Paper Session I-B - The NASA Space Life Sciences Training Program: Ten Years of Accomplishment

The NASA Space Life Sciences Training Program (SLSTP) is now in its tenth year of training future scientists and engineers to meet the needs of space life sciences research and operations. The SLSTP provides six weeks of intensive study at the Kennedy Space Center for top undergraduate students with an interest in life sciences. The program consists of lectures, demonstrations, hands-on research, discussions, and other activities designed to provide an understanding of teamwork, flight experiment development, payload processing, and the unique requirements and opportunities imposed by the space environment. Over 330 undergraduates have completed the program. Since its inception, the SLSTP has continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of the students and NASA\u27s space life sciences interests. As part of their curriculum activities, the SLSTP students have made significant contributions to space life sciences research and have supported Shuttle flight experiments. The long-term benefits of the SLSTP are just beginning to be seen. Former students are now taking positions where their experience and intelligence will help guide the Space Program into the future