National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration 

NASA ADVISORY COUNCIL STEM ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE 

OSTEM Business Service Assessment, MAP & Strategy 

KRIS BROWN Dec. 4, 2018 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR STEM ENGAGEMENT ROADMAP 

Establish an Agency STEM Engagement Strategy and Operational Model 

• Agency vision, mission and strategy to frame and align the agency’s STEM engagement portfolio will: 

o Focus on students as beneficiaries and structured model 

o Mission-driven architecture for scope and approach 

o Focus on evidence-based NASA-unique learning experiences enabling student contributions to NASA’s work in action 

• Effective, integrated governance via STEM Engagement Council 

• Re-invigorated agency function and HQ functional office 

• Rigorous planning process 

• Integrated operational model and agency STEM Engagement portfolio 

• Effective program and fiscal management 

• Capabilities driven approach for agency roles and responsibilities 

• New approach and tools for performance measurement and assessment 

• Scalability and magnified impact through strategic partnerships 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FY 2016 Annual

Performance

STEM Engagement Transformation: 

Snapshot of Changes in FY2018 

Systemic 

• Chartered and established STEM 

Engagement Council. (03/30/18) Convened 

inaugural session of the Council. (04/12/18) 

• Established new Office of STEM 

Engagement. (effective 08/29/18) 

• Developed NASA Strategy for STEM 

Engagement. (Council approval 08/22/18) 

• Completed development of new STEM 

Engagement NASA Policy Directive. 

(02/21/18) 

• Completed definition of new performance 

measurement and assessment approach. 

(07/15/18) 

Programmatic & Operational 

• Put in place integrated program management 

approach for EPSCoR, MUREP and Space 

Grant, with corresponding staff changes. 

• Overhauled SEAP, incorporating significant 

changes to approach for awards to informal 

education institutions (TEAM II) and 

innovative new mission-driven pilot initiatives. 

• Achieved improvements in interfaces and 

relationships with Space Grant Consortia and 

their key stakeholders. 

• Streamlined MUREP with more focused, 

strategic award initiatives reducing from 14 

elements to 7. 

• Incorporated more rigorous, systematic 

program and fiscal management practices. 

• Streamlined and improved agency websites, 

platforms and social media tools. 

• Developed and deployed a new NASA 

Internships and Fellowships student portal. 

For NASA Internal use Only 37 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FY 2016 Annual Performance

STEM Engagement Transformation: 

Continuing to Drive Change in FY2019 

Systemic 

• Implement annual planning cycle. 

• Define agency STEM engagement portfolio. 

• Put processes in place for SEC oversight and 

integration. 

• Implement new performance measurement, 

assessment and evaluation approach. 

• Design/develop new system and platform to 

support agency performance measurement, 

assessment and evaluation. 

• Develop approach to strategic partnerships. 

• Build an effective STEM engagement community 

of practice across the agency. 

• Finalize communications strategy and begin 

implementation of new communications plan. 

Programmatic & Operational 

• Continue changes and enhancements to 

project and fiscal management practices. 

• Develop and release Space Grant multi-year 

solicitation, with strategic changes to ensure 

mission-driven contributions. 

• Drive further changes to EPSCoR and 

MUREP, moving toward new mission-driven 

model and architecture. 

• Validate Next Gen STEM pilots and execute 

competitive awards to informal institutions. 

• Stand up new inventory and search engine on 

www.nasa.gov for students and educators. 

For NASA Internal use Only 38 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BSA IMPLEMENTATION PHASED FY2019 MILESTONES 

Grants Governance, Roles Program Management Management and Responsibilities

90 Days 

October – December 2018 

• Develop an approach to strategic partnerships. 

• Roles and Responsibilities– Establish role for technical 

experts in STEM Engagement. 

• Continue to build effective public and STEM engagement 

communities of practice across the Agency. Monitor progress. 

• Continue operations of SEC working groups and evolve as 

needed. 

• Finalize communications strategy. 

• Implement annual planning cycle. 

• Put processes in place for oversight and integration. 

• Implement agency metrics approach for OSTEM. 

• Complete capabilities assessment. Evaluate and develop 

operational changes as needed. 

• Introduce systemic changes to grants management 

processes as identified through analyses conducted in FY18. 

• Training for key grants managers. 

• Continue to operationalize key changes made during FY18 to 

ensure accountability. 

180 Days 

January – March 2019 

• Implement processes for council oversight 

and strategic guidance of programs and 

activities. 

• Pilot Annual Planning Process. 

• Implement recommendations and outcomes 

from the internal assessment and planning 

process to capitalize on appropriated 

programs (e.g., Space Grant, MUREP, 

EPSCoR). 

• Execute operations at Centers based upon 

capability review. 

270 Days 

April – June 2019 

• Implement metrics program agencywide. 

• Execute established structure and 

processes for strategic implementation 

and annual portfolio planning. 

• Establish agency-wide public and STEM 

engagement training for NASA 

workforce. 
STEM ENGAGEMENT BSA IMPLEMENTATION 

FY2019 MASTER SCHEDULE - DETAILED 

2018 Oct Nov Dec 2019 Feb Mar 2019
 

 

 

 

 

 

NASA STRATEGY FOR STEM ENGAGEMENT 

The NASA Strategy for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math 

(STEM) Engagement serves as a roadmap to frame and guide the 

agency’s work in STEM engagement over the next 3 years. 

Beneficiaries of NASA’s STEM Engagement Portfolio 

Elementary Middle School High School Undergraduate Graduate 

STEM engagement is comprised of a broad and diverse set of 

programs, projects, activities and products developed and 

implemented by HQ functional Offices, Mission Directorates and 

Centers. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STEM & PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT 

Enabling

contributions to 

NASA’s work 

• Students contribute to NASA's endeavors in exploration and discovery. 

• Research and development capacity of educational institutions is enhanced, enabling broad 

and diverse contributions that directly address NASA priorities. 

FOCUS AREAS OBJECTIVES 

Objectives and 

strategies guide 

NASA’s future 

efforts, are in direct 

alignment with 

NASA’s vision, 

mission and focus 

areas for public and 

STEM engagement 

as defined in A New 

Direction for NASA’s 

Work in Public and 

STEM Engagement. 

APPROACH 

Building a diverse, 

skilled, future 

workforce 

Strengthening 

STEM through 

connections to 

NASA 

• Broad and diverse set of students are attracted to STEM through NASA opportunities. 

• Students, including underrepresented and underserved communities, explore and pursue STEM 

pathways through authentic learning experiences and research opportunities with NASA's people 

and work. 

• The portfolio of NASA STEM engagement opportunities meets agency workforce requirements 

and serves the nation’s aerospace and relevant STEM needs. 

• Strategic partnerships with industry, academia, non-profit organizations and educational 

institutions enhance and extend the impact of NASA's efforts in STEM engagement. 

• Youth are introduced to STEM concepts and content through readily available NASA STEM 

engagement resources and content. 

• Students gain exposure to STEM careers through direct and virtual experiences with NASA's 

people and work. 
MAP OVERVIEW 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAP & STEM ENGAGEMENT – WHAT WE KNOW 

What We Know: 

1. OSTEM’s MAP process will be inclusive and aligned with existing BSA transformation efforts. 

2. MAP will be a collaborative effort, requiring the collective experience and contributions from HQ and all 

Centers. 

3. Several unknowns, including how MAP affects daily roles and responsibilities. 

Projected Timeline: 

October 2019 

• Operational alignment. The 

Agency’s STEM engagement

efforts are operationally aligned to

function as single enterprise

rather than individual entities. 

October 2020 

• Full Operating Capacity. The

Agency’s STEM engagement

workforce, processes, and

technology will be operating within 

and supporting the new structure.