GSFC Space Science Quarterly Dialogue (SSQED)

Summary Meeting Notes -- Sallie M. Smith, Recorder of the Day

March 3, 2003 12:00-1:00 p.m. Building 28 Room E210

12:00 [Welcome, sign-in reminder and overview of agenda]{.underline} --
Beth Jacob, Meeting Facilitator.

Beth also informed participants that she is working on the SSQED webpage
that will post

meeting presentations. Beth will notify SSQED participants by email when
the site is live.

[12:05 Dr. Gabrys, Ed Programs Officer, updated SSQED participants about
2 Major Issues:]{.underline}

1)Code N Organizational Chart and 2) Working Group - Criteria for
Exemplary NASA Education Programs

1\. [Key Points for Code N Organizational Chart:]{.underline}

-   FE does not exist anymore

-   Education is an Enterprise

-   Structure: Adena Loston is the new AA, Angela Diaz is the Deputy,
    Clifford Houston is the Deputy.

The following positions have been advertised and are not filled: Elem
and Sec. Division,

Higher Ed Division, and Informal Ed Division.

F.Y.I. -- EO and Space Grant are in the Higher Ed Direction

2\. [Criteria for Exemplary NASA Educational Programs]{.underline} -
Code N is working with all enterprises. Will use the criteria to review
what should and should not exist for all Big \$ programs. All six of the
following criteria must be met:

1.  Customer Focused -- Programs/products have been designed to respond
    to a need identified

by the education community, a customer or customer group.

2.  Content - Programs/products are directly tied to or make direct use
    of NASA content, people

or facilities to involve students and/or the public in NASA science,
engineering, or

technology.

3.  Pipeline - Programs/products have made a demonstrable contribution
    to attracting diverse

students to NASA careers in science, technology, engineering, or
mathematics.

4.  Diversity - Programs/projects reach identified targeted groups.

5.  Evaluation - Programs/products have goals expressed in an objective,
    quantifiable, and

measurable form.

6.  Partnership/Sustainability- Programs/products achieve high leverage
    and sustainability

through intrinsic design or the involvement of appropriate local,
regional, or national partners

in the design, development, and dissemination.

\*Code N has adopted the criteria as policy. Bob's presentation will be
posted on the SSQED

Website.

[Questions from Attendees]{.underline}:

Bill Taylor: Which 30 programs were assessed to develop the criteria?

Bob: There is a booklet and it was centered determined.

Action Item: Bob will send a copy to Bill to scan and distribute to
SSQED

Lou Mayo: Space Grant \$ will come through who?

Bob: Code N, Higher Ed

Lou: Taxing?

Bob: Unknown

Lou: Best and Brightest Program involved?

Bob: Pipleline

Bill: Sustainable funding comment - "pretty sad. more than seeding."

Beth: Who is responsible for training about the criteria?

Bob: Will fall to Centers. Wait until the slots are filled and then
interface with HQ.

12:25 [AESP Involvement in the Massachusetts Active Space
Grant]{.underline} -- Suzanne Kinnison

Suzanne shared information about Relationship with OSS broker
facilitators, ESP, Bostom Museum of Science, Tuff University and NASA
scientists from the Structure & Evolution of the Universe Forum.

Suzanne posed a question to SSQED attendees of "How can Goddard work
with this team? And us with them?"

12:36 [Sun-Earth Day 2003]{.underline} - Jim Thieman

Jim shared information about activities planned for Sun-Earth Day 2003
-- Live From the Aurora 3/18/03. Special calendar dates include:

February 11^th^ (March 17^th^) "Auroras" -- Living with a Star Passport
to Knowledge

Feb. 22^nd^ & March 1^st^ -- Live Webcast from Poker flat for Museums
(MD Science Center)

Art Poland, Shannon Lucid, Nicky Fox (Introduction/Student Questions,
Live Aurora

during broadcast).

April 10^th^ -- NASA Connect: "Dancing in the Night Sky" (Middle school
audience)

The Student Observation Network as well as other Sun-Earth Day
information may found at:

<http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/sunearthday>

Jim also mentioned that Sun-Earth Day organizers would local to get as
many scientists involved in local events and into individual classrooms
as possible especially on 3/18^th^.

12:45 [Sun-Earth Day Venus Transit]{.underline} -- Sten Odenwald

Venus is going to pass in front of the Sun. The last event was 120 years
ago. No one alive today has ever seen this.

Sten announced that the transit will be a team effort:

Elain Lewis -- Formal Ed

Troy Cline -- Website

Lou Mayo -- amateur astronomy V-TIE (Telescopes in Education)

Sten Odenwald -- Informal Ed

[Event Details]{.underline}:

East Coast - visible Sunrise until 7:30 p.m.

Visible to Kansas City

[Active Participation:]{.underline}

-amateur astronomy observation participation -- will receive a
certificate of participation

-students can calculate the distance from /to the Sun using a sun
spotter.

Venus diameter 1/30^th^ of the Sun will appear a 3mm black dot on a sun
spotter.

Students will record their Latitude/Longitude, pencil observations and
send in -- Can use parallax geometry for measurement with 20% accuracy.

H-Alpha Sun Observations as well

There will be a History component:

1635 -- First observation of Venus

1882 -- Naval Academy

2004 ( What has changed since observations?)

If anyone is interested in helping, has comments, please contact a
member of the team.

TRACE will observe the Transit

Question from Don Michels: Is SOHO involved

Sten: EIT (Extreme Imaging Telescope) should be able to Observe with
LASCO seeing the approach.

Sten also announced that student tracking can start with Sun-Earth Day
in March with June 8^th^ for the Venus Transit.

12:52 [SSQED Wrap Up]{.underline} -- Beth Jacob, Facilitator

Beth probed SSQED attendees about potential topics for future meetings,
speakers with directions to email her with any idea. Beth suggested
possibly upcoming topics to include "Teacher Workshops" for the next
meeting and in the future "Explorer Schools".

Jim Thieman: More Information on Summer Programs? Mentors?

Dillard Menchan: Presentation - Pipeline Criteria

Bill: Would like to see brochures.

Bob to Bill: 3 brochures available outside of University Programs Office

Lou: Suggested, Shelley Cantwright, H.W. Tech/Code N as a possible
speaker

Sallie: Thought -- give feature speakers additional time.

[Announcements]{.underline}: - Beth

Need assistance in viewers for Balloon Launch. Few schools are using the
Website. Please encourage schools to visit the NIGHTGLOW Website found
at http://nightglow.gsfc.nasa.gov

Beth can write up an announcement for posting which includes a link.

All Forums Retreat -- Outcomes

1:00 Meeting Adjourned. Thank you for coming!