NASA awards Oklahoma an education grant

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration grant will support implementation of the Interdisciplinary National Science Program Incorporating Research Experience, also known as INSPIRE, at NASA Centers and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The program -- designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics -- is part of NASA's education strategy to attract and retain students in science-related disciplines. Students selected for INSPIRE will have the opportunity to participate in unique summer experiences at NASA facilities and will be provided access to a variety of online resources, as well as engaging in special video conferences with NASA scientists and engineers.

Under the grant, Oklahoma State University will provide administrative services for student recruitment, online resources, project logistics and program evaluation. The work will be performed at NASA's 10 U.S. facilities while the Kennedy Space Center manages the program.

The basic grant's estimated cost is $2.6 million for the first year with a potential of four one-year options.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International