Arizona/NASA Space Grant Consortium

The NASA ORBIT 2026 finalists have been announced, and Arizona State University is making an impressive showing with two finalist teams!
The NASA ORBIT Challenge empowers students to develop innovative solutions that advance NASA’s mission through two distinct pathways:
🌎 ORBIT Earth – Teams leverage NASA-owned patents or software to create products and services that address real-world challenges here on Earth.
🚀 ORBIT Space – Teams design mission-focused concepts that support current and future NASA exploration goals while addressing strategic needs in space.
We’re excited to recognize the two Arizona State University Teams:
⭐ Sol Invictus Engineering Team – Finalist, ORBIT Earth Track
⭐ Sun Devil Orbital Systems Team – Finalist, ORBIT Space Track
Congratulations to these outstanding teams and to all the finalists selected for this year’s competition! We look forward to seeing them present their ideas at the NASA ORBIT Pitch Showcase in Houston, Texas, this summer.

Learn more about NASA ORBIT at: https://nasaorbit.org/

🚀 Interested in the future of space exploration and astronomy?

Join NASA on June 10 from 12:00–1:00 PM ET for a special webinar introducing the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and upcoming opportunities for STEM organizations and community partners.

🔭 Learn about:
✨ The telescope's engineering and science goals
✨ Early mission operations
✨ Ways to collaborate around key mission milestones
✨ Resources and ideas for sharing Roman's story with communities across the country

📅 June 10, 2026
⏰ 12:00–1:00 PM ET

🎟️ Register via Eventbrite (link in bio) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-stem-and-public-engagement-webinar-tickets-1989242343398

🚀 What does it take to bring a sample back from an asteroid?
This semester, University of Arizona Space Grant Fellow and Lunar & Planetary Laboratory graduate student, Melissa Kontogiannis, brought the excitement of space exploration to nearly 80 students in grades 4–6 through a hands-on Sample Return Mission Development activity.
Inspired by NASA’s asteroid sample return mission, OSIRIS-REx, students worked in teams to design their own sample return missions, develop mission plans, and build protective capsules to safely return a mock sample (water balloons!) back to Earth. Along the way, they explored concepts in physics, engineering, teamwork, and the scientific process.
The activity connected cutting-edge asteroid research with real-world mission design, showing students that science and engineering are collaborative fields where everyone can contribute their unique talents. Students enthusiastically tackled engineering challenges, asked thoughtful questions, and demonstrated excellent teamwork throughout the project.
By combining creativity, critical thinking, and space exploration, this outreach event helped inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers. Way to go Melissa! 🌎🛰️✨

Photos: Melissa Kontogiannis interacting with students during her presentation about sample return missions.

🎪✨ Charlotte Zehnder, a UA graduate student pursuing a PhD in Physics, just finished her 2nd year as a Space Grant Fellow and we want to give her a shout out for some of the unique and inspiring outreach work she’s done across the Tucson community!
In her first year as a Space Grant Fellow, Charlotte partnered with the Circus Academy of Tucson to create interactive workshops that teach physics through circus arts. Students explored projectile motion by learning to juggle; angular momentum by spinning on a trapeze to name a few.

This year, Charlotte expanded her “Circus Physics” curriculum and partnered with the Children’s Museum of Tucson and local school programs, adapting activities into classroom-friendly lessons for K–12 students.
Her goal: make introductory physics more engaging, intuitive, and accessible by combining science with creativity and movement. 💡

Check out some of the photos from this year’s Circus Physics event. Congratulations Charlotte and we can’t wait to see what’s next!

Photo credit: Charlotte Zehnder.

Photo 1: A circus academy volunteer is teaching some aerial silks tricks to participants on the left. Participants learn how center of mass is important to balancing in these shapes. On the right, people are learning about circular motion and periodic behavior while spinning poi (prop with string and colorful scarf at the end). In the back, participants learn about conservation of angular momentum while spinning plates.

Photo 2: Charlotte Zehnder’s view from the bungee station where she demonstrated conservation of energy.

🌌 MEET SPACE GRANT FELLOW SOPHIE LEBOWITZ 🌌
✨ Graduate student in Astronomy & Steward Observatory
🛰️ Researching supermassive black holes and galaxies with Dr. Kevin Hainline & Dr. Stephanie Juneau
🕳️ AZ Space Grant Fellowships are focused on funding graduate-level NASA-related research, while also supporting our fellows as they create and conduct unique scientific outreach and communication projects throughout the community. As part of her project, Sophie created “Discovering Black Holes” — an interactive, game-based learning experience designed to help students explore:
⭐ Black holes
⭐ Galaxies
⭐ Gravity & mass
⭐ Space systems
🚀 This lesson has expanded over time and now includes a hands-on galaxy investigation where students become astronomers and explore galaxy colors & shapes! Sophie is partnered with Braided STEM and the Children’s Museum Tucson to bring astronomy directly into Tucson schools!
💫 Goals of the project:
✨ Inspire curiosity about space
✨ Bring astronomy into local classrooms
✨ Support NGSS science learning
✨ Create free public resources for educators
✨ Help students discover a lifelong passion for science
Way to go, Sophie! 🌟 We’ve loved watching the positive impact you’ve made in the community over the past two years, and we can’t wait to see where your passion, creativity, and dedication take you next!
Pic 1. Space Grant Fellow, Sophie Lebowitz, guides 5th graders class at Centennial Elementary in conducting their own galaxy investigation to understand why evolving galaxies have different shapes and colors.
Pic 2. Space Grant Fellow, Sophie Lebowitz, teaches 5th graders at Centennial Elementary about black hole “gravity wells” as part of the outreach program, "Discovering Black Holes".

🚀 Dreaming of a career in aviation, aerospace, or technical trades? NASA wants to connect with YOU! Register by June 2nd✈️🔧🛰️

Join the Next Gen STEM Virtual Career Connection and explore careers in Aviation Technology & Maintenance with NASA experts, aircraft mechanics, and technicians supporting real NASA flight programs.

📅 Thursday, June 11, 2026
⏰ 1:00–1:50 PM ET
📝 Registration Deadline: June 2, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET

Students will:
✨ Learn about aviation maintenance careers
✨ Explore technical workforce pathways
✨ Hear from NASA professionals
✨ Ask questions during a live interactive session

Perfect for students interested in:
🔹 Aircraft maintenance
🔹 Aviation mechanics
🔹 Aircraft operations
🔹 Aviation technology
🔹 Technical trades

Register at: https://stemgateway.nasa.gov/s/course-offering/a0BSJ000006Rg4X2AS/virtual-career-connection-careers-in-aviation-technology-maintenance

Photo: NASA - Armstrong Flight Research Center technician James Ford works on the nose wheel of a NASA F/A-18 research/support jet on the ramp at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas.

✨🚀Last week, UA Space Grant intern Tegan Barber traveled to Arlington, TX for the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Conference, where Tegan and team presented their research on “Data-driven analysis of geometric factors that impact LPBF part quality”.

Working under the guidance of mentor Dr. Hannah Budinoff, the team shared cutting-edge research, connected with fellow innovators, and explored the future of advanced manufacturing.

Great job, Tegan!

📸 Photo credit: Tegan Barber (middle, picture 1)

Curious what they discovered? Dive into the full abstract here:

https://iise.secure-platform.com/annual2026/solicitations/102014/sessiongallery/schedule/items/95348/application/17332

As the school year wraps up, we’re highlighting the incredible work of our students—like Lindsay Stoy, a PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering and UA Space Grant Fellow. ✨

Through the Arizona Space Grant Fellowship, students take on science communication and outreach projects—an essential (and often overlooked) part of STEM.

Lindsay partnered with Women in Science & Engineering to mentor students and develop hands-on curriculum in 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering. From classroom visits and interactive lab activities to connecting with Girls Who Code clubs, she’s been inspiring students to explore careers in biomedical science.

Her impact extends beyond the classroom—the curriculum she created will continue reaching students for years to come. 🚀

Want to learn more about Lindsay's work? Check out her UA Grad Slam talk she gave as a finalist this Spring 2026: https://gradcenter.arizona.edu/professional-development/grad-slam/grad-slam-videos

Photo: Lindsay Stoy presented to Desert View High School students as part of Imagine Your STEM Future. Undergraduate mentors took this photo of Lindsay discussing why she chose biomedical engineering for her career and the steps she took in college to pursue her interests in tissue engineering and medical devices. Later on students completed a simulated 3D bioprinting lab module with soft polymers to learn about tissue engineering applications.

Check out this incredible podcast, The Physics Wildcast, created by former Space Grant intern Penny Duran! 🎙️✨
Penny was a UA Space Grant intern from 2023–2025 and is graduating with a BS in Physics before heading to Duke University to pursue her PhD. During her internship, she worked with UA News as a science communication intern.

Now, as part of her honors thesis, Penny launched The Physics Wildcast to highlight the stories and career paths of physics faculty and researchers at the University of Arizona. The podcast explores a wide range of physics disciplines and offers an inside look at the people behind the science.

She’s done an outstanding job—be sure to give it a listen! 🎧

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4a4loEHSenxF2LxTTXK75u

Are you curious about the exciting technical career pathways shaping the future of aviation? Join NASA on May 7 at 1-2:00pm ET for a virtual event to connect directly with the aircraft mechanics and technicians supporting NASA’s flight programs!

This event is designed for high school, career technical/trade education, and college/university students. Following the presentation, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn about the presenter’s career journey.

Make sure to register for this event by April 28 at https://stemgateway.nasa.gov/s/course-offering/a0BSJ000005vvwP/virtual-career-connection-careers-in-aircraft-maintenance-and-operations