NASA OPENS REGISTRATION FOR ANNUAL GREAT MOONBUGGY RACE

NASA is challenging student inventors to gear up for the agency's 19th annual Great Moonbuggy Race. Registration is open for the engineering design and racing contest set to culminate in a two-day event in Huntsville, Ala., on April 13-14, 2012.

Participating high schools, colleges and universities may register up to two teams and two vehicles. Registration for U.S. teams closes Feb. 10. International registration closes Jan. 9. For complete rules and to register, visit:

http://moonbuggy.msfc.nasa.gov

The race is organized annually by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and held at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, both in Huntsville. Since 1994, NASA has challenged student teams to build and race human-powered rovers of their own design. These fast, lightweight moonbuggies address many of the same engineering challenges overcome by Apollo-era lunar rover developers at Marshall in the late 1960s.

Apollo 15 astronauts David Scott and James Irwin drove the first rover on the moon's surface on July 31, 1971. Two more rovers followed during the Apollo 16 and 17 missions in 1972, expanding astronauts' reach surface and permitting greater focus on scientific exploration.

As they prepare for the race, student teams carry on that tradition of engineering ingenuity, competing to post the fastest vehicle assembly and race times in their divisions, while incurring the fewest penalties.

The rocket center's challenging, looping, curving half-mile course of gravel embankments, sand pits and obstacles mimics lunar craters and ancient, fossilized lava flows. The course gives racers a realistic moon-traversing experience -- minus the airlessness and weightlessness.

Prizes are awarded to the three teams in each division with the fastest final times. NASA and industry sponsors present additional awards for engineering ingenuity, team spirit and overcoming unique challenges -- such as the race weekend's most memorable crash.

Teams from Puerto Rico won the top trophies in 2011. Teodoro Aguilar Mora Vocational High School of Yabucoa won first place in the high school division with a best time of 3 minutes, 18 seconds -- just one second over the course record.

The University of Puerto Rico in Humacao, the only school to enter a moonbuggy every year since the race's start in 1994, posted a best time of 3 minutes, 41 seconds to win the college division for the second straight year.

Participation in the race increased from just eight college teams in 1994 -- the high school division was added two years later -- to more than 70 high school and college national and international teams in 2011.

Nearly 20,000 people watched live and archived coverage of the 2011 race on UStream, an interactive, real-time webcasting platform. For archived footage of the competition, visit:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-msfc

For images and additional information about past races, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/moonmars/moonbuggy.html

For information about NASA's education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

2012 National Video Game Competition

Girl Scouts of the USA is proud to be an outreach partner with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop and E-Line Media to introduce the second annual National STEM Video Game Challenge open to Girl Scouts! This challenge invites game makers to show their passion for playing and making video games and aims to motivate children's interests in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Up for grabs is almost $200,000 in cash and prizes, with multiple ways to win! The entry period is open through March 12th, 2012. Finalists will be selected by a distinguished panel of judges and winners will be announced in the spring of 2012 at a major public event.

For more information on how Girl Scouts can enter the Youth Prize competition (middle school & high school) look here!

Challenges like this support Girl Scouts’ already strong commitment to STEM activities that are relevant to everyday life. Whether they're discovering how a car's engine runs, becoming math whizzes, or learning about careers in STEM fields, girls are moving forward into the future. Please look here for more information on all of our science offerings.

This challenge also compliments the Entertainment Technology Badge, where girls can dig into video game development! If you have girls earning this badge, encourage them to enter the STEM Video Challenge as well!

Call for STEM Volunteers

We are looking for volunteers interested in helping out with our STEM programs.  Any help would be greatly appreciated, whether it be volunteering for an hour or on a regular basis.  We also have programs during the day, after school, and on weekends.  The following is a list of STEM programs that we would like volunteers for:

Afterschool Universe (astronomy program)
RoboGirl (introductory robotics program for elementary and middle school students)
Techbridge (engineering programs in a box ranging from green building design to surviving an earthquake disaster to designing amusement park rides)
VEX Robotics (middle school robotics team)
Strawberry DNA Extraction
Science in the Kitchen
CSI Forensic Detectives

Upcoming volunteer opportunities:

Volunteer opportunity #1: We are looking for volunteers to facilitate Techbridge programs in schools, after schools, and on weekends.  There are 5 main Techbridge programs, with 4 activities within each program.  Each Techbridge session would be approximately 1 to 2 hours.  Training for this program is offered as a one-hour session per individual activity or a day-long training for the whole set.  The 5 programs are:

• Make it Green
• Thrillbuilders
• Engineers to the Rescue
• Power it Up
• Design Time

The training schedule for Techbridge is as follows (all located at the GSCM Urban Program and STEM Center):

Power it Up: Snap Circuits

Tuesday, November 15     6:00 – 7:30 pm

Wednesday, November 16     12:30 – 1:30 pm  

Engineers to the Rescue: Clean this Water (create a water filter to clean water for drinking)

Tuesday, November 29     6:00 – 7:30 pm

Wednesday, November 30     12:30 – 1:30 pm  

Thrillbuilders: Coaster Car (create a car powered by gravity)

Tuesday, December 13     6:00 – 7:30 pm

Wednesday, December 14     12:30 – 1:30 pm   

Power it Up: Snap Circuits

Tuesday, January 10           6:00 – 7:30 pm

Wednesday, January 11           11:30 – 12:30 pm    

Training sessions will be offered throughout the year and will be announced as they are scheduled. 


Volunteer opportunity #2: We will be hosting a FIRST LEGO League robotics regional tournament on Saturday, January 21, 2012.  There will be 12 teams from around Maryland participating, and we are looking for volunteers to help run this event.  Volunteer positions include:

• Head Referee: The Head Referee will receive training from FLL on the game, missions and rules. He or she recruits and trains the referees and prepares them for the competition day.
• Referee: Referees are the ultimate decision makers when it comes to the competition rounds. They also keep the competition going by moving teams through the rounds with ease, smiles, and an understanding that this is tough on the children! Consistency is critical.
• Technical Director: This person understands the technical requirements for the event and is able to determine if the site can accommodate the tournament needs. He or she must get the necessary items and be able to fix any glitches that happen prior to and during the event.
• Registration and Information: As teams come in, coaches go to the registration table and sign in their team(s) and hand in, pick up and fill out any paperwork. Besides registering teams, recording payments and providing receipts, registration volunteers provide teams with event information and schedules, give directions, advice and answer questions as they arise.
• Timekeeper: This volunteer is indispensable in making sure teams know when to start and end. Teams also need to know how much time is left, which is usually a part of the Emcee’s play-by-play announcing.  Teams have to know how much time is left in a round so they can determine which programs to use during that round.
• Field Manager: The field manager is the key to making all areas of the competition floor work together. The field manager also keeps in contact with the Pit, queuers, and the judging areas.
• Head Queuer and Queurers: The Head Queuer and Queurers help teams line up, or queue, prior to entering the competition area. Team queuing is key to keeping the event on schedule.
• Pit Runners: These volunteers bring teams from the Pit to the queue area prior to the competition rounds.
• Judge Assistant: The Judge Advisor is responsible for recruiting, training, and overseeing all judges.

Please contact Su Kim at skim@gscm.org or 410-358-9711 x265 if you are interested in volunteering.

NIST Science Get Psyched: March 31, 2012

NIST Science Get Psyched

Who: Girl Scout Juniors and Cadettes
Cost: $10 per girl

When: March 31, 2012
Time: 10:30 am – 3:30 pm, registration opens at 9:30 am

Where: National Institute of Standards and Technology
              100 Bureau Drive              Gaithersburg, MD 20899

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) invite you to experience science up close and personal.  Experts in various fields will demonstrate how exciting science can be.  Learn about metals and alloys and rainbows and mirages.  Hands-on sessions will enable you to watch electric currents, analyze the structure of crystals, find out how to see invisible light, and watch how bananas, hotdogs, and metals behave at room temperatures minus 195 degrees Celsius.  Bring a bagged lunch and beverage.  Patch provided.
Contact: Su Kim, GSCM STEM Program Specialist
                 skim@gscm.org
                 410-358-9711 x265

GSCM Science Wonders: March 3, 2012

Science Wonders

Who: Girl Scout Brownies
Cost: $10 per girl

When: March 3, 2012
Time: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Where: GSCM Urban Program and STEM Center
              4806 Seton Drive
              Baltimore, MD 21215

Girls will explore the mysteries of science as they work with electricity, air pressure, and water!  They will meet and work alongside women scientists who will answer questions and share their knowledge.  Earn and receive the Science Wonders fun patch.

Contact: Su Kim, GSCM STEM Program Specialist
                 skim@gscm.org
                 410-358-9711 x265

GSCM Techbridge at Ilchester: December 11, 2011

Come join us for a Techbridge program on Sunday, December 11th at Camp Ilchester! 
Who: Girl Scout Cadettes - Ambassadors
Where: Clementine Peterson Activity Center at Camp Ilchester
When: 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Cost: $15 per girl

Contact:  Su Kim, GSCM STEM Program Specialist
                 skim@gscm.org
                 410-358-9711 ext 265

Design Time

What makes food products and their packaging last long hours of transport?  Girls will learn first hand how to design and create shipping packaging for a cookie like real Packaging Engineers.  They will put their packaging to the test with five stress tests.

Girls will also experience the design, production, and marketing of a bubble solution product.  A Mechanical Engineer, Chemical Engineer, Marketing Specialist, and Product Manager all play a major role in making this bubble product a true success.

GSCM Techbridge at Ilchester: December 4, 2011

Come join us for a Techbridge program on Sunday, December 4th at Camp Ilchester! 
Who: Girl Scout Cadettes - Ambassadors
Where: Clementine Peterson Activity Center at Camp Ilchester
When: 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Cost: $15 per girl

Contact:  Su Kim, GSCM STEM Program Specialist
                 skim@gscm.org
                 410-358-9711 ext 265

Thrillbuilders
Welcome to the crazy carnival of your own creation. Many of the products and places that girls come into contact with every day have moving parts.  This unit uses a fun, exciting place – an amusement park – as a basis for understanding simple machines and how they relate to things we use every day.  The ThrillBuilders program introduces girls to simple machines.  Girls will use levers, fulcrums, and potential energy to create a catapult-inspired bean bag toss.  They will judge the safety of the equipment as Safety Engineers.