NASA Awards Eight HBCUs With $11.7M To Boost Data Science Research

NASA has announced plans to award eight HBCUs $11.7 million through its Data Science Equity, Access, and Priority in Research and Education (DEAP) opportunity. 

The selected HBCU institutions will be picked by the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) and the Science Mission Directorate, who will work alongside NASA to launch the DEAP opportunity.  

“The increasing use of data science at NASA and beyond really drives home the need for a future workforce with data science knowledge,” said Mike Kincaid, associate administrator of NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement. 

“With our newest collaboration, NASA [has] created an exciting pathway to find new talent at HBCUs,” added Kincaid.  

The awarded funds will go towards helping HBCU students enhance their innovative data science research to contribute to NASA’s missions. 

“We’re pleased to make progress through awards like this to intentionally build the STEM pipeline of the future, especially in communities of color,” said Pam Melroy, NASA’s Deputy Administrator. 

“It’s fitting during Black History Month that we make this tangible step to build on the talent pool at HBCUs in our ongoing work to bring to the table all the talents and perspectives we’ll need to send humans to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, and do amazing science throughout the solar system.” 

The awarded projects will have approximately three years to establish and strengthen their research capacity for STEM students at HBCUs. 

Throughout the three years, awarded intuitions will also be expected to prepare students for the future workforce by accelerating innovation in a wide range of NASA science, technology, and mathematic research areas and data-intensive space-based Earth sciences.