NASA District of Columbia Space Grant Consortium

Meet DaNia Nettles from Trinity Washington University! Her research poster presentation won an Honorable Mention at the annual DCSGC-Jewel Joyner Student Research Conference. Watch a video of her presentation here: https://youtu.be/Wtg7LzGh_gI

Paid opportunity for DC high school STEM teachers this summer!

See highlights from our Splashdown Watch Party with our Artemis II student research team!

https://www.nbcwashington.com/video/news/local/au-students-artemis-ii-radio-waves-splashdown-watch-party/4089185/?_osource=SocialFlowFB_DCBrand&fbclid=IwY2xjawRHmqxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeGd8eBIi35_m1XwRbrpgJEGqysv3lyAHjHgv5YdmciSORhPs7AXLilE6Vts0_aem_CfKv2nAUwqPKArwuDeItew

AU students tracking Artemis II by radio waves holds splashdown watch party American University is one of eight universities around the globe chosen to track Artemis II via radio waves. News4 photojournalist Beth Brown spent some time at a watch party with the senior and lead designer of the tracking system.

Join us tomorrow at 1PM (in person or online) for a master class on mentoring!

Our Artemis II student team at American University is featured in this article from WTOP News!

https://wtop.com/dc/2026/04/american-university-helps-nasa-track-history/?fbclid=IwZnRzaARDQMNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEey6Exqh3lVDF91jgk3qoumrmtyAXi9ExpCMHzQbEMqNZVAOHYitxXuck31Vc_aem_823tg8UkmcjXBfWk6vdQBg

American University helps NASA track history - WTOP News American University is one of eight universities worldwide that NASA picked to track the Orion spacecraft’s radio waves during the 10-day Artemis II journey around the moon.

Meet Abby Fisher from American University! Her research poster presentation won first place at the annual DCSGC-Jewel Joyner Student Research Conference. Watch a video of her presentation here: https://lnkd.in/eUKp_DtY

If you’re in DC on Friday, join us at American University from 7PM-9PM for Splashdown and free pizza (while supplies last)!

Congratulations to DCSGC Associate Director Nathan Harshman, American University's 2026 Scholar/Teacher of the Year!

NASA Glenn Faculty Fellowship

Accepting Applications through April 20, 2026

NASA Glenn Research Center is offering seven fellowship opportunities for high education faculty to conduct research at the Center this summer through the NASA Glenn Faculty Fellowship
Program (NGFFP).

NGFFP is a 10-week residential research program that is open to full-time science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty members who are U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), Permanent Resident Aliens (PRA), or green card holders and who are currently teaching at accredited U.S. universities and colleges. An NGFFP award is for one summer residency (June to August) at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. Fellowship
engagements are aligned with one or more of Glenn’s areas of expertise, cross-cutting engineering disciplines, or focused research areas for meeting the center’s commitments to advance NASA’s
mission.

The benefits of participating in NGFFP are:

• Enhancing professional knowledge through engagement in cutting-edge research at NASA Glenn
• Engaging with NASA subject matter experts in research and engineering
• Enriching research and instruction at U.S. academic institutions by infusing NASA mission-related research and technology content into classroom teaching
• Contributing to the in-house research, technology and engineering goals and objectives of Glenn in support of NASA’s mission

2026 Summer Projects

Detailed information about each fellowship project and application information is located on the NGFFP webpage.

• Fellowship Project 1: Polymer Aerogel for Fire Resistance in High Oxygen and Extreme Environments
• Fellowship Project 2: Ultra-High Temperature Thermochemical Properties of Aerospace Materials
• Fellowship Project 3: Commercial Low Earth Destinations (CLDs) Thermal Test Bed
• Fellowship Project 4: Design, Modeling, and Data Analysis of Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) Joints for Enabling the Utilization of CMC Components in Turbine Engine Applications
• Fellowship Project 5: Energy Optimal Control Strategies for Hybrid Electric Aircraft Engines
• Fellowship Project 6: Study of Guided Waves in High-Speed Jets Using Spectral Proper Orthogonal Decomposition
• Fellowship Project 7: Assessment of Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Capabilities for Lunar Surface Communications
Stipend

The 10-week stipends for faculty fellows are as follows:
• Assistant Professor – $15,000
• Associate Professor – $17,000
• Full Professor – $19,000

Additionally, fellows whose academic institutions are located more than 50 miles from NASA Glenn will receive a relocation allowance and travel allowance of $1,500.

2026 Timeline
• March 20: Application Opens
• April 20: Application Closes
• May 8: 2026 NGFFP Fellows Announced
• June 1 – August 24: NGFFP 10-Week Session

Questions about the NGFFP should be submitted to: [email protected]

Read about how the DC Space Grant Consortium is supporting an AU student-led team that is one of only 34 global volunteers selected by NASA to help track the Artemis II mission that just launched, as the Orion spacecraft carries four astronauts on a historic journey around the moon!

Fly Me to the Moon (For Science) One of only 34 global volunteers selected by NASA, an AU student-led team will help track the Artemis II mission this week as the Orion spacecraft carries four astronauts on a historic journey around the moon.