NH Space Grant

The New Hampshire Space Grant Consortium (NHSGC) began in 1991 with the University of New Hampshire and Dartmouth College collaborating in a “Program Grant” Consortium. In 1999, we became a “Designated Consortium” and in the process grew to include 7 affiliates; adding the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (then known as the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium), FIRST Place, the Community College System of New Hampshire (then NH Community Technical College Sytem), Plymouth State University, and UNH Cooperative Extension.

The strategic goal of the NHSGC is:

To stimulate and enhance awareness and understanding of our nation’s continuing quest into Space by providing 1) Support to New Hampshire’s college and university students in Space-related fields; 2) Space-related educational materials, programs, and resources to the State’s educators; and, 3) Greater access to Space-related information and technology for the benefit of the State, its businesses, and citizens.

The NHSGC will pursue this goal across a broad front of programs, with particular emphasis in the following areas:

1. Providing fellowships, scholarships, and internships to the State’s graduate and undergraduate (including community college) students pursuing studies in NASA-relevant science, engineering, and technology. At all levels, support is connected strongly to mentored research experiences for students. Awards will address the established need for a larger, more diverse U.S. technical workforce.

2. Providing resources, information, and training to the State and region’s educators in science, math, and technology. At the K-12 level specific emphasis is placed on teacher/student activities incorporating realistic, “hands-on” experience, in support of State and national guidelines for science, math, and technology curricula.

3. Creating increased access to NASA-relevant science and technology through informal educational institutions and other programs oriented towards the general public. The intrinsic appeal of Space exploration is utilized as a means to attract larger and more diverse audiences. Access to NASA-relevant geospatial technologies and their applications will be enhanced.

Implementation priorities – The Designated Consortium in New Hampshire

Reflecting one or more priorities of the most recent Space Grant Strategic Plan (1996), and building on the strengths of the original NH Program Consortium founded by UNH and Dartmouth, several priorities are identified and pursued as a Designated Space Grant Consortium of 7 member institutions. These are: support for community colleges, attraction of private sector support, greater impact on recruitment of underrepresented groups, pre-service and in-service science teacher training, cooperative extension, and informal education/public service programs.

After review by all affiliates in November 2004, these remain our priorities.