80NSSC19M0200

California State University Northridge (CSUN) proposes to establish the Autonomy Research Center for STEM (ARCS), a financially self-sustaining multidisciplinary university center of excellence that will significantly contribute to NASA's research in autonomy for civil aviation and space exploration.

While substantially increasing institutional research capacity, developing a STEM workforce, and commercializing research results to address pressing societal needs. In collaboration with NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) and Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), ARCS will execute a convergence research (deep integration of approaches from different fields) agenda consisting of 12 interdisciplinary projects in 3 synergistic thrusts.

(1) Assured and Trusted Increasingly Autonomous (IA) Systems;
(2) Human Autonomy Teaming with Explainable AI; and
(3) Societal and Organizational Impact Barriers and Acceptance of IA Systems.

These thrusts will be explored in the context of two NASA concepts of operations: Urban Air Mobility and Space Construction. Through these projects, ARCS will contribute to NASA capabilities for assuring real-time trustworthiness of IA systems; methods and technologies that support human-IA teaming; and models and guidelines for taking into account technology-related and social/cultural factors on public acceptance of IA systems.

The University Corporation

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE (CSUN) PROPOSES TO ESTABLISH THE AUTONOMY RESEARCH CENTER FOR STEM (ARCS) A FINANCIALLY SELF-SUSTAINING MULTIDISCIPLINARY UNIVERSITY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE THAT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTE TO NASA S RESEARCH IN AUTONOMY FORCIVIL AVIATION AND SPACE EXPLORATION WHILE SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASING INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH CAPACITY DEVELOPING A STEM WORKFORCE AND COMMERCIALIZING RESEARCH RESULTS TO ADDRESS PRESSING SOCIETAL NEEDS. IN COLLABORATION WITH NASA ARMSTRONG FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER (AFRC) AND JET PROPULSION LAB (JPL) ARCS WILL EXECUTE A CONVERGENCE RESEARCH (DEEP INTEGRATION OF APPROACHES FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS) AGENDA CONSISTING OF 12 INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS IN 3 SYNERGISTIC THRUSTS: (1) ASSURED AND TRUSTED INCREASINGLY AUTONOMOUS (IA)SYSTEMS; (2) HUMAN AUTONOMY TEAMING WITH EXPLAINABLE AI; AND (3) SOCIETAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT BARRIERS AND ACCEPTANCE OF IASYSTEMS. THESE THRUSTS WILL BE EXPLORED IN THE CONTEXT OF TWO NASA CONCEPTS OF OPERATIONS: URBAN AIR MOBILITY AND SPACE CONSTRUCTION. THROUGH THESE PROJECTS ARCS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO NASA CAPABILITIES FOR ASSURING REAL-TIME TRUSTWORTHINESS OF IA SYSTEMS; METHODS AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT SUPPORT HUMAN-IA TEAMING; AND MODELS AND GUIDELINES FOR TAKING INTO ACCOUNT TECHNOLOGYRELATED AND SOCIAL/CULTURAL FACTORS ON PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE OF IA SYSTEMS.

43.008 - Office of Stem Engagement (OSTEM)

Shared Services Center (NSSC) [NASA]

Northridge, California 91330-1100 United States

Single Zip Code

NOT APPLICABLE

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 08/31/22 to 09/30/25 and the total obligations have increased 388% from $972,647 to $4,749,945.