Welcome to the Science Lab

The Virginia Space Coast Scholars (VSCS) program is a partnership between NASA Wallops Flight Facility and Virginia Space Grant Consortium.   This program, offered free of cost, allows students to engage in a dynamic online learning experience which culminates with a Summer Academy at NASA Wallops on the Eastern Shore.  At the Summer Academy, students will design a scientific exploration mission, design/build/fly the payload, and obtain and analyze the data.

The application will be available from November 2, 2012 with a deadline of December 14, 2012.  The Summer Academy will be held from August 10-16, 2013.  Visit  http://vscs.spacegrant.org  for more information.

Governor McDonnell Launches First Virginia Cyber Challenge

Virginia high school students are invited to compete for scholarships in free competition

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell will host the first Governor’s Cyber Challenge this fall and is inviting Virginia high school students to participate in this initiative. This free competition will challenge students in skills related to the fast-growing industry of cyber security. The Governor invites Virginia’s students who have an interest in computers, information technology, and cyber security to compete in the upcoming free competition.

“There is a gap in our country right now between the skills of our high school and college graduates and the needs of employers in high growth fields like cyber security,” said Governor McDonnell.  “Virginia has the highest concentration of high tech jobs of any place in the country. Inspiring Virginia students to pursue interests in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is critical to their futures as well as the future of our nation. Events like this one will help to engage students and introduce them to the much-needed technology skills that so many careers of the 21st Century will require.”

The challenge is hosted by the U.S. Cyber Challenge, the SANS Institute, and George Mason University. The Challenge consists of 2 parts. The first part is a set of online quizzes and the top 40 scoring students will advance to the second part, which are in person finals held March 2, 2013 at George Mason University. Winners of the competition will receive scholarships in the amounts of $5,000 for first place, $3000 for second place, and $1,500 for third place.

More information can be found at http://www.technology.virginia.gov/CyberChallenge/index.cfm

The Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) is a NASA-based program for students who are interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) areas.

VASTS is an interactive online learning course for high school juniors, culminating in a one-week residential Summer Academy at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton for those who qualify.  Offered at no cost to the student, VASTS consists of eight modules to be completed from December 2012 through April 2013 facilitated by master educators.  Based on success in the online coursework, students may be selected to attend a Summer Academy where they interact with NASA scientists, engineers and technologists to design a human mission to Mars.   Students who successfully participate in VASTS earn 2 college credits for the online course and 2 additional credits for the Summer Academy.

Please visit http://vasts.spacegrant.org for more information . The deadline for the application is November 2, 2012.

Join us on Facebook by searching VASTS, follow us on Twitter, and view videos on our Youtube channel – VASTStube.

National Fossil Day Contest Sponsored by National Park Service
A major focus of Earth Science Week 2012 will be National Fossil Day (October 17), and one of the best ways for students nationwide to participate is by entering the National Park Service’s National Fossil Day Art and Photography Contest. Entries should address the theme “Careers in Paleontology.”

Artwork may include a photo, painting, drawing, or watercolor. Explore the wide variety of careers that one can pursue relating to the field of paleontology – on a dig, in the classroom, at a museum, though technology, or in other ways. Artwork must be flat and should focus on a paleontological job is, what it accomplishes, and how it relates to fossils.

The contest is open to any U.S. resident. Entries must be postmarked by October 5, 2012. Learn more at http://nature.nps.gov/geology/nationalfossilday/art_contest.cfm. If you have questions, please email National_Fossil_Day@nps.gov.