DEVELOP is a NASA Science Mission Directorate Applied Sciences Program that fosters human capital development to extend science research to local communities. Student teams research NASA science capabilities relevant to community concerns and create advanced computer generated visualizations demonstrating research results. The prototype visualizations use Earth-Sun system science measurements and predictions to address local policy issues and are shared with community leaders. The activities are student led, with mentors from NASA and partner organizations. DEVELOP is a national internship program, with projects conducted during three terms throughout the year.

         DEVELOP students initiate projects in response to challenges that communities pose at leadership forums such as governors' conferences and association meetings. Projects are designed to achieve the widest coverage of NASA's Applications of National Priority using NASA's science missions and models. Each project requires partnerships with the target community to achieve the greatest return on investment. DEVELOP encourages applications from high school through graduate level students with strong interests in science, technology and policy.

         Students conduct outreach activity in addition to the core applied science applications projects. For the purposes of advanced visualization demonstrations, students constructed a portable immersive virtual environment also known as a Cave Automated Virtual Environment (CAVE).

         The National Program Office is located at Langley Research Center with more DEVELOP activities occurring at Ames Research Center, Stennis Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center and Goddard Space Flight Center. The Western Governors Association (WGA) and the Wise County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office provide significant support to national DEVELOP activities.

Program Projects Include:

During the fall 2004 term (October 2004 – December 2004), the Stennis Space Center DEVELOP team worked with the Mobile County Health Department DEVELOP team to investigate potential areas of non-point source pollution around the streams and waterways leading into Mobile Bay.

Stennis and Mobile DEVELOP teams worked together to determine a method of using NASA’s remote sensing resources to monitor the wetland restoration efforts in coastal Louisiana for the spring 2005 term (February 2005 – April 2005).

The summer 2005 (June 2005 – July 2005) project focused on investigating potential new locations for the New Orleans International Airport.  The teams assessed possible storm surge damage from a category five hurricane at three potential sites.

During the fall 2005 and spring 2006 terms, the Stennis and Mobile DEVELOP teams along with a student from Langley Research Center are conducting research into utilizing NASA’s remote sensing resources to detect agroterrorism attacks on corn and soybeans.

Further information about DEVELOP can be found at http://develop.larc.nasa.gov.

To apply log in to your Eagle Advantage account for application directions.  If you do not have an account, stop by the Career Services office in McLemore Hall, Room 112 to open your free student account.