Physics of the Cosmos News

7 February 2023

Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Women’s Colleges and Universities (MUREP WCU)

NASA’s MUREP Women's Colleges and Universities (MUREP WCU) Activity, part of Engagement Opportunities in NASA STEM (EONS) - 2023, is a new initiative seeking to address the significant gender gap and disparate experiences of women in STEM in the United States, both in higher education and the workforce. MUREP WCU contributes to NASA’s goals and priorities for STEM engagement by inspiring, training, and equipping women undergraduate and graduate students from groups traditionally underrepresented and underserved in STEM fields with the motivation, knowledge, and skills needed for success in undergraduate and graduate STEM degree programs and afterward in STEM careers. By providing students with access to NASA STEM Engagement content, resources, and technical assistance, MUREP WCU enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills, college/university and career readiness, student’s STEM efficacy, and personal investment and motivation to continue in STEM, thereby advancing U.S. national workforce development and educational goals.

Note: This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is open only to U.S. Women’s Colleges and Universities (WCUs) - see Appendix 10-A for a current list of eligible institutions.

Successful MUREP WCU proposals will be funded as multi-year cooperative agreements with a three-year period of performance, and the opportunity to extend for two additional years. Please see the full Appendix 10: MUREP WCU for more details.

Full Proposals are due on Monday 17 April 2023 at 5p Eastern/4p Central/3p Mountain/2p Pacific.

Optional pre-proposal webinars for the MUREP WCU opportunity will be held on:

• Friday 10 February 2023 at 12:30p Eastern/11:30a Central/10:30a Mountain/9:30a Pacific
• Wednesday 8 March 2023 at 3p Eastern/2p Central/1p Mountain/12 noon Pacific

During these sessions, the MUREP WCU team will give an in-depth overview of the opportunity and highlight information contained in the EONS-2023 document regarding proposal preparation and requirements. Please visit the MUREP WCU landing page in NSPIRES for information on how to join the call. Any changes to this session will be posted on NSPIRES. Proposers are strongly advised to check for updates prior to the call.

For general inquiries, please contact: MUREPWCU@nasaprs.com.