finding ways to strengthen the position of technology education in the school curriculum. The publication of an International Handbook of Research and Development in Technology Education can be celebrated as a milestone in technology education as it is a clear indicator of a certain maturity of the field. A research-and-development culture is promoted worldwide to support and enhance the position of technology education in the school curriculum.

PATT (Pupils’ Attitudes Towards Technology) is an international discussion platform for research and developments in technology education. PATT sessions are organized for the annual ITEA (INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION) conferences in the USA. PATT conferences are characterized by their informal atmosphere, the absence of parallel sessions, an open exchange of information, and ideas in presentations and discussions. The PATT Foundation is based in the Netherlands. In 2009, the Science Education and Communication (SEC) section at the Delft University of Technology will be the hosting institute for the PATT conference.

Preregistration is open until April 1, 2009. For preregistration, you are requested to send an email with your name, affiliation, and address to m.j.devries@tudelft.nl; and if you intend to present a paper, please send an abstract (400 words maximum) with your preregistration message. Please indicate in which subtheme your paper fits best. You will be notified about the acceptance of your paper for presentation before May 1, 2009. For complete information about PATT-22, contact Marc J. de Vries at m.j.devries@tudelft.nl.

International Conference on Technology Education – ICTE 2009 – November 11-13, 2009

Less is More, Searching Solutions to Facilitate Technology Education With Limited Resources: ICTE 2009 (International Conference on Technology Education in the Asia-Pacific Region) has issued a call for papers for its fall conference, November 11-13, 2009 in Taipei, Taiwan. The organizing committee also invites submission of any papers on topics relating to technology education. ICTE is a biennial conference. The most representative technology associations/societies in seven countries in the Asia-Pacific Rim participate. Deadline for submission of papers is June 1, 2009. The conference website is http://www.ite.ntnu.edu.tw./~icte2009/. Or email Dr. Chi-Cheng Chang at samchang@ntnu.edu.tw for additional information.

Engineering and Technology Resources From Public Television

PBS features award-winning television series and educationally rich websites and materials that serve as a springboard for in-depth learning in STEM subjects. Whether you’re looking for videos, interactive games, educational websites, teacher’s guides, lesson plans, after-school materials, online educational resources, or training opportunities, public television has everything you need. Check out STEM-related resources from PBS on ITEA's new portal page, “Engineering and Technology Resources from Public Television.” http://www.iteea.org/Resources/wgbh.htm

News From Museum of Science, Boston

Just Released: Talking Nano 6-DVD Set
What is nanotechnology? How will it affect our lives? And why should we care? These are just a few of the questions addressed in Talking Nano, a wide-ranging 6-DVD set that includes presentations by noted researchers, a museum educator, and, remarkably, two very talented jugglers. Taken as a whole, Talking Nano provides an excellent overview of where nanotechnology came from, what has been accomplished so far, and where it might eventually take us. It is available at cost from the Museum of Science online store. For more information, see talkingnano.net.

Everyone Engineers! Workshop, An Introduction to Engineering is Elementary
The Museum of Science, Boston will present this 2½-day workshop designed to introduce educators to the EiE program and its materials January 26-28, 2009. The workshop will allow participants to explore the museum’s introductory engineering and technology activities. Participants will then begin exploring specific EiE units. Participants will examine two EiE Units: Water, Water Everywhere (Water Filters) and Thinking Inside the Box (Plant Packages). Refreshments will be provided throughout the workshop. There will also be an off-site dinner included in the registration. The workshop will take place from 9:00am–4:00pm each day, cost is $350 ($400 after January 12, 2009), and registration will close on January 19, 2009. For complete information, visit http://www.mos.org/eie/workshops_info.php?id=54.

ITEA Member Receives Recognition From NSTA

Congratulations to ITEA member Brian Lien and his colleagues at Princeton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio who, together with other area high schools and the University of Cincinnati’s Colleges of Engineering and Applied Science, created Engineering Your Future, “a year-long, honors-level, pre-engineering class.” A write-up about the program was part of a larger article entitled "Engineering the Future Workforce" that appeared in the January 2009 issue of NSTA Reports (p. 21).

Tom Coughlin, Nicaragua Summer Exchange 2007

Inspire the Next Generation of Engineers!

Join ITEA for an upcoming webinar: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 4:00pm EST

WHO: High School Teachers of Science, Engineering, Math, and Technology
WHEN: Tuesday Feb 10, 2009, 4:00pm EST, 1:00pm PST
WHERE: Your Computer
HOSTED BY: WGBH and ITEA

DESIGNED TO INSPIRE
Are you looking for FREE resources and communication strategies to inspire girls to explore engineering? ITEA is joining forces with Engineer Your Life (EYL), a national campaign to showcase engineering as an exciting and rewarding career choice for high school girls. Join us for this 45-minute webinar, and you will learn about the research behind the project and how you can encourage girls (and boys) to consider engineering by promoting it through the lens of what matters to teens. You will also hear firsthand from ITEA members about how they are using EYL to reach out to students and fellow colleagues in their schools.www.EngineerYourLife.org
To register, go to: https://wgbh.webex.com/wgbh/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=667134988 (event password is Itea2009).

Engineering Activities with Paper and Cardboard
Engineering activities don’t require expensive classroom equipment. All you need are a few common items such as paper, scissors, tape, and cardboard. Add a few milk or juice cartons, some coins, and Harry Roman’s latest book, and you have all the ingredients needed to get your students thinking like engineers.

Engineering Activities with Paper and Cardboard includes 10 teacher-tested, multipart activities that demonstrate essential skills every engineer must possess: listening to and understanding specifications, planning, recognizing that variations in materials and design affect the integrity of a structure, testing a model, and graphing and drawing conclusions from test data. In addition, 23 classroom exercises challenge students to explore the properties and origins of building materials. (Published by Hearlihy; $8.50). To order, visit http://www.hearlihy.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=3686&c=0&t=0&l=0.

NAEP Seeks Examples for Assessment of Technological Literacy

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which generates the Nation’s Report Card,is planning to administer an assessment of technological literacy in 2012. This assessment is planned for the national level only and at one grade level only. The first step in the development of this assessment is the creation of a framework document that will guide the development of actual test items. WestEd, the organization charged with developing the framework, is seeking examples of assessment items and tasks that illustrate different approaches to probing students' technological literacy. These items and tasks may be multiple-choice, constructed-response, or involve or require demonstration of design and problem-solving capability. The 2012 assessment of technological literacy will be delivered entirely via computer, which offers the potential to use approaches not possible with traditional paper-and-pencil tests, such as the use of audio, video, and simulation. Items and tasks should be sent to Mark Loveland at WestEd, mlovela@wested.org. If WestEd decides it wants to use your submission, you will be contacted for permission.

From the JASON Project

Argonaut Adventures
Are you or your students interested in traveling and working with top scientists from National Geographic Society and other organizations? The JASON Project is now accepting applications for creative and adventurous Argonauts to feature in its geology curriculum. Students must be age 14 or 15 by June 1, 2009, and teachers must have at least five years of classroom experience. Click http://www.jason.org/public/feature/FeatureDetail.aspx?fid=161 to begin your application for the experience of a lifetime, and don't forget to pass the word to your students! Please contact argo@jason.org with questions or comments. Student and teacher Argo applications are due February 6!

Source: the JASON Project electronic newsletter, December 2008

Annual Engineering/Technology Education Day, February 11, 2009

The Engineering/Technology Educators of Indiana invite Indiana educators to participate in the North Atrium of the Indiana State House Rotunda on February 11, 2009. This is the premier opportunity for you to help educate public and elected officials about Engineering and Technology Education in Indiana schools. This is a fantastic opportunity for you and your students to speak with legislators in order to help them understand the importance of this program in Indiana schools. This year we plan to emphasize how engineering and technology education have merged within our state curriculum.

All schools are invited to participate, but space is limited! Additionally, this year we would like to feature a wide variety of schools and curricular programs that showcase topics such as: transportation, manufacturing, construction, communication, design, engineering, middle school programs, Super Mileage, FIRST robotics, PLTW, and more! All in the North Atrium of the Indiana State House Rotunda!

For more information, visit http://www.doe.state.in.us/octe/technologyed/pdf/021109.pdf, or contact Gary Gray at ggray@mail.valpo.k12.in.us.

K–12 Students Have the Chance to Speak Up to President-Elect Obama

Students around the country have the chance to share their thoughts on improving education with President-Elect Obama and the new Congress by participating in the new Mini Speak Up survey. Speak Up, a national survey conducted annually by Project Tomorrow, closed its annual survey of parents, teachers, and students on December 23, but one open-ended question will remain online for all students through January 20, Inauguration Day. Students can respond to the question, “What is the one thing you would do to improve schools?” at http://www.netdayspeakup.org/inauguration08/.

International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2009 – Call For Entries

Reveal your inner brilliance...one IDEA at a time.
IDEA® is the premier international competition celebrating design excellence in products, ecodesign, interaction design, packaging, strategy, research, and concepts. This year's international jury of powerhouse design experts will be chaired by Andrew Hartman, IDSA, Design Director, New Business at Philips Design.
 
Winning entries will be announced on BusinessWeek.com and receive press coverage in hundreds of media outlets around the world. Royalty-free use of the winner's logo for use on packaging and promotion and complimentary award certificates are just a few other benefits of winning. Tell us your design stories!
Enter now!

Regular deadline: February 6, 2009
Late deadline: February 20, 2009

Best Buy and EA Announce the National “INVENT-A-GAME CHALLENGE”

Imagine the Thrill of Seeing Your Own Video Game Produced and in Free Worldwide Distribution

Best Buy and Electronic Arts, Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) in association with The United Inventors Association (UIA) and By Kids For Kids (BKFK), announce the “Invent-A-Game Challenge,” a national competition offering America’s young people a unique chance to design an online game that Electronic Arts (“EA”) will produce. State-specific youth (MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA) will have an additional opportunity to win a $1,000 prize as well as qualifying for the national grand prize, a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond. Complete contest rules can be found at http://www.bkfk.com/Games/. The Invent-A-Game challenge is open to kids between the ages of 5 and 19. The contest period runs from December 3, 2008 until March 31, 2009. All entries must be received online at www.bkfk.com.

Survey: Majority of U.S. Teens Feel Prepared for Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Yet Many Lack Mentors

Lemelson-MIT Invention Index Uncovers Teens’ Views of These Fields and the Need for Mentor Support

American teens are embracing the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with increasingly positive attitudes; yet many lack the necessary encouragement from mentors and role models in these fields, according to this year’s Lemelson-MIT Invention Index (http://mit.edu/invent/n-pressreleases/n-press-09index.html). The annual survey, which gauges Americans’ perceptions about invention and innovation, also reveals teens’ altruistic intentions and feelings of preparedness to pursue careers in STEM fields.

The Lemelson-MIT Program
The Lemelson-MIT Program (http://web.mit.edu/invent/) recognizes outstanding inventors, encourages sustainable new solutions to real-world problems, and enables and inspires young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention.

Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams (http://web.mit.edu/inventeams/) are teams of high school students, teachers, and mentors that receive grants up to $10,000 each to invent technological solutions to real-world problems. The initiative is designed to excite high school students about invention, empower students to problem solve, and encourage an inventive culture in schools and communities. The 2008-2009 Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam initiative alone has provided nearly 350 teens with real-world experience and role models in STEM.

ITEA Member and Former Teacher on Next Shuttle Flight

ITEA member and NASA astronaut Joseph Acaba will make his first journey into orbit on space shuttle Discovery's mission to the International Space Station. Acaba, a former teacher, is a mission specialist who was selected by NASA in 2004 as part of the Educator Astronaut Program. He and his six crewmates are targeted to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on February 12 at 7:28 am EST.

Acaba is one of seven astronauts who will fly on the 14-day space shuttle mission designated STS-119. He will conduct two of the mission's four spacewalks. The shuttle will deliver the space station's fourth and final set of solar array wings. The arrays will provide the electricity to power science experiments.

Acaba was a keynote speaker at ITEA’s conference in San Antonio, Texas in 2007. For Acaba’s complete biography, visit: www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/acaba-jm.html. For the latest information about the STS-119 mission and crew, visit: www.nasa.gov/shuttle. For more about the International Space Station, visit: www.nasa.gov/station.

NASA Opportunities

PISCES 2009 Student Design Competition
The Pacific International Space Center for Explorations Systems, also known as PISCES, announces its third annual Student Design Competition and invites teams from colleges and universities to participate. The PISCES design program provides an opportunity to engage students in a rich and meaningful educational experience, allowing them to work on design problems that are of current interest and that are important technical and programmatic issues central to the settlement of space. Any U.S. university may field one or more teams that are interested in the topics of lunar surface facilities, technology development, surface operations, and commercial activities. A brief indication of interest is requested from university teams by January 31, 2009. http://pisces.hilo.hawaii.edu/competitions.php Questions? Email mikeduke@earthlink.net.

Graduate Student Researchers Project
Applications are now being accepted for NASA's Graduate Student Researchers Project. Through GSRP, NASA awards fellowships for graduate study leading to research-based master’s or doctoral degrees in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering fields related to NASA research and development. Applicants must be U.S. citizens currently enrolled or accepted as full-time students at an accredited U.S. college or university. All application materials must be received no later than February 1, 2009. For more information, visit http://fellowships.hq.nasa.gov/gsrp/nav/.
 
MUST Scholarships
The Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology Project, funded by NASA, is a joint partnership between the Hispanic College Fund, the United Negro College Fund Special Programs, and the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers. The NASA MUST Project offers scholarships and exciting hands-on summer internship experiences at NASA to undergraduate students pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. The MUST Project selects students who aspire to becoming tomorrow's researchers, physical scientists, and innovators. The application period closes on February 1, 2009. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/descriptions/Motivating_Undergraduates_Science_Technology.html. Please email any questions about this opportunity to Vanessa.R.Webbs@nasa.gov.
 
Harriett G. Jenkins Predoctoral Fellowship Accepting Applications
Applications are now being accepted for the Harriett G. Jenkins Predoctoral Fellowship. Up to 20 Fellows will be selected to receive support for graduate education in NASA-related STEM disciplines. The fellowship is open to full-time women, minority, and disabled graduate students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students are selected for fellowships that include financial support and opportunity for hands-on research experience at a NASA center. Fellowship tenure is three years for candidates seeking either a master's or doctoral degree in NASA-related fields. The mission of the fellowship is to increase the number of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities participating in mathematics, science, engineering, and technology disciplines. Applications for this opportunity are due February 1, 2009. http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/descriptions/Jenkins_Predoctoral_Fellowship_Project.html. Questions should be directed to Brenda.J.Collins@nasa.gov .
 
2009 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships
Caltech's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (or SURF) project introduces undergraduate students to research under the guidance of seasoned mentors at Caltech or the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Students experience the process of research as a creative intellectual activity and gain a more realistic view of the opportunities and demands of a professional research career. Students work over a 10-week period in the summer, mid-June to late August. At the conclusion of the project, they submit a technical paper and give a SURF Seminar Day oral presentation. All application materials must be received no later than February 22, 2009. http://www.surf.caltech.edu/ Questions can be emailed to sfp@caltech.edu.

Student Opportunities at NASA Centers:

Glenn Research Center
Glenn Research Center (Cleveland, Ohio) is designated as NASA lead Center for Aeropropulsion from subsonic to hypersonic speed. Glenn is also a designated Center of Excellence in Turbomachinery. Areas of expertise embody a broad array of technology developments for NASA Science missions as well as research and technology developments for aerospace power, aerospace communications, and space processes and experiments, which include bioscience and technology. Finally, Glenn is engaged in technology development in advanced energy that embodies renewable wind, solar, and coal energy. http://newbusiness.grc.nasa.gov/university-affairs/

Goddard Space Flight Center
Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, MD) has set a goal of 50% minority participation among its highly competitive interns in its education programs. We seek help with summer intern programs. Our web-based application (to the collection of programs) at http://university.gsfc.nasa.gov/ includes a list of over 100 project opportunities for summer 2009, from which the applicant selects his or her favorites. The main online application deadline for next summer is January 16, 2009. Questions? Email Janie.Nall@nasa.gov or Terri.J.Patterson@nasa.gov.

Johnson Space Center
Johnson Space Center (Houston, TX) has a robust education program and participates in many Agency student programs. JSC's main areas of research emphasize current and future human exploration, including life sciences, as well as vehicle systems development and other systems engineering activities. http://education.jsc.nasa.gov/

Marshall Space Flight Center:
From advanced materials, avionics, and optics research to propulsion, robotics, and systems engineering, Marshall proves it is more than a rocket center. Science areas emphasized are astrophysics, heliophysics/plasmas, Earth science (remote sensing and climate variability), and astrobiology. http://education.nasa.gov/edoffices/centeroffices/marshall/highered/

Exploration Systems Mission Directorate Space Grant Project
NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) is offering opportunities related to exploration in partnership with the National Space Grant Consortia. ESMD SG provides internships for full-time students, mentors for senior design projects, and competitions for System Engineering and Research papers. http://education.ksc.nasa.gov/esmdspacegrant/

NASA Calendar

February 3-4, 2009 – NOAA-NP Satellite Launch Conference: Join NASA and the Endeavour Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for the Delta II launch of NOAA – N' Prime National Polarorbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System. NPOESS will provide data about Earth's weather, atmosphere, oceans, land, and near-space environment. The registration deadline is January 23, 2009. http://endeavours.org/sec/ or visit http://goespoes.gsfc.nasa.gov/poes/index.html Questions? Email director@endeavours.org.

February 21-23, 2009 – Orbiting Carbon Observatory Launch Conference: Join NASA and the Endeavour Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for the Taurus XL launch of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory. OCO will provide space-based observations of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the principal human-initiated driver of climate change. This event is a unique opportunity for educators to learn about Earth, atmospheric, and rocket science. The registration deadline is February 13, 2009. http://endeavours.org/sec/ or http://oco.jpl.nasa.gov/ Questions? Email director@endeavours.org.
 
March 7, 2009 – Dawn Mars Flyby Educator Workshop: Join Dawn scientists and engineers along with educators from around the country in a set of unique, simultaneous workshops in California, Colorado, Oregon, and West Virginia. The Dawn spacecraft flies by Mars in February 2009 with all science instruments turned on for testing. Dawn science and engineering members will be sharing key updates and information with conference participants regarding the spacecraft’s gravity assist at Mars and the Dawn Mission in general. Using Ion Propulsion, Dawn is expected to arrive at its first intended destination, the asteroid Vesta, in 2011. http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/getInvolved/mga_ed_conf.asp Questions? Email jwise@newroads.org.

 
Upcoming Kepler Mission Events for Educators
The Kepler Mission is set to launch in March 2009 on a search for habitable planets. The Kepler spacecraft will look at the very slight dimming of starlight as a planet passes in front of it. The spacecraft could find hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets. The following opportunities are planned for educators:

NASA Kepler Mission – A Search for Habitable Planets Workshops
January 24, 2009 – NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida
January 31, 2009 – Jet Propulsion Laboratory near Pasadena, California
Join Kepler NASA for an exciting day of science and hands-on activities for middle and high school teachers. Dr. David Koch (Florida) and Dr. Nick Gautier (California) will discuss the science behind NASA’s Kepler Mission. Each participant will receive a complete transit model that includes a LEGO orrery, a Vernier light sensor, interface and graphing software. A letter verifying eight hours of professional development can be provided. Preregistration is required. http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html. Questions should be directed to cramseyer@seti.org.
 
March 25, 2009 – NASA Kepler Mission Videoconference, Online Professional Development: NASA's Digital Learning Network presents a videoconference for educators to stay current on the latest developments in NASA's Kepler Mission. The Kepler Mission will allow scientists to search the galaxy for Earth-size or smaller planets orbiting sun-like stars. With this cutting-edge capability, Kepler may help to answer one of the most enduring questions humans have asked throughout history: Are there others like us in the universe? This event will take place from 4-5 p.m. EST. http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html. Questions should be directed to Caryn.Long@nasa.gov.

NASA's Digital Learning Network
NASA's Digital Learning Network presents a series of videoconferences to assist educators in staying current on NASA education resources and related products. Instructional objectives, accessing the materials, and primary contacts for the materials will also be discussed. During the videoconferences, participants will be able to submit questions to the presenter that will be addressed during the presentation. The following topics will be covered:

March 25, 2009 – Kepler Mission, 4-5 p.m. EST
The Kepler mission will seek evidence for Earth-size planets in orbit around sun-like stars. For the first time NASA will be able to search the galaxy for Earth-size or smaller planets. With this cutting-edge capability, Kepler may help to answer one of the most enduring questions humans have asked throughout history: Are there others like us in the universe?

April 29, 2009 – Meteorology: An Educators' Resource Guide for Inquiry-Based Learning, 4-5 p.m. EST
Meteorology is one of the oldest observational sciences in human history and perhaps the most relevant to a broad segment of society. Learn how the first early meteorologists used this knowledge for their success and survival. This educator guide covers weather patterns, climate, and measurement tools.

May 27, 2009 – NASA Explores Virtual Worlds, 4-5 p.m. EST
Virtual immersive environments are increasing in popularity in modern America. Explore the virtual world that NASA education is building in Second Life and learn how to become an active citizen of this world.

For more information about these videoconferences and to sign up online, visit http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/content/webcast/. Questions about these events should be directed to Caryn Long at caryn.long@nasa.gov.

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day – February 19, 2009

Participate in Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day as part of Engineers Week

Many girls—representing half the future work force—are not receiving the guidance and encouragement they need to enter the engineering arena. Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is designed to mobilize as many as 10,000 engineering and technical professional women, who, along with their male colleagues, will reach at least one million girls. Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is just one of the many events planned for Engineers Week® 2009, February 15-21. Everything you need to get involved is at http://www.eweek.org.

We want to see YOU in
Louisville, KY 
March 26-28, 2009 for
ITEA’S 71st Annual Conference!

Join us for this exciting event, PAY LESS AND GET MORE.
HERE’S HOW. . .

Preregister before February 27, 2009. Join ITEA as a first-time Professional member for only $70 plus the conference preregistration fee of $279 and save on the nonmember registration rate!

Don’t miss this unforgettable professional development experience! 
Everything is in one place, so you can have it all!

For conference information go to www.iteea.org and click on Conference.

Submissions to Inside TIDE

To submit news or calendar items to Inside TIDE, email: kcluff@iteea.org.

End of Inside TIDE, Tuesday, January 13, 2009