The NIFTY project goal is to connect NASA STEM role models with youth-serving STEM programs for underrepresented youth (ages 9-14) in STEM, with a critical focus on girls and other historically excluded genders in STEM, which includes cis girls, trans youth, gender non-conforming, and/or non-binary youth, youth of color, and their families.
The NIFTY project is funded by NASA.
2024 NIFTY Program Requirements
Programming Timeline: 2024 NIFTY programs can take place anytime between February 1 – April 8, 2024
Stipend: each partner will receive a one-time payment of $1,500 for
conducting 10 hours of engaging NASA-themed STEM programming
between February 1 – April 8, 2024
with at least 10 middle-school youth ages 9-14
Key Area of Focus: At least one of your sessions with youth will focus on the topic of either solar science or solar eclipses. While only a narrow band across the USA will be in the direct path of the total solar eclipse, all of the continental USA will be able to see a partial solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Your NIFTY program does not need to take place during the eclipse on April 8th but can occur any date between February 1st and the eclipse. We will provide you with 25 safe solar viewers for you to distribute to the youth in your program.
Engagement with a NIFTY Role Model: programs need to interact virtually with at least one NIFTY role model*
*We are excited our role models showcase a wide variety of jobs. Your paired NASA role model’s area of expertise will likely NOT be related to eclipses.
Evaluation: Educators are required to fill out an online evaluation survey after their programming completes (no youth or family surveys in 2024)
Training & Support: a virtual training session on eclipses will be provided to ensure partners are equipped to deliver at least one solar science / eclipse-focused session. A meeting invite for this session has been sent, but details are below. "Solar Science Resources for NIFTY Educators (Virtual Webinar) NIFTY EDUCATORS – this webinar is offered to support your 2024 NIFTY programming requirement of having at least one of your sessions with youth focus on the topic of solar science/solar eclipse. Please try to attend this virtual training around solar science (including the upcoming eclipse). It will be recorded and made available after. When possible, having two staff attend is preferred.
This website is based upon work supported by NASA grant or cooperative agreement under award No 80NSSC22M0123. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.