VIRGINIA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM AWARDED NASA FUNDING FOR VIRGINIA TECH S GEOSPATIAL PROGRAM

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1 Volume XII, No. 1 Aerospace Partnerships in Education Research Industry Spring 2004 MEMBER INSTITUTIONS COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY..... NASA LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER NASA WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE CENTER SCIENCE MUSEUM OF VIRGINIA VIRGINIA AIR AND SPACE CENTER..... STATE COUNCIL OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR VIRGINIA VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION..... VIRGINIA S CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY VIRGINIA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM AWARDED NASA FUNDING FOR VIRGINIA TECH S GEOSPATIAL PROGRAM Applying space age data to practical uses in Virginia is getting easier thanks to the Virginia Geospatial Extension Program at Virginia Tech. The program, which is sponsored by the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) and Virginia Cooperative Extension, has just received its second Space Grant Workforce Development award of $100,000 from NASA s Office of Education. The award allows the partners to build on the already successful program established in July Geospatial tools such as GIS allow users to precisely define any location on the face of the earth and then to add layers of information to describe what is at that location. It is a way to combine data from many sources about a specific area and to display it in a map format. Though most of us aren t aware of it, geospatial applications affect our lives in many ways. Geospatial tools include the application of the global positioning system (GPS), geographic information systems (GIS), and using remote sensing data sources (satellite imagery and aerial photography) to provide innovative perspectives to local, regional, state, and national issues. Geospatial data is an important tool for decision makers and planners. GIS is used for urban planning, homeland security, the management of environmental resources (continued on page 3) Inside this Issue... 1 VSGC Awarded NASA Funding for Virginia Tech s Geospatial Program 2 Director s Corner 4 Science Museum of Virginia Launches Traveling Space Science Exhibit 6 OVERspace Set for Statewide Impact 8 Member Spotlight -..Nobel Laureate Public Lecture Series at Old Dominion University 9 MicroMaps Presentations Made at American Geophysical Union Conference 10 Sally Ride Science Festival Announcement 11 GK-12 Fellow Conducts Research on 5th Grade Students 12...Link Up! Virginia s Geospatial Extension Specialist, Dr. John McGee (left), and Paige Baldassaro, Geospatial Applications Developer, map out terrain features using a hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS).

2 The Director s Corner Since our last newsletter, we have had the excitement of the success of Mars rovers and their amazing images, as well as a Presidential announcement that creates an expanded vision for space exploration. This is all very big news for our nation s space endeavor. February is always the Consortium s busiest month. As this newsletter goes to press, our staff is processing more than 1000 applications for NASA s Undergraduate Student Research Program, accepting and reviewing scholarship and fellowship applications for 4 award programs and closing out our Space Grant fiscal year. A big task every February is preparing a detailed report to NASA on how our Space Grant money is spent, how the funds have been leveraged and the impact of our programs. Our Space Science the Special Way With a Twist From Assistive Technology Conference was held last month at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond. The Conference focused on professional development for teachers of science to blind, visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing students. The conference planning involved excellent partnerships with NASA and state agencies and a large audience that extends beyond Virginia s borders. We ll share more about the conference and its impact in the next issue of Virginia SpaceLink. The VSGC together with Virginia Cooperative Extension has received a NASA grant for $100,000 towards the second year of funding for our Virginia Geospatial Extension Program. The program, under the leadership of Geospatial Extension Specialist John McGee, is making wonderful progress. Read more about the grant and this effort on page 1. More good news arrived in the Governor s Budget as presented to the Virginia General Assembly. In his budget, Governor Warner has restored state funding to the Virginia Space Grant Consortium for the current fiscal year as well as for the upcoming fiscal year. We hope that the Virginia General Assembly will also support this funding which is completely dedicated to scholarships and fellowships for Virginia undergraduate and graduate students in science, engineering and technology fields. VIRGINIA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM In 1988, Congress enacted the NASA National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program (also known as Space Grant). The Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) received its designation from NASA in The VSGC is a coalition of five Virginia colleges and universities, NASA Centers, State educational agencies, Virginia s Center for Innovative Technology, and other organizations with a strong interest in math, science, engineering and technology education and the preparation of a qualified high technology workforce. The VSGC acts as an umbrella organization, coordinating and developing educational and research efforts for Virginia and the nation. VIRGINIA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM vsgc@odu.edu Website: Butler Farm Rd. Suite 200, Hampton, VA OFFICE: (757) FAX (757) Mary Sandy Director John Companion Research Programs Manager Chris Carter Educational Programs Manager Sharon Campbell Waters Development and Communications Manager Brenda Neil Program Specialist Judy McGhee Office Manager Sherry Behun Administrative Assistant Barbara Proctor Administrative Assistant Virginia Spacelink Editor: Sharon Campbell Waters 2

3 3 (continued from page 1) including forests, wetlands, coastlands, endangered species and pollution remediation, and most importantly, can help anyone precisely define any location on the face of the earth. Armed with the knowledge that eighty percent of all data has a spatial component, the Virginia s Geospatial Extension Program seeks to encourage and develop resources to foster geospatial workforce and career development through targeted programs, to provide a direct avenue to promote geospatial tools and applications to Virginia s Cooperative Extension program and other users, and to integrate geospatial concepts throughout the K-20 educational pipeline. The program is co-located at Virginia Tech in the College of Natural Resources and The College of Agriculture/Virginia Cooperative Extension. Virginia s Geospatial Extension Specialist, Dr. John McGee, serves as a statewide resource for extension agents, state agencies, local governments, and other end users. The demand for geospatial applications across the Commonwealth is about to explode, suggests McGee. This demand is a direct reflection of the hard work and dedication of Virgina s local governments, state agencies, community colleges, universities, and the private sector. The worldwide market for geospatial technologies, currently estimated at $5 billion, is projected to have annual revenues of $30 billion by 2005, according to a NASA 2001 report. The demand for workers with geospatial training is rapidly growing. In addition to VSGC and Virginia Tech, other supporters include the Virginia Community College System, Virginia Sea Grant, and the Virginia Geographic Information Network. Virginia Tech partnering organizations include the university s Department of Forestry in the College of Natural Resources, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. NASA Langley Research Center, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and NASA Stennis Space Center are participating on the project s Advisory Committee. All of the partners share the vision of how geospatial data and tools can improve resource management and yield economic and social benefits. Part of NASA s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, the Virginia Space Grant Consortium is a coalition of Virginia universities, NASA centers, state agencies, and other organizations with an interest in science and technology education and research. For additional information, contact the Virginia Geospatial Extension Program at gep@vt.edu, jmcg@vt.edu or visit the program s Web site at For more information on the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, visit VSGC Student Scholars to Present Research The sixth annual Student Research Conference will be held on Friday, April 2, 2004 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) Headquarters in the Peninsula Workforce Development Center Building, 600 Butler Farm Road, Hampton. VSGC Undergraduate Scholars and Graduate Fellows who received research awards for the academic year, as well as university faculty, NASA Langley scientists and researchers, will participate in this day-long conference. Oral and poster presentations will be made by the students featured in the Fall 2003 issue of Virginia SpaceLink. Scientists and engineers from government, academia and industry are invited to attend the student presentations. For more information, contact Chris Carter at cxcarter@odu.edu/

4 4 SCIENCE MUSEUM OF VIRGINIA LAUNCHES TRAVELING SPACE SCIENCE EXHIBIT How does a rocket go all the way to the moon by burning its engines for only a few minutes? How do we use a planet s gravity to change the path of a spacecraft? How do astronauts go about daily life in the Space Station? These and other questions will be answered for Virginia s students and teachers expected to climb aboard the Science Museum of Virginia s Space Travels for an out-of-the-world space science immersion experience. Supported by an initial planning grant from the Virginia Space Grant Consortium to nurture interest in space exploration, the Science Museum of Virginia (SMV) launched Space Travels, a state-of-the art, 40-foot trailer, retrofitted with exhibits and a StarLab planetarium, to travel throughout the Commonwealth to bring stimulating aerospace and astronomy activities to schools, libraries and community events. Space Travels offers three outstanding experiences in one day for students and teachers to immerse themselves in the theory and excitement of the earth s role in the universe and man s exploration of worlds beyond our planet. They can: 1) tour the trailer and test out the exhibits; 2) participate in classroom workshops, all correlated with Virginia s Standards of Learning; and 3) view a special planetarium show on the portable StarLab. The 20 exhibits in Space Travels will teach future scientists about traveling in space, living in space, and space exploration. Examples of space research conducted by Virginia institutions is also a part of the Space Travels exhibit. In a single school year, the Museum anticipates scheduling daylong visits to at least 66 schools to encourage elementary and middle school students to explore science in ways not possible in traditional classrooms, to motivate and stimulate young people to seek careers in science, and to promote the development of problem-solving and group interaction skills demanded in all segments of the future work force. Over the course of five years, Space Travels will introduce aerospace science to more than 140,000 students and teachers. Step aboard the Space Travels for a uniquely exhilarating adventure! Space Travels, a major new initiative will deliver a self-contained space "environment" to Virginia schools, libraries and community events.

5 5 (continued from page 5) View from the entrance of the Space Travels Exhibit The Space Travels Theater has a digital projector that can display images and information from NASA. The projection system will show high definition movies about planets, satellites, and space missions. Traveling in Space Exhibit Visitors will operate the Rocket Sled to understand how Newton s three laws explain the motion of a spaceship. Living in Space Exhibit How do astronauts go about daily life in the Space Station? The Living in Space Puzzle will teach visitors how ordinary functions are handled in space. How much would you weigh on Mars? Or on the Moon? Visitors will explore the principle of gravity and find their weight on each planet in the Solar System on the Planetary Scale

6 OVERspace Set for Statewide Impact 6 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are hot topics in the world of K-12 science education. A state standard of learning (SOL) related to GPS technology already exists, and SOL s in GIS and other geospatial-related topics are sure to be added to the science curriculum in the near future. Lead educators and administrators of the OVERspace Program have been working diligently to be prepared to meet the demand this year for GPS/GIS teacher training throughout the state. We have nine well-trained and enthusiastic educators ready to educate teachers about implementing geospatial technologies into the classroom. We hope to provide many OVERspace workshops this year at different locations across Virginia, notes Chris Carter, VSGC Educational Programs Manager. OVERspace partners are addressing a few critical issues in preparing for future training sessions. One issue is the small size of the current cadre of OVERspace educators. If we are going to meet the demand for training across the state, we need to get more teachers from geographically dispersed locations involved in the program. We are creating a strong recruiting strategy to entice current G4-12 educators to become part of the OVERspace lead educator s team, adds Carter. A second issue is that there are two different versions of the ArcGIS software and both versions are excellent GIS tools and adequate for classroom implementation. Some school systems in the state have the older version while other schools are implementing the upgraded version. Many schools in Virginia do not have any GPS/GIS software or related equipment. Because OVERspace is committed to preparing teachers for immediate classroom implementation of geospatial technology, the OVERspace workshops will be offered in two separate tracks. One track will provide training using the Arcview version 3.3 GIS software, and a second track will be conducted using ArcGIS version 8. Each SOL-relevant lesson plan that is part of the OVERspace curriculum will be adapted for the different versions and made available to the teachers during the training. VSGC is partnering with the VDOE in discussions about a future state-wide site license for GIS software. A typical OVERspace workshop leaves teachers equipped with the necessary skills, lesson plan materials, and follow-up support to provide GPS and GIS instruction that meets Virginia SOLs in grades 4 through 12. The SOL-relevant lesson plans and software provided in the workshops will enable teachers to go back to the classroom and implement their training to engage the students. The workshop provides teachers with handson experience using a hand-held GPS unit and GIS software. Throughout an OVERspace workshop, educators take part in discussions on the current and future applications of geospatial technology. A typical OVERspace workshop includes: Two OVERspace trainers conducting two to three days of hands-on training ESRI ArcVoyager GIS software OVERspace custom CD-ROMs with teacher designed SOL-based lesson plans for immediate classroom implementation

7 7 OVERspace training is provided at a modest cost and can be underwritten by school professional development funds. Training may also be sponsored by external VSGC grants as funding becomes available. For more information on OVERspace or to schedule a workshop, please contact Chris Carter at (757) or cxcarter@odu.edu. Visit the OVERspace program on the Internet at "Students are excited when they compare what they do in their classes to what scientists actually do in the field," stated Kim LaFrance, OVERspace Educator. OVERspace Educators Needed The OVERspace Summer Institute will be held June 21-June 24 at VSGC in Hampton. The Institute, an intensive four-day workshop, will prepare you to become an OVERspace Educator who will deliver GPS/GIS training to teachers throughout Virginia. You will be introduced to GPS/GIS experts from the Geospatial Extension Program at Virginia Tech and other OVERspace partners as you learn about SOL-relevant lesson plans and activities within the OVERspace curriculum. As an OVERspace Educator, you will earn a stipend for training teachers state-wide and be recognized as a leader in the implementation of GPS/GIS technologies in the classroom. Attendees will be paid for travel, meals, and lodging. For more information, contact Chris Carter at cxcarter@odu.edu/ OVERspace Educators learn how to bring the excitement of GIS technology into current events. OVERspace Educators to Provide Demonstrations on GIS and GPS Systems at VSTE s Annual Conference Lisa McCray, Kim LaFrance, and Fred Hoffman will present two OVERspace presentations on the implementation of geographic information systems (GIS) in the classroom at the Virginia Society for Technology in Education s (VSTE) Annual Conference March at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center in Roanoke. One session will provide demonstrations and instructions on basic GIS and Global Positioning System technology (GPS) concepts, software, and learning resources. Relationships to Standards of Learning (SOLs) will also be discussed. The second session will highlight GPS technology and provide experiences using a hand-help GPS unit. Lesson plans meeting SOLs on GPS and related topics will be shared. Both sessions will present brief introductions to the OVERspace Program. For more information, contact Chris Carter at cxcarter@odu.edu/ Kim LaFrance, OVERspace Educator at Kemps Landing Magnet School, Virginia Beach, will give presentation on the implementation of geographic information systems at the Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE) Annual Conference this month in Roanoke.

8 8 Nobel Laureate Public Lecture Series at Old Exposes Students and General Public to Research Topics at the Forefront of Dominion University Cutting-Edge Science If Dr. Amin Dharamsi, ODU Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has his way, ODU students and the general public, including middle and high school students will understand how helium, when placed in a beaker and cooled to a temperature close to absolute Professor Carl Wieman, Distinguished Professor of zero, changes into a substance Physics at the University of that defies gravity by creeping Colorado in Boulder and up the walls and out of the Nobel Laureate in Physics in 2001, will discuss the journey container, or how new forms of that led to the creation of a matter are created sometimes new form of matter known as Bose-Einstein condensation, by sheer fortuitousness and the at ODU s Nobel Laureate use of the social side of science Public Lecture Series in to determine research directions September. and success. Since February 2002, ODU has hosted Nobel Laureates in Physics as they communicate the essence and excitement of innovative research in science to a broad audience. In February 2002, 500 people, including middle and high school students, attended Professor Steve Chu s standing-room only initial lecture that reviewed how atoms could be cooled with lasers to temperatures of 200 billionths of a degree above absolute zero, then held and manipulated with light. Chu s work on the technique of laser cooling, which was recognized by the Nobel Prize in Physics awarded in 1997, spawned a wealth of applications including the construction of ultra-precise atomic clocks, atom interferometers, and the achievement of Bose Condensation. Chu s work has led to the study of the behavior of individual bio-molecules and bio-molecular systems in real time. Chu noted, Instead of working with a clear vision of the future, I followed my nose, head close to the ground where the scent is strongest With assistance from the Verizon Foundation, and the Lasers and Electro-Optic Society (LEOS) of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), these Nobel Laureate Public Lectures are now annual events at ODU. Last month, Professor Douglas Osheroff, the J.G. Jackson and C.J. Wood Professor of Physics at Stanford University, provided insight into the nature of discovery in science and how his exploration of the unexpected behavior of helium-3 (Osherhoff found that helium-3 was the only substance that needed heat in order to freeze) eventually led to the discovery of superfluidity in helium-3 and to the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1996 for him and colleagues, David Lee and Robert Richardson. The next two lectures in the Series will occur September 17th and 18th 2004 as Professor Carl Wieman, Distinguished Professor of Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder and Nobel Laureate in Physics in 2001, will provide two lectures: the first, Bose-Einstein Condensation: Quantum Weirdness at the Lowest Temperature in the Universe, will discuss Wieman s collaboration with Eric Cornell to create a new form of matter known as Bose-Einstein condensate and the second, The Circuitous Route of a Scientific Discovery will trace the important roles luck, curiosity, poverty, and playing have had in Wieman s wandering 15 year path that led to the first creation of Bose-Einstein condensation, often considered one of the major discoveries of its decade. In addition to these series, Dr. Dharamsi regularly (continued on page 11)

9 9 MicroMAPS Researchers Present at American Geophysical Union Conference The MicroMAPS project, a carbon monoxide sensor project that is a partnership between Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) and the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), was doubly represented at the American Geophysical Union Conference in San Francisco last December. Dr. Vickie Connors, NASA s Principal Investigator, presented on the scientific aspects of the project in one of the poster sessions. University of Virginia students Steve Tangen and Patrick Hopkins also presented a poster on their VSGCsponsored work for MicroMAPS. The Conference gave the students exposure to a wide range of scientific presentations. Tangen noted, It was an amazing experience to see what is out there and going on in the world of research. The MicroMAPS instrument will fly on the Proteus research aircraft, a unique aircraft built by Scaled Composites LLC, which has set a number of altitude records. Students from three Consortium Universities, Old Dominion, Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia have been involved with developing the MicroMAPS project. One of NASA s goals is to inspire the next generation of explorers. Opportunities such as this Conference are just one of the ways that VSGC is fulfilling that mandate. For more information, contact John Companion at jcompani@odu.edu The Night Has A Thousand Eyes Tune in to StarDate Radio the longest-running science feature in the country! Sponsored by the Virginia Space Grant Consortium in partnership with the Science Museum of Virginia on the following stations: WFOS 88.7 FM (Mon-Fri 2 p.m.) Chesapeake; WEMC 91.7 FM (Mon-Sat 9 a.m., Sun 8 p.m.) Harrisonburg; WHRO 90.3 FM (Mon-Fri 6:04 p.m.) Norfolk; WCVE 88.9 FM (Mon-Fri 5:57 a.m., Sat-Sun 7?57 a.m.) Richmond; WLUR 91.5 FM (Mon-Sun run of station), Lexington. Reaching more than 250,000 listeners per week! For more information, go to:

10 The Virginia Space Grant Consortium cordially invites you to... Reach for the Stars! TM Sally Ride Science Club Sally Ride Science Club Presents... festival schedule 11:00am-12:30pm Registration, Lunch, Street Fair 12:30pm-4:15pm Keynote, Discovery Workshops, Street Fair, Free Drawing Registration $18, or $25 on site Hear an inspiring talk by astronaut Sally Ride Enjoy the Street Fair, music, food and exhibits Dig into hands-on science activities Bring your friends and make new friends Register online at or call Presents... Sally Ride Science Festival at George Mason University for 5th - 8th Grade Girls APRIL 17, :00 am - 4:15 pm at GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

11 11 GK-12 Fellow Conducts Research on Introduction of Mastery Goal as a Means of Encouraging 5th Grade Students Confidence, Perceived Importance, and Performance on a Math Facts Quiz Ellen Carpenter, Old Dominion University (ODU) Ph.D. student in Human Factors/Personnel Psychology and GK-12 Fellow in the ODU/Virginia Space Grant/CHROME program sponsored by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), recently observed the impact of a mastery model for learning a set of math facts on fifthgrader s confidence, perceived importance, and performance. Whereas the traditional method of teaching provides children one opportunity to demonstrate proficiency, Carpenter s model encouraged mastery of the concepts by providing up to three opportunities to demonstrate proficiency. In addition, mastery was rewarded with a small placard, the "MasteryCard that functioned as both an intrinsic and extrinsic reward. The participants were 26 African American fifth-graders (15 girls, 13 boys) enrolled in a public elementary school located within an area identified as an Empowerment Zone, a designation indicative of high poverty and (continued on page 8) brings in Distinguished Lecturers of the IEEE, the American Physical Society and other researchers at the forefront of their fields to give lectures to smaller classes that he teaches as a supplement to the in-class lectures and assignments he gives. This summer, Dharamsi will host the fourth annual one-day summer camp at ODU for middle and high school students from Washington DC, Northern Virginia and as far away as Chicago, in the Reach for Tomorrow Program. For more information on the Nobel Laureate Public Lectures and related matters contact Dr. Dharamsi directly at adharams@odu.edu. unemployment rates. Students received instruction on how to convert common decimals (eg.,.25,.67, etc.) to their fraction equivalencies. Immediately preceding the first math quiz, students completed an anonymous, voluntary two-item questionnaire that assessed the importance they placed on the upcoming quiz and also how confident they were that they would perform well on the quiz. Results indicated that only 3 of 14 girls and 3 of 7 boys reached mastery status (100%) on their first attempt. By the third attempt, 12 of 14 girls had reached mastery status, while 5 of 10 boys achieved mastery. Although importance of performing well on the quiz remained high for the majority of the girls across all three quiz administrations, confidence increased significantly from the first to third attempts. Providing additional opportunities to demonstrate mastery increased the girls performance from 33% to 100% scoring either 90% or 100%. The children were very receptive to the idea, and looked forward to taking the quizzes. They absolutely beamed when they were presented the placards! The term mastery became a part of their everyday vocabulary and one girl asked if we would be doing this for science also, Carpenter noted. Carpenter s mastery model provided three-fold the number of girls the opportunity to experience success in the math domain, thus leading her to conclude that early successes in math are crucial in allowing girls and minorities to view opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as available to them. Providing documentation of project outcomes to provide a research base to inform development of future GK-12 activities and partnerships is a key component of the NSF s GK-12 program objectives. For more information contact Ellen Carpenter at ecarpent@odu.edu

12 Link Up! Subscribe to Virginia SpaceLink enews The SpaceLink is moving to an electronic format for more timely and cost effective dissemination. We will continue limited print distribution, but hope our subscribers will elect to receive SpaceLink online. To become a subscriber to Virginia SpaceLink enews send your name, address and company affiliation to: In the address line simply write: Link Up we ll handle the rest! VIRGINIA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM Old Dominion University Peninsula Center Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 49