Friday, August 20, 2010

NASA contacts?

The institution I'm now at is part of a Space Consortium and as such receives funds from NASA. Because the last institution I taught at received major* NASA funding, I carry a coffee mug with NASA and my old institution logos. Somehow the chair of another dept. here saw this and after discussing with me my old institution's grant (to do summer science camps, train teachers and encourage undergraduates to do real research), decided that I should definitely submit a proposal for upcoming funds (actually the short term proposal is for a very small award to go to a NASA site and discuss applying for a bigger award) because "with all of your contacts it should be easy."

Of course, I have no NASA contacts.

However, I did learn that one of the NASA areas of interest involves the kind of work I do (invasives, effects of climate change on communities . . .) so I think I would like to apply for one of these awards.

But I have absolutely no contacts. E-mail me via the plant nerd if you have specific contacts. Comment if you have any other good ideas.

*2.7 million for an undergraduate teaching institution with 1,300 students counts as major to me.

10 comments:

salsis said...

Sounds like stuff people up front at your old workplace may be doing! Like the one at the wedding reception you and Dianthus attended. I had a dream in high school or college about being the wildlife biologist at Cape Canaveral.

Erin said...

Do you have to contact someone who works for NASA or someone who would be a good collaborator?

Sparkling Squirrel said...

Someone who works for NASA AND would be a good collaborator.

Cathy said...

I wrote NASA a letter when I was 10 and asked if I could go up in the space shuttle. They sent me some pictures back. That's as close as I've ever come to NASA or NASA personnel.

salsis said...

I have a sheet of space shuttle stickers from the 80s. Of the 1st space shuttle. And saw a liftoff from a beach in Florida.

Sparkling Squirrel said...

I knew I had really well connected friends!

Anonymous said...

My Dad actually worked there in the 60's during the Apollo missions- he was an electrical engineer contracted out to work on the control boards of the landing capsule, etc. He always tells a story about calling my Mom from the top of the rocket telling her that he was going to be home late. But, that is as close as I get, so not much help with the here and now.

Jenny said...

Cheryl, I think it is SO cool that your dad worked at NASA.

Tucson Trekker said...

I watch Star Trek. That's about as close as I get...

Beth said...

I used to drive past a NASA building in OH...