[meteorite-list] NASA Awards Grant to Manage 'Swarmathon' Challenge

[Ron Baalke]

May 13, 2015

RELEASE 15-090

NASA Awards Grant to Manage 'Swarmathon' Challenge

NASA's Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) has 
selected the University of New Mexico (UNM) for a cooperative agreement to 
manage the agency's Swarmathon challenge, an innovative swarm robotics 
competition.

The university was selected from among a nationwide pool of 14 proposals 
after a rigorous peer review by education and technical experts. The 
university will receive an award totaling almost $1.8 million, paid in annual 
increments of $600,000 for a maximum of three years, based on the 
availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

The goal of the Swarmathon is to foster the development of integrated 
hardware and software to support the work done by NASA's Human Exploration 
and Operations Mission Directorate in Washington. The challenge will be held 
annually between 2016 and 2018.

During the competition, robots will operate in concert to autonomously search 
for, retrieve and map resources. Eventually, robot swarms could be used on 
other planets, as well as on Earth, for resource exploration and use.

MUREP science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) engagement awards 
promote STEM literacy and enhance the capability of institutions to perform 
NASA-related research and education. The goals of the program are to increase 
the number of NASA-focused STEM experiences that engage underrepresented 
groups in active learning, disseminate innovative practices and programs in 
STEM teaching and STEM learning, and increase the number of undergraduate and 
graduate degrees in NASA-related fields awarded to students from minority 
serving institutions.

For additional Information about the solicitation, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/1EurbEZ

For information about NASA's education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education 

-end-