NASA Glenn Research Center invites teams of undergraduate students to get involved in its Research and Technology (R&T) efforts by participating in the implementation of its sponsored University Student Design Challenge (USDC). The USDC comprises aeronautics-themed projects and space-themed projects, all of which encourage teams of participating students to use out-of-box approaches to solve specific problems to benefit NASA mission needs.
Scope
Teams of three or more students work with a faculty advisor and NASA technical experts to research and develop solutions to one of the mission defined aeronautics or space related challenges proposed by NASA. The time commitment is from October to April, during which time the team is to deliver a mid-term presentation, a final presentation, a written report not to exceed 12 pages, and a 2-to 3-minute video that shows the team building or developing their design from start to finish. Once the winners of the challenge(s) are announced, each of the winning teams and their respective faculty advisors will be invited to present their designs to an audience of GRC senior leadership and Center personnel, including subject matter experts (SMEs); summer student fellows and interns; and faculty fellows.
Eligibility
Eligibility for the USDC competition extends to full-time junior- or senior-year undergraduate students in accredited U.S. academic institutions who are enrolled in multidisciplinary majors in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) disciplines. Equally eligible are students majoring in economics, marketing, graphic arts, or other disciplines that would aid in successful execution of the Challenge projects. Each team of participating students is required to have an on-campus faculty advisor. The team of students will have access to NASA Glenn subject matter experts (SMEs) as off-campus technical mentors to complement on-campus faculty advisors.
Key Dates
Registration Deadline: October 11, 2024