[meteorite-list] NASA Awards Grant to Manage 'Swarmathon' Challenge

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 13 May 2015 16:14:01 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201505132314.t4DNE15j016858_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

May 13, 2015

RELEASE 15-090

NASA Awards Grant to Manage 'Swarmathon' Challenge

NASA's Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) has
selected the University of New Mexico (UNM) for a cooperative agreement to
manage the agency's Swarmathon challenge, an innovative swarm robotics
competition.

The university was selected from among a nationwide pool of 14 proposals
after a rigorous peer review by education and technical experts. The
university will receive an award totaling almost $1.8 million, paid in annual
increments of $600,000 for a maximum of three years, based on the
availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

The goal of the Swarmathon is to foster the development of integrated
hardware and software to support the work done by NASA's Human Exploration
and Operations Mission Directorate in Washington. The challenge will be held
annually between 2016 and 2018.

During the competition, robots will operate in concert to autonomously search
for, retrieve and map resources. Eventually, robot swarms could be used on
other planets, as well as on Earth, for resource exploration and use.

MUREP science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) engagement awards
promote STEM literacy and enhance the capability of institutions to perform
NASA-related research and education. The goals of the program are to increase
the number of NASA-focused STEM experiences that engage underrepresented
groups in active learning, disseminate innovative practices and programs in
STEM teaching and STEM learning, and increase the number of undergraduate and
graduate degrees in NASA-related fields awarded to students from minority
serving institutions.

For additional Information about the solicitation, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/1EurbEZ

For information about NASA's education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

-end-
Received on Wed 13 May 2015 07:14:01 PM PDT