National Aeronautics and Space Administration

IT Talk July - September 2016 Volume 6 • Issue 3

Women in Data

www.nasa.gov IT Talk In this Issue July - Sept. 2016 Volume 6 • Issue 3

Office of the CIO NASA Headquarters 300 E Street, SW 3 Message from Washington, D.C. 20546 the CIO Chief Information Officer Renee Wynn Editor & Publication Manager Eldora Valentine Graphic & Web Designer 4 Michael Porterfield What is BSA?

IT Talk is an official publication of the Office of the Chief Information Officer of the National Aeronautics and Women in Data Space Administration, Headquarters, Washington, D.C. It is published by the OCIO office for all NASA 6 employees and external audiences.

For distribution questions or to suggest a story idea, email: [email protected] Center Automation

To read IT Talk online visit: Team (CAT) www.nasa.gov/offices/ocio/ittalk 8

For more info on the OCIO: v www.nasa.gov/ocio v insidenasa.nasa.gov/ocio Space Apps (Internal NASA network only) 11 v www.nasa.gov/open/ Challenge Winners www.facebook.com/NASAcio Announced Message from the NASA CIO The development of world-class talent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is critical to America’s global leadership. While women are still an underrepresented minority in STEM, women in data and technology are no longer outliers. Data science is a critical field in which women and girls of all ages, backgrounds, and interests can participate today. In this issue, you’ll learn how women in data are achieving success and about inspiring, revealing insights that will widen the path for even more women in tech. We’ll also further highlight some other innovative projects happening at the Centers. There are a few cloud solutions supporting NASA’s missions. And for the last few months, the Office of the Chief Information Officer has been implementing the IT Business Services Assessment (BSA) plan. This will help us improve the delivery of IT services across the Agency. The BSA process establishes clear objectives for the NASA CIO to approve the Agency’s IT spending plan for non–highly specialized and highly specialized IT. Finally, a special recognition goes out to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) IT Directorate. The team was recently recognized with a few industry honors. We have a great lineup in this issue, so I hope you enjoy it.

Stennis Space Center's Jeff Henderson gives NASA CIO Renee Wynn a tour of the facility.

NASA's Chief Information Officer, Renee Wynn, along with her Executive Officer, Ruth McWilliams, recently visited the NSSC for a two-day working session to discuss the NSSC and HQ Information Technology operations.

The CIO met with the NSSC’s Senior Managers and was also briefed by the staff on the following topics during the two-day visit: NSSC Overview of the Enterprise Services Center, Support Operations Business Office, Service Delivery, Simplified Acquisitions & Enterprise License Management. She also met with the Information Resources Division.

NASA OCIO IT Talk Jul - Sep 2016 3 IT Business Service Assessment: Where Are We Going? By Leah Hollander, Business Service Assessment Implementation Manager

Why Conduct a Business Moving forward, we will focus on Services Assessment of IT? optimizing and balancing IT services and operations. We will evaluate our Final Outcome Information Technology (IT) was the baseline service levels, continue to (What Will Employees See?) ideal pilot activity for the Business increase insight into IT investments, When fully implemented, we Service Assessment (BSA) because develop criteria to assess IT program will have greater visibility into for several years preceding the BSA, performance, and evaluate services cost and service quality. This NASA was on a path to transforming and requirements for potential will enable the Agency to the IT Operating Model so that enterprise solutions. Some decisions make informed and intentional more IT services were managed and may result in changes to organizational decisions about the best provisioned at the enterprise (Agency) constructs and necessitate the mode of IT delivery for specific level. Using the BSA methodology, realignment of resources. As we solutions in the future and we were able to evaluate the health proceed, it is our intent to keep our better address instances of of IT services, assess opportunities to workforce informed and enable workers less-than-adequate service. achieve efficiencies, and evaluate the to make decisions about the future. Finally, the biggest effect on feasibility of moving to an enterprise the IT workforce over time will approach for some IT services. be the ability to more broadly The BSA was also the best way to What Have We Done So Far? leverage IT resources across understand and address how NASA Implementation of the decisions Center boundaries. This will will implement the near- and long- is underway, and key tasks have meet the growing demand term requirements of the Federal already been completed. These major for specialized IT skills and Information Technology Acquisition accomplishments include the following: services. These changes will Reform Act (FITARA) enacted in New IT Council (ITC)—The new also allow us to better deploy December 2014. Like FITARA, the 1. council was established and held our existing resources in BSA was designed to ensure that IT is its first meeting on May 25. The order to meet demands in an seen as a strategic Agency resource. new council includes representation environment where expanding from all Mission Directorates, the IT budget is not likely. What Does This Mean to You? Centers, and key functional offices The implementation of the BSA such as the Office of the Chief decisions is being managed by a Engineer. This council serves as the BSA Leadership Team. Members Agency’s senior decision authority include all of the CIO leadership, some for IT resource management issues Center CIOs, and the Agency CIO. and/or IT investments that require a high degree of integration, are The IT BSA decisions focus on deemed high-risk, are highly visible, developing greater visibility of IT or require a higher authority than investments, along with improved that granted to line organizations. structures for governance and decision making. The implementation plan lays 2. Completion of the first Annual out a framework that will be used to Capital Investment Reviews (ACIR)— help decide when a consolidated or At the first meeting of the ITC, the enterprise approach is appropriate, as council members reviewed the well as to affirm that there are specific results of the ACIR and approved business drivers where a diversified IT investments for FY 2017 and FY or decentralized operating model is 2018. This review is a key part of the appropriate. The IT BSA plan also lays implementation of BSA and FITARA, out a disciplined approach to measure which mandates that NASA’s CIO and understand IT service delivery as have approval authority over the we organize around the six IT domains entire IT budget and increases the (communications, applications, CIO’s responsibility. The scope of computing services, end-user services, the review includes mission-support information management, and security). funded IT, program-funded IT and related acquisition strategies. v

4 www.nasa.gov IT Governance at Goddard

Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) architecture change management. leadership. This board serves as has put a new federated governance McGowan’s leadership culminated the link to the Agency in cases process into operation. It includes in the development of the GSFC where IT services involve questions governance boards and IT working Federated IT Governance Framework, that must be resolved across groups to support initiatives across designed to increase accountability the entire NASA enterprise. the Center, and it serves as a link and both efficient and effective ҆҆ The Tactical Planning Group to the Agency IT enterprise. delivery of GSFC IT services. (TPG) determines the “how” and In 2012, the GSFC Chief Information In April 2013, the IT Governance identifies resources needed to Officer (CIO) was charged with Steering Committee presented the GSFC implement the strategic goals establishing a governance model to Federated IT Governance Framework established by the SAG. ensure the alignment of Center-wide to the GSFC Executive Council and ҆҆ The IT Working Groups (ITWGs) IT decision making with relevant gained unanimous acceptance. perform requirements analysis, policies and Lines of Business The Federated Framework ensures design, implementation, and (LOBs) strategic priorities. The goal coordination of an integrated decision- operations for Center-wide IT was to create a framework that: making process for the full IT portfolio, assets. The ITWGs also make executed through four governance ҆҆ Ensures transparency, implementation recommendations boards with clearly defined roles: to the TPG. There are currently ҆҆ Fosters collaboration, The Executive Governance six working groups: Applications, ҆ Improves communication, ҆҆ ҆ Committee (EGC) is the most Communications, Data Center, End ҆҆ Delivers efficiencies, and senior leadership board, User, Information Security, and ҆҆ Leverages LOBs. established to direct the vision, Management and Operations. goals, and objectives for the Dawn McGowan, GSFC IT Governance To date, the Federated IT Governance execution and continuous Lead, seized the opportunity, framework is fully operational and monitoring of GSFC IT assets. energetically engaged with leaders has supported multiple IT projects across the Center, and established an ҆҆ The Strategic Advisory Group that affect the Center, including Data IT Governance Steering Committee; (SAG) determines what GSFC will Center Consolidation and Cloud she led the committee in creating do at the Center level and where Computing. For additional information, a structured decision-making it makes sense to elevate issues please contact Dawn McGowan at process for IT investments and IT and tradeoffs to the most senior [email protected]. v

NASA OCIO IT Talk Jul - Sep 2016 5 Women in Data By Beth Beck, OCIO Open Innovation Program Manager

For the last 5 years, NASA has report titled “Women, Minorities, rather than competitive, endeavors hosted the International Space and Persons with Disabilities in and seek out opportunities to Apps Challenge. With over 15,000 Science and Engineering.” In 2013, team in a supportive environment. participants coming together women represented only 26 percent They are not looking for women- over a weekend to create nearly of the professional computing only events or activities, but rather 1,300 innovative solutions, Space workforce, a sharp decrease from take cues from the signals around Apps is more than an open-data 35 percent in the 1990s, according how events are organized to see if watering hole. It has proven to be to the American Association of they might fit in. Women do their an unexpected, yet reliable, focus University Women’s “Solving the homework before determining group on the usability of NASA Equation” study. A 2002 “Women how to invest their time and effort. data and what datasets are most in Computing Around the World” For instance, they look for women compelling and relevant, as well study suggested that the gender as featured speakers or on the as eyes and ears into fledgling gap in science, technology, leadership team and for early innovation communities around engineering, and mathematics access to an event or activity to the world. In addition, Space (STEM) and computing is allow them to gain new skills or Apps gives us insight into the inconsistent across cultures, with form teams ahead of the main state of women in data science. the lowest participation rates event. Offers of childcare or travel among women in the United Two years ago, the Open Innovation stipends send a clear signal that States, the United Kingdom, and team noticed a disparity in the women are welcome. If we want to Australia. And the gap is widening. ratio of Space Apps participants— draw more women into the NASA roughly 80 percent men to 20 As we surveyed the data landscape, data space, we need to create a percent women. We embarked we focused on one measurable welcoming community atmosphere. on a quest to better understand goal: to increase the number Based on these insights, we how to attract more women and of women and girls who attend created two new initiatives to signal girls to data by conducting a Space Apps. As a side benefit, we that NASA open-data is a safe yearlong study, which included hoped to enhance opportunities space in which to engage: Data a literature review followed by to grow the number of women Bootcamp and NASA Datanauts. dozens of interviews with leading in the new discipline of data We kicked off the inaugural women’s organizations in the data, science. Our focus was not how Space Apps Data Bootcamp pre- tech, and startup communities. to engage women who are already event last year to lower barriers professionals in the data fields, but As we dug into the literature, we to entry for newcomers to the how to attract women and girls found that the Space Apps ratio hackathon experience—to share who would not take part in Space reflected national trends. Although introductory content on coding, Apps or data science without women in the United States earned making, retrieving and manipulating intentional program design. 57 percent of all bachelor’s degrees datasets, and storytelling. This year, since the late 1990s, only 18.2 Here is what we heard in our we provided the model to our 161 percent are in the field of computer interviews: women are looking for global Space Apps organizers, who sciences, according to the 2015 a “safe space” in which to engage. orchestrated 54 Data Bootcamps National Science Foundation Women are drawn to collaborative, for 5,300 participants. At the Space

Ellen Stofan, NASA Chief Scientist Dava Newman, NASA Deputy Administrator Megan Smith, United States CTO Beth Beck, OCIO Open Innovations Manager

6 www.nasa.gov In conjunction with the United State of Women Summit, NASA hosted “Engaging Women and Girls in STEM Through Data Science.” It was an afternoon of discussions and presentations on the role of data science at NASA; opportunities for women and girls in data science; and NASA initiatives designed to engage women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through data science, such as the Space Apps Challenge, Data Bootcamp, and Datanauts. Speakers included Megan Smith, U.S. Chief Technology Officer; Dava Newman, NASA Deputy Administrator; and Ellen Stofan, NASA Chief Scientist, as well as program staff and participants from Space Apps Challenge, Data Bootcamp, and Datanauts. For information about the United State of Women Summit, visit http://www.theunitedstateofwomen.org/. Photo Credits above: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani) | Photo Credits below: (NASA/Michael Porterfield)

Apps Pasadena main-stage event in the field of data science, it is with four of the five Global Award– and Data Bootcamp, 47 percent one that other Federal agencies winning teams. Projects with a mix of participants were women— are eager to join. Each agency of men and women tend to be more including a majority who had never struggles with the lopsided ratio interesting, less linear and offer a attended a hackathon before. of women to men in the computer social or humanitarian component NASA Datanauts, our second science and STEM-related to the solution. These projects initiative, leverages the annual disciplines. They look to NASA to rise to the top—a lesson for future Space Apps challenge event by help discover new ways to bring teams. Women bring a different creating a supportive, collaborative more women to the data table. perspective to the problem-solving environment for each class of 50 As we began the focus on women process. Providing women with participants, featuring monthly in data, we tracked the number opportunities to gain skills in online challenges and toolkits for of women represented on teams data science will offer different community-based data dinner nominated for Space Apps global perspectives on how citizens can clubs. To signal our intent to attract awards. In 2015, we discovered better leverage NASA’s open data women, we selected an all-female that 47 percent of the Top 60 Global to solve community-based issues founding class—though all future Award semifinalists had at least and concerns. In doing so, we classes will also include men. one woman on the team. In 2016, grow innovation at the local level, Though this is only the beginning more than half of the Top 25 finalists which enables NASA to meet our of a conversation about women had women on the teams, along Federal open-data mandates. v

Michelle Easter Tina Lai Jerelyn Rodriguez Dr. Shobhana Gupta

NASA OCIO IT Talk Jul - Sep 2016 7 Innovation of Business Processes Happening at NASA Langley Research Center

A cross-Center collaboration group, the Center ServiceNow is an enterprise cloud company Hope and Chuck see the potential that Automation Team (CAT), plans to utilize the that specializes in providing custom service- OnePlace holds, not only to automate a ServiceNow platform to automate a growing management platforms that deliver automated multitude of processes across the Center, list of more than 68 business processes business services. Founder Fred Luddy describes saving time and resources, but also to at NASA Langley Research Center. Led by his vision for the platform as “a cloud-based increase collaboration between organizations. CAT Project Leads Hope Venus, Office of platform that enables regular people to create When OnePlace is launched, it will initially the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), and meaningful applications to route work through focus on two capabilities: the Center’s Key Chuck Brooks, Office of the Chief Financial an enterprise.” The platform was selected Activities and Talent Development. Following Officer (OCFO)/Advanced Analytics and because it meets, and in many cases exceeds, this, phase two of the implementation will Automation Office (AAAO), the platform, the team’s business requirements, which are to assess other automation needs and enable named OnePlace, will launch this summer. “citizen developers” within organizations ҆ provide integrated process improvement ҆ to ultimately ensure the solution’s The Center Automation Team was formed and integration into an agile software continued growth and optimization. when Center leadership saw an opportunity to development framework (processes v improve performance and save money through and people over technology), process optimization and integration utilizing ҆҆ enable shared services to modern technology and methods. “It is exciting minimize redundancies and to be utilizing the ServiceNow enterprise increase collaboration, solution cloud technology to better integrate ҆ utilize a low-code (point-and- our processes and information, resulting in ҆ click) mobile-optimized more affordable, customer-focused IT services,” automation platform, and said Cathy Mangum, NASA Langley Associate Director and the initiative’s executive sponsor. ҆҆ host in the cloud.

Reap the WorldWind: Data Visualization By Patrick Hogan, WorldWind Program Manager; Nick Skytland, Data Evangelist; & John Sprague, Deputy, Technology & Innovation Division

the base set of BlueMarble data, there were WorldWind. Additionally, many U.S. Government successive days of almost 100,000 downloads agencies, including the Missile Defense Agency, per day from SourceForge, where WorldWind Army, Navy, Air Force, and Drug Enforcement was transferred because NASA servers were Administration (DEA), as well as European unprepared for this level of interest at the time. government agencies, including the European Space Agency, all use NASA WorldWind to It was over a year later that Google Earth was visualize their operations with great success. to arrive on the scene. Educational models were built with WorldWind, from tracking the Web WorldWind is written in JavaScript and Lewis and Clark journey to examining a 3D provides a JavaScript Application Programming Moon and Mars! Imagine being able to fly Interface (API) for controlling all aspects of through the Valles Marineris of Mars or visit virtual globe interaction and display. The the far side of the Moon way back in 2003! WorldWind Web version enables Webpage and Web app developers to quickly and easily This was all great fun and had tremendous create interactive visualizations of geographic Long ago and far away, in the land of NASA educational value that also strengthened information displayed on a 3D globe or 2D map. Education, one of our nobler efforts, and the NASA name. WorldWind was a Windows certainly an invaluable one, we have enjoyed app at the time. Since then, we have added WorldWind won the NASA Inventions a special opportunity to share knowledge a Java version in 2006, an Android version and Contributions Board 2009 Software and excite the imagination toward a in 2012, an iOS version in 2013, and now of the Year Award. One development greater understanding of our universe. the Web App version in JavaScript/HTML5. project based on WorldWind was also a Today, the Federal Aviation Administration’s Europa Challenge winner in 2015. In 2002, NASA Learning Technologies, the (FAA’s) next-generation technology for Agency’s effort to place NASA content in To see WorldWind in action for yourself, maintaining optimum performance of the classrooms, engineered the first open-source please visit http://worldwindserver.net/ National Airspace System (NAS) is based on virtual globe. Even at 250 megabytes, due to webworldwind/apps/Explorer.html. v

8 www.nasa.gov WESTPrime Delivers Cloud Solutions for NASA

The Web Enterprise Services open-source framework, and over 70 Technologies Prime (WESTPrime) applications across multiple Centers contract is available to all NASA and missions. The InfoZen team Cloud Computing Centers and Headquarters to provide established a DevOps environment for reliable, efficient, and secure cloud Continuous Integration (CI), Continuous at NASA and Web services to support NASA’s Delivery (CD), collaboration, and project mission. Managed by InfoZen, in management, which was very widely Cloud computing in its modern context conjunction with the NASA Web adopted by WESTPrime customers. was introduced nine years ago, with Services Office (WSO), these services The InfoZen team has incorporated web-age companies leading the charge. include providing leading-edge cloud proven security, compliance, and Since then, the industry has greatly solutions, such as cloud migration, privacy practices into the entire expanded and matured to the point that hosting and optimization, security and migration and operations life cycle the tremendous benefits of the cloud compliance, DevOps, big data/data to manage risks and has worked computing model are getting clearer every integration, disaster recovery (DR)/ with the Agency to ensure that cloud day for large institutions like NASA. The continuity of operations (COOP), and solutions meet Federal Information Enterprise Managed Cloud Computing cloud readiness assessments for your Security Management Act (FISMA) (EMCC) program offers selected cloud applications and Websites. InfoZen and Federal Risk and Authorization services suitable for Agency use AND provides WESTPrime customers with Management Program (FedRAMP) provides Agency-level guidance and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), requirements in compliance with our instructions for other NASA entities to Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform continuously monitored ATO. Our take the steps necessary, on their own, as a Service (PaaS), and custom enterprise cloud approach focuses on to leverage the universe of commercial design and development services in meeting the common needs across cloud services in accordance with NASA's the cloud. InfoZen has migrated over NASA, providing a holistic approach Enterprise Managed Cloud Program. To 160 applications from NASA data to cloud security, maximizing the learn more about Cloud Computing at centers to WESTPrime Cloud, which performance of cloud solutions, NASA, point your favorite browser to the includes more than 65 applications and providing shared services that EMCC site at https://intranet.share.nasa. over a record period of 13 weeks. reduce costs for all stakeholders. We gov/agency/cloudservices. Information InfoZen’s team of architects and maintain independence from Cloud includes Center Cloud Points of Contact, engineers has collaborated with a host Service Providers (CSPs) and ensure Technical & Guidance documentation, of NASA customers, including the Extra that the best solutions are selected News, Forums, and more. The Computing Vehicular Activity (EVA) team, who and implemented according to each Services Program Office (CSPO) also hosts wrote and deployed a consolidated and customer’s unique requirements. a monthly Cloud Community of Interest transparent Electronic Data Integration (CCOI) session, covering informative Our team architected and deployed Application in support of the EVA enterprise cloud topics of interest to an IPv6 solution in the public cloud in mission. The team also supported the the community. Special guest speakers support of the customer’s requirements Human Exploration Research Analog present a variety of interesting updates, and the Federal mandate, which is a (HERA) team, who required terabytes and the Q&A sessions are always notable achievement considering that of storage in the cloud in support of informative. Recent sessions included: most CSPs fully support only IPv4 their Human Health and Performance How JSC is using S3 to Expand its addresses. WESTPrime worked with system. The WESTPrime architected, Service Offerings; Running Code without NASA to deploy their Enterprise Search self-managed Storage System helped Thinking About Servers (AWS’ Lambda solution in the cloud. By replacing the the customers manage their archival offering); The NASA Earth Science Data Google Search Appliance, Enterprise data easily and effectively in the cloud. Systems Program's Development of a Search saved NASA thousands of In addition, the www.nasa.gov and NASA-Compliant and Secure Cloud-Based dollars in licensing fees. The Enterprise Science Mission Directorate teams Platform for Application Hosting; and, The Search architecture involved a state- have extensively engaged WESTPrime Evolution of FedRAMP – Today and Moving of-the-art hybrid deployment model to redesign and deploy their CMS and Forward. To view past presentations, that met business requirements and portal sites using a responsive design, get added to the distribution, or suggest reduced OpEx costs. InfoZen and a topic you’d like to hear about, visit WESTPrime have received the CCOI site at https://intranet.share. several NASA awards. The nasa.gov/agency/cloudservices/Pages/ WESTPrime cloud program CCOI.aspx. CCOI's are held the first is one of the largest Thursday of the month, at Noon (Pacific). and most successful We hope you will join us at a future cloud programs in the NASA Cloud Community of Interest. v Federal market. v

NASA OCIO IT Talk Jul - Sep 2016 9 JPL IT Directorate Recognized with 2016 Industry Honors By Whitney Haggins, IT Communication Strategist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s (JPL) IT On June 1, JPL was named a CIO 100 IT list. This is JPL’s fourth consecutive time to be Directorate was recognized in the first half of Honoree by CIO Magazine. The CIO 100 honors honored with inclusion on the list, a ranking of 2016 with four prestigious industry honors. 100 organizations that have distinguished the top 100 work environments for information themselves through their innovative use of technology professionals by IDG’s Computerworld In January, JPL was named to the Digital Edge 25 technology to create business value. The award Magazine. The list is compiled based on a at IDG Enterprise’s AGENDA16 conference. The recognized JPL’s enhanced search capability comprehensive questionnaire regarding company award recognizes a select group of organizations and its use for analysis of data within the offerings in categories such as benefits, who are digital achievers working toward science, engineering, business, and flight career development, training, and retention. In becoming a digital-centric business. This is JPL’s mission communities. NASA’s Glenn Research addition, Computerworld conducts extensive first time being selected to the Digital Edge 25. Center was also named to the CIO 100. This surveys of IT workers, and their responses In April, JPL was ranked tenth in the marks JPL’s fifth consecutive appearance factor heavily in determining the rankings. annual InformationWeek Elite 100. The on the CIO 100. The 100 honorees will be Jim Rinaldi, JPL CIO said, “I’m thrilled award, celebrating its 28th year, ranks profiled in the August issue of CIO Magazine. and honored that the JPL IT team’s and honors the 100 most innovative users On June 13, JPL was named one of the accomplishments are recognized by industry, of business technology in the United Best Places to Work in IT by Computerworld especially as these recognitions are focused States. The selection marks JPL’s second Magazine. JPL was ranked number 17 among on the value that IT brings to JPL.” appearance on the InformationWeek Elite v large companies on the Best Places to Work in 100 and its second top ten finish.

JPL’s IT Expo: A Hands-on Experience of the Future By Chris Cornwell, Manager, Customer Care and Performance Management Office, and Whitney Haggins, IT Communications Strategist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology

On May 19, JPL’s Office of the CIO, IT partners, The event expanded beyond the traditional products, services, and vendors participating and organizations welcomed the Laboratory “big white tent” to accommodate more than at the Expo in advance, enabling participants community to its annual IT Expo, located on 60 exhibitors, a combination of JPL and to customize their IT Expo experience. One of the JPL Mall. The OCIO-hosted event’s theme, industry vendors, to include areas for an the new technologies prototyped at the IT Expo “My Digital Life,” highlighted the power of Immersion Experience exhibit, an Internet by IT Solutions Strategist Gabriel Rangel was technology and its ability to connect people and of Things (IoT) tent, and a special enclosure 360-degree camera technology. JPL is testing places from around the globe by embracing created to showcase drone technology. From 360 or VR photography to capture the entire emerging technologies and best practices to augmented reality apps to JPL’s digital data area’s surroundings which can be viewed in help users thrive in JPL’s digital environment. strategy, cybersecurity to document marking an immersive way with a mobile device. The Participants engaged in conversations with and handling, going paperless to customized technology could prove beneficial in labs, clean OCIO team members, partners, and industry tools supporting the business, engineering, rooms, and conference rooms. We invite you to vendors to learn about IT products and services and science communities, the event generated experience the IT Expo through the following designed to help simplify the individual’s digital widespread enthusiasm for JPL’s IT portfolio sampling of 360-degree photos: workspace, enable process improvements, of products and services. Through the use of a http://gabriel360.azurewebsites.net/ITExpo2.html ensure cybersecurity, and enhance collaboration free Guidebook app available for download to through innovation. mobile devices, attendees were able to preview http://gabriel360.azurewebsites.net/ITExpo3.html the exhibitor list and descriptions about the http://gabriel360.azurewebsites.net/ITExpo4.html

10 www.nasa.gov From Subterranean Communications to Mars Hopping, NASA Global Challenge Yields Mobile Innovations

Six teams from around the world will have air quality data collection. Leveraging social media Project, created at the event in Rome, Italy, a chance to attend a NASA launch at Cape and text analysis, the Scintilla Web portal collects is a Web tool that provides near-real-time Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as the and displays real-time human sentiment on air visualizations of glacier surfaces, an indicator winners of NASA’s 2016 International Space pollution. Scintilla solves the AirCheck challenge to of climate change. In conjunction with the Apps Challenge, a global contest to create develop an app or platform to crowd-source data Glancy image-sharing app, L.I.V.E. can be mobile apps and technologies that aid in space on environmental factors that affect human health. used to collect crowdsourced glacier photos exploration and help improve life here on Earth. to support scientific analysis and awareness Best Use of Hardware of environmental impact. L.I.V.E addresses the “The Space Apps Challenge is one vehicle for Canaria, created by a team at the London event, Earth Live challenge to develop a Web tool or NASA to engage individuals and communities is a 3D printed earpiece designed as a lifeline app that uses NASA and/or European Space around our open-data and technology tools. for the wearer, simultaneously monitoring heart Agency (ESA) satellite imagery and climate data NASA’s culture of innovation enables us to sharpen rate, blood oxygen, and atmospheric carbon to illustrate impacts of our changing Earth. our focus on future exploration of our solar system dioxide levels. Named for the canaries used by and to make discoveries that benefit human life 19th-century miners as a warning system for Most Inspirational here on Earth,” said Agency Deputy Administrator toxic levels of dangerous gases in the mines, Kid on the Moon, created by a team in Toronto, Dava Newman. “We’re committed to unleashing Canaria has an audible danger threshold alarm is an interactive app with a self-guided the spirit of innovation not only at NASA, but to alert the wearer. Canaria addressed the exploration of the Moon to inspire passion for with citizens around the world, and to getting Rock-IT Space Fashion and Design challenge space travel in children 4 to 8 years old and more girls and women in data science fields. to create high-tech fashion that can collect or their families. This project solves the Book It We’re encouraged by the enthusiastic response distribute data and provide interconnectivity, to the Moon challenge to create an interactive we’ve seen in these creative team solutions.” health benefits, or entertainment. app that children can use to locate the Moon and unlock lunar data, images, and stories. The fifth annual code-a-thon was held April 22–24 Best Mission Concept at 161 locations worldwide. More than 15,000 FractalNet, created by a Greensboro, NC team, People’s Choice Award participants took on the task of designing solutions is a network of wireless devices that provides Mars Hopper, created at the event in Kiev, Ukraine, for the 25 challenges in NASA’s six mission-related communications in a subterranean environment is a concept plane designed to investigate the categories: Aeronautics, Earth, International Space where radio communications are not possible Mars poles and their surroundings, using dry ice Station, Journey to Mars, Solar System and Beyond, beyond short distances, such as caves or from the surface of the planet as fuel. Mars Hopper and Space Technology. Six “best in class” winners lava tubes on the Moon, Mars, or asteroids. solves the Jet Set Mars challenge to design a were selected from the more than 1,200 entries. Key to the concept is the Data Glove, the link conceptual mobility device that allows easy and between mobile nodes and a base station. rapid exploration of difficult Martian terrain. Best Use of Data FractalNet also solves the Rock-IT challenge. Scintilla, created at the main-stage event in To learn more about the International Space Pasadena, CA, mitigates the impact of poor air Galactic Impact Apps Challenge and recent winners, visit quality in the global community by democratizing The Live Ice Velocity Estimation (L.I.V.E.) Glacier http://spaceappschallenge.org. v

By Jaumarro A. Cuffee, NASA STIPO/STISS Answering the Call at JSC JSC IRD Communications

NASA’s Scientific and Technical Information and STISS visitors reminded JSC authors of the is made available to NASA users in NTRS Registered. Program Office (STIPO) and Scientific and importance of submitting their work through the STI NASA users can request access to NTRS Registered Technical Information Support Services Office review process, not only for appropriate distribution, through the NASA Access Management System. (STISS) are answering the call to encourage but also to build upon an ever-growing body of Responsible publication is important for preserving responsible publication by NASA authors and scientific and technical knowledge. JSC STI Program and furthering NASA’s mission and providing the raise awareness of the scientific and technical Manager Vanessa Beene agrees that the information public with a valuable resource. During their visit, information (STI) resources available for NASA made available through the NASA Technical Reports Beene says STIPO and STISS personnel asked, authors, the NASA community, and the public. Server (NTRS) can help further the research in “How can we make this easier for you? How the NASA community; educate presenters and STIPO representatives Deputy, Program Manager can we help you?” Through their Center visits, volunteers who champion science, technology, Jennifer Perez and Agency Technical Publication willingness to provide information to groups and engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities in Manager Gerald Steeman, along with STISS individuals, and availability for future training, their communities; and arm parents who wish to personnel Senior Technical Lead Annie Dash NASA STIPO and STISS are easing hesitations encourage their children and expand young minds. (LAMPS) and Project Coordination Support Zehna associated with the STI review process and helping Apprehension of limited access was partly assuaged Windle, are making the rounds. During their visit to people better understand the wealth of information by the reminder that although NTRS makes STI Johnson Space Center (JSC) May 11 to 12, STIPO available as they continue to answer the call. information publicly available, additional information v

NASA OCIO IT Talk Jul - Sep 2016 11 Glenn Invites Public To Celebrate 75th Anniversary

NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field hosted approximately 25,000 visitors during its 75th anniversary open house on May 21 and 22, 2016. Neighbors near and far ventured to Cleveland, OH, to enjoy Glenn’s unique research and testing facilities, such as the Zero Gravity Drop Tower, the Icing Research Tunnel, the Telescience Support Center, and the Glenn Extreme Environments Rig. Each day featured special presentations by NASA astronauts and Glenn’s technologists and researchers, as well as hands-on activities for kids. Over 4,000 guests visited the Glenn Office of the Chief Information Officer Graphics and Visualization (GVIS) Lab and the Glenn Reconfigurable User-interface Virtual Reality Exploration (GRUVE) Lab. Visitors had the opportunity to meet with GVIS computer researchers and engineers and experience how the GVIS uses scientific visualization, interactive augmented reality, gesture-based interfaces, and 3D displays of simulation data to support the research being conducted by NASA researchers as well as external partners. On June 11 and 12, 2016, NASA Glenn’s Plum Brook Station opened its doors to the public, enabling guests to tour the world’s largest vacuum chamber, which is housed at the Space Power Facility, the world’s largest space simulation facility; the Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility, also known as the B-2; and the new Combined Effects Chamber, which, when completed, will simulate the conditions found on the surfaces of the Moon and Mars. v IT Talk

IT Talk July - September 2016 Volume 6 • Issue 3

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Office of the Chief Information Officer 300 E Street, SW Washington, DC 20546 www.nasa.gov