Several local news organizations did stories about the University of Iowa's $1.495 million award from NASA’s Safety, Security, and Mission Services division for state-of-the-art equipment needed to build instruments for future missions. The funds will also provide students with more opportunities to obtain instrument-building knowledge and training for careers in space exploration. 

The Support for Space Technology Innovation and Education award originated with Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa's 1st District and whose office solicited and advanced proposals as part of congressional community funding projects. Miller-Meeks toured research areas in Van Allen Hall on Aug. 23  to learn more about the Department of Physics and Astronomy's efforts to build spaceflight instrumentation and its programs giving students in STEM fields hands-on experience with flight hardware.

Coverage included:

• KGAN/Iowa's News Now: "Rep. Miller-Meeks touts University of Iowa's funding for space project."
• The Gazette: "How Iowa researchers are helping NASA understand the cosmos." At UI lab where NASA tools are tested, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks touts $1.5M investment in STEM.
• Press-Citizen: "Miller-Meeks makes UI visit as physics department receives $1.5M grant from NASA"
• Daily Iowan TV: "University of Iowa Receives $1.5 Million From NASA"
• Daily Iowan: Miller-Meeks aids in securing nearly $1.5 million award for UI