1. 1 NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional Space Grant Meeting Selected Program Highlights Virginia Space Grant Consortium Mary Sandy, Director Chris Carter, Assistant Director September 15, 2006

2. 2 NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional Space Grant Meeting Photo-Acoustic Spectroscopy in Tissue for Breast Cancer Applications Thin film acoustic detector The Spectrum VSGC/LaRC /University of Virginia Breast Imaging Group collaboration. Space Act Agreement is in place between LaRC and VSGC and a Research Partnership has been formed with the University of Virginia Breast Imaging Group. NIH Bioengineering Research Partnerships proposal will be submitted in May and with prototype system within the first year after securing funding. New technology developed by Dr. Qamar Shams, Instrumentation Systems Development Branch, is covered by Langley invention disclosure LAR 17200-1. The long term goals: Molecular signature analysis of tumors Absolute location of identified tumors

3. 3 NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional Space Grant Meeting Teach teachers how to effectively utilize geospatial technologies such as geographic information systems (GIS), the global positioning system (GPS), and remote sensing in the classroom to meet state standards. OVERspace Program Offering Virginia Educators Resources in Spatial Practices Across the Curriculum for Excellence

4. 4 NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional Space Grant Meeting OVERspace Program Train-the-Trainer Model Teachers as OVERspace Educators –2 to 5-day workshops Interdisciplinary Equip teachers with skills and hands-on experience in using GPS and GIS, standards-based lesson plans, and follow-up support Provide workshops for a low fee (cost) or through grant funding when available More than 400 teachers trained to date

5. 5 NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional Space Grant Meeting OVERspace Program Collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education Geospatial Instructional Applications Initiative –Statewide software site license with ESRI puts GIS software in every middle and high school in the state –OVERspace is one of 8 regional technical points of contact to support teacher use Partnership with Virginia Geospatial Extension Program (VGEP) at Virginia Tech

6. 6 NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional Space Grant Meeting ITEST (Innovative Teachers of Earth Science in Tidewater) Federal No Child Left Behind funding through Virginia Department of Education’s Math-Science Partnership Program Goal is to increase the number of fully endorsed Earth science teachers in the Tidewater area Provide eligible teachers with free and accelerated college credit courses –Astronomy, Geology, Meteorology, Oceanography Master Teacher co-instructs with faculty –Linkage between content and standards and models effective teaching strategies

7. 7 NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional Space Grant Meeting Partnership with Portsmouth Public Schools Norfolk State, Old Dominion University and Virginia Wesleyan providing courses Targeted schools include: Hampton, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach public schools VSGC role includes: fiscal agent, university interface, teacher recruiting and registration, coordinating master teacher role, external evaluation ITEST