Nebraska to Receive $2 Million From NASA, UNO

OMAHA - University students, faculty and researchers across the state of Nebraska are poised to receive nearly $2 million in funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) thanks to a pair of grant renewals for two University of Nebraska at Omaha-based programs.

In early April, NASA announced a three-year renewal of funding for the NASA Nebraska Space Grant program, a consortium of higher education and state institutions including all four University of Nebraska campuses, Chadron State College, Creighton University, Metropolitan Community College, as well as state and community programs such as Nebraska 4-H, the Nebraska Department of Education and Tuskeegee Airmen.

The renewal included first-year funding of $575,000 for scholarships, internships, and funding for student projects and competitions related to NASA’s mission. Future funding for the grant throughout the remaining two years is yet to be determined, but is estimated to include an additional $1 million.

In late April, NASA also renewed a three-year, $375,000 grant for the Nebraska portion of NASA's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program, which focuses on space and aeronautics research at colleges and universities across the state. The grant consists of three $125,000 awards over the next three fiscal years, adding to the more than $10 million awarded to UNO’s NASA EPSCoR program since it was established in 1994.

While both grants were announced in April, funding wasn't officially approved until this week.

“The renewal of funding for these two programs is validation of the great work that Nebraska’s students and faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics across the state," said Scott E. Tarry, Director of the NASA Nebraska Space Grant and EPSCoR programs. "The unique learning experiences provided through these programs are helping us inspire and support students who may not have pursued STEM majors and, just as important, are giving our best and brightest the opportunity to go even farther than they imagined they could.”

NASA-funded projects funded at UNO over the past several years include Project HALON (High Altitude Learning Over Nebraska), high altitude balloons to lauch student experiments into “near space” to gather scientific data; NE STEM 4U, which seeks to expand STEM education to K-12 students through afterschool programming; Aim for the Stars, a science-based summer camp hosted at UNO; and work from the UNO Biomechanics Research team to help astronauts rehabilitate after returning from space, just to name a few.

More information about the NASA Nebraska Space Grant can be found at ne.spacegrant.org.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha
Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

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