Space Week Challenge!

The Iowa Space Grant Consortium is sponsoring this year’s World Space Week Challenge for Iowa children grades Kindergarten through six!

The challenge begins on October 4th and ends on October 10th.

The first place team will receive a classroom straw rocket launcher from PITSCO, a classroom set of STEAM literacy books, and a ISGC T-shirt for the adult sponsor.

To view ALL information regarding the Space Week Challenge, please visit HERE

Space Week Bookmark Challenge is provided HERE

All questions can be sent to isgc@iastate.edu, and the full information page about Space Week Challenge can be found on the ISGC website under the Education and Outreach Umbrella.

NASA Selects ISU MSE Professor to Test Materials for Future Missions

NASA has selected five different ground-based proposals to investigate important problems using existing data from the Physical Sciences Informatics System and Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) assistant professor Sid Pathak’s proposal was one of those chosen!

To read more about this exciting announcement, please visit HERE

In Memory of Chuck McDonald

The Iowa Space Grant Consortium is saddened to share the news of the loss of Chuck McDonald of the Iowa Aviation Promotion Group, Inc. (IAPGI). Chuck was instrumental in the formation and running of the IAPG. Even after he stepped down as president, he continued to lead by example. He was passionate about students learning to fly, and for that reason the ISGC got involved to assist the IAPGI in their mission.  The ISGC will continue to the IAPGI in Chuck’s honor. He really cared about aviation and making sure that people knew that aviation is strong in Iowa. He will be sorely missed!
For more about Chuck’s amazing life story, please visit: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/obituaries/dmr125450.

IAPG Board of Directors Statement on the Passing of Chuck McDonald

September 9, 2022: Ankeny, IA – 

The Iowa Aviation Promotion Group (IAPG) regrets to report the passing of its long-time Executive Director, Chuck McDonald (Charles H. McDonald Obituary). Chuck had a passion for aviation and grew IAPG into an effective non-profit organization providing positive aviation exposure to tens of thousands of Iowans. Programs included the annual Fly Iowa event held at a different Iowa airport each year, the Fly Iowa Challenge promoting air tourism in Iowa, and aviation rallies that exposed youth and their parents to aviation and the possibilities of aviation careers. The most recent initiative was development of an aviation scholarship program that the IAPG board of directors unanimously insisted be named the Chuck McDonald Aviation Training Scholarship.

The IAPG board of directors is comprised of volunteer members who are passionate about promoting aviation in Iowa. In the coming weeks, the Board will be transitioning business operations, communicating with membership, updating its website, and continuing to work on its core programs that support the mission of the association. The annual meeting is planned for November 12th with more details to come. The Board extends its sympathy to Chuck’s family and expresses immense gratitude for the impact he has had on aviation in Iowa. It also thanks IAPG members for their continued support during this time and looks forward to a strong future for IAPG.

NASA Graduate Research Opportunity

Opportunity for NASA Space Technology Graduate Research: Proposal deadline is November 2, 2022. Up to four years of support are possible for doctoral students. In addition, a $40,000 annual stipend will be available for researchers.

For more information regarding this opportunity, please visit HERE

In Memory of Renee Shull Harmon

We are very saddened to share information on the passing of our Science Center of Iowa colleague, Renee Shull Harmon. We send our deepest condolences to her family and friends. She will be greatly missed as the bright shining star that added joy to each day of our interactions. Cheers to a life well-lived, albeit much too short.