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ND NASA EPSCoR
GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

ND NASA EPSCoR
GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
FUNDS AVAILABLE: Approximately $46,000
Issued: September 14, 2007
Deadline: Noon, October 8, 2007

TO:         UND and NDSU Faculty in Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics
FROM:   Dr. Paul S. Hardersen, Director, NDNASA EPSCoR
RE:         ND NASA EPSCoR Graduate Student Opportunities

Printable Version (pdf)
Budget Summary

North Dakota NASA EPSCoR is currently soliciting graduate student research proposals from University of North Dakota (UND) and North Dakota State University (NDSU) faculty in the physical sciences, engineering, and mathematics. Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA) provide a stipend to graduate students who are conducting NASA-relevant research for the regular academic year (August-April) and/or during an academic summer session. This RFP does not provide tuition waiver funding.

Awards require 1:4 match from the PI. Acceptable sources of match include state-appropriated faculty salary and cash. Match can only be applied to the time period of the award. All awards require an end-of-year report to be filed with the ND EPSCoR office. The goal of this NASA EPSCoR funding is to facilitate graduate student research in NASA-relevant research areas, to foster greater quality and quantity of NASA-relevant research in North Dakota, and to encourage these students to enter the NASA and/or technical workforce.

Submissions must be consistent with one or more components of the 2006 NASA Strategic Plan, which can be found at: http://www.nasa.gov/about/budget/index.html

Preference will be given to proposals that align with ND NASA EPSCoR research priorities, which include planetary space suit research, astronomical/planetary science research, and other research areas that can be identified as offering significant potential for expansion in North Dakota. One major goal of the ND NASA EPSCoR program is to establish and nurture niche, NASA-related research focus areas in North Dakota that will attract additional NASA research funding to the state.

Graduate student research funds will be available beginning October 15, 2007 and must be spent no later than August 30, 2008.

Checkist Requirements (submit in the following order):

1. Cover page that lists principal investigator (PI) contact information,student contact information, amount of requested funds, department chair signature, and a statement that the PI has/has not received ND NASA EPSCoR funding since July 1, 2005.

2. Proposal Transmittal Form. UND PIs complete a Proposal Transmittal Form and route the proposal through department, college, Grants & Contrants, and Research Development & Compliance (RD&C) for approval. The form can be found at: www.und.edu/dept/orpd/Internal Forms.htm. NDSU proposals require a signed proposal transmittal form available through Sponsored Programs Administration at: www.ndsu.nodak.edu/research/spa/index.php.

3. A 5-page description of the proposed graduate student research, how the student will conduct the research with his/her faculty advisor, its relevance to NASA, and how the research will benefit or facilitate the PI's and student's research activities.  

4. A detailed budget. Use the Budget Summary form at this web site: www.ndepscor/rfps/documents/NASABudgetform04220051206_001.doc. Include a one-page budget narrative along with the Budget Summary that itemizes, desribes, and justifies each budget item. Include a separate, more detailed budget, if necessary, to provide sufficient detail. A lack of sufficient budget detail will adversely impact the evaluation of a proposal.

5. Include a statement describing how a graduate student will benefit from this funding.

One original and three copies of proposals are due in the UND or NDSU ND EPSCoR office by Noon, October 8, 2007. Also, an electronic submission of the proposal as a single, unlocked PDF attachment must be sent to Carla Kellner at carla.kellner@und.nodak.edu.

Questions regarding this announcement can be addressed to Paul S. Hardersen, Director, ND NASA EPSCoR, (Hardersen@space.edu, 701-777-4896) or Carla Kellner (Carla.Kellner@und.nodak.edu, 701-777-2492).