Erika Alvarez NASA/Keegan Barber

Pennsylvania / New Jersey Space Grant Alumna, Erika Alvarez, Makes NASA Career Dream Come True

Sometimes, dreams do come true. They have for Erika Alvarez in realizing her dream of working for NASA.

When she was a high school student in West New York, New Jersey, Alvarez participated in a virtual aerospace science class each morning. The televised program introduced her to aeronautics, piloting and navigation, and space operations. She also got to build model planes and rockets. That was the beginning of her dream to work at NASA.

“This was my first introduction into the field, and I couldn’t get enough of learning about vehicles that fly and go into space,” said Alvarez, who last month was named to the Senior Executive Service position of deputy director of the Space Systems Department at Marshall Space Flight Center.

The aerospace science class led Alvarez to a Space Grant Consortium summer program at Penn State, where she worked in the astronomy department analyzing new data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.

“While I found the science extremely fascinating and challenging, I always enjoyed the projects where we built prototypes, designed new systems, and broke hardware to understand failure mechanisms,” Alvarez said.

She would go on to pursue an aerospace engineering degree at Penn State. There, Alvarez met Guion Bluford, the first African American in space.

Read the full article on theredstonerocket.com

Original Post Date: 1.22.25

Image Credit:

Author Credit: Wayne Smith, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Kelsey Kirsch in the Toledo Lab

DC Space Grant Undergraduate Researcher Published as First Author

Undergraduate biochemistry major shares how her research was published in Royal Society of Chemistry journal Dalton Transactions

In CAS Conversations, we sit down with students, faculty, staff, and alumni to dive into their unique insights, experiences, and ideas. From classroom innovations and personal stories to community impact, CAS Conversations offers fresh perspectives from the incredible people shaping our campus and beyond.

Kelsey Kirsch (BS biochemistry major, public health minor ’25) published a peer-reviewed article in the journal Dalton Transactions, a prestigious journal published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Kelsey’s article details the study of a unique dioxygenase enzyme, acireductone dioxygenase (ARD), which has been linked to cancer development. Her study is the first to create a functional and structural model that mimics how ARD works. Even more exciting, she discovered a nickel-based compound capable of directly activating oxygen—something never documented before. These findings help open the door to understanding how similar enzymes might behave abnormally in ways that contribute to disease.

Kelsey worked under the mentorship of Chemistry Professor Santiago Toledo to bring this research to life. Since joining the Toledo Lab at the beginning of her sophomore year, she has not only contributed to this project but also taken on leadership roles within the department, including serving as a supplemental instructor for General Chemistry I and as a member of the recruitment and retention committee.

Read the full article on American.edu

Author Credit: Patty Housman

Image Credit: American.edu | American University

Original Post Date: Dec. 3, 2024

 

WVSGC Logo

West Virginia Space Grant Awards Undergraduate Fellowships to Marshall University Students

Congratulations to Our Outstanding Students!

We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of five incredible Marshall University students who have been awarded NASA West Virginia Space Grant Undergraduate Fellowships for their research projects! Their hard work and dedication, guided by their faculty mentors, continue to push the boundaries of science and discovery.

  • Grace Ghiz (Anthropology) – “Carving Culture: Butchery Practices and Faunal Insights from the Clover Site”. Faculty Mentor: Kimberly Dingess (Biological Sciences)
  • Brody Pinson (Biochemistry and Biology) – “Role of Exercise in Adipose Tissue Inflammation in Hypertensive Mice Model”. Faculty Mentor: Ji Bihl (School of Medicine)
  • Braden Ross (Biology) – “Potential Role of Insulin Signaling in Diet-Induced Bone Growth”. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Maria Serrat (School of Medicine)
  • Soren Tyree (Chemistry/Biology, Double Major) – “Structural Analysis of a Metamorphic Protein KaiB using AlphaFold2”. Faculty Mentor: Yongick Kim (Chemistry)
  • Richard Williams (Mathematics) – “Numerical Solutions to the Heat Equations on Time Scales”. Faculty Mentor: Tom Cuchta (Mathematics and Physics)

These students are making waves in their fields, and we can’t wait to see where their research takes them next. Keep reaching for the stars!

Read the full article on marshall.edu.

Original Post Date: 1.30.25

Author Credit: Marshall University | College of Science

Image Credit: COS, MU, WVSGC

Mendel, St. Catherine University's sciences building. Photo by Tara Sloane.

Minnesota Space Grant Awards 6 Scholarships to St. Catherine Students

Six St. Catherine University students have been awarded the 2024–25 NASA Space Grant, which recognizes STEM students for academic achievement and supports their education:

  • Shylah Brogan ’29biology

  • Lalisse Burka ’27, biology/chemistry

  • Katie Knox ’27data science

  • Kayla Olivas ’27, computer science

  • Sumaya Osman ’25, data science

  • Madeleine Paulosky ’28, biology

This is Olivas’ and Osman’s second year receiving the scholarship, an award initiated by NASA in 1989. St. Kate’s faculty awards committee administers the scholarship to STEM students who have demonstrated connections to projects of interest to NASA.

St. Kate’s is one of 13 other colleges and universities in the Minnesota Space Grant Consortium (MnSGC), as part of the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program funded by NASA. In the program, St. Catherine University STEM faculty coordinate five areas of activities: scholarships, research, higher education, outreach activities, and MnSGC activities on campus. Opportunities range across STEM departments, such as the curriculum additions of biology faculty members Tami McDonald, PhD, and Rahul Roy, PhD, who integrated research on the surface material of the moon into their classes last fall. Erick Agrimson, associate professor of physics, is the St. Kate’s affiliate Space Grant director. The lead PI on the grant since 2012, Agrimson conducts research with students with high-altitude balloons (HABs). In affiliated outreach activities, STEM faculty members lead science summer camps or 4-H workshops for kids and teens.

Read the full article on stkate.edu.

Original Post Date: 2.14.25

Author Credit: St. Catherine University

Image Credit: Tara Sloane

William Matthaeus is the 2024 recipient of the Francis Alison Award, UD's highest faculty honor.

Delaware Space Grant Director Delivers Francis Alison Lecture on Solar Wind

Matthaeus to discuss research on space physics

The annual Francis Alison Lecture is scheduled for 3 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 18, in Gore Recital Hall, featuring the 2024 recipient of UD’s highest faculty honor, William H. Matthaeus, the Martin A. Pomerantz Professor of Physics and Astronomy.

The title of the lecture is “Riding the Turbulent Solar Wind: A Journey through Space Physics.” It is free and open to the public; a reception will follow in the Center for the Arts lobby. To register, click this link.

Matthaeus is director of the Delaware NASA Space Grant and the Delaware NASA EPSCoR program. He is co-investigator on several current and upcoming spacecraft missions, and he is a fellow of the American Physical Society, the Institute of Physics, the American Geophysical Union and the American Association for Advancement of Science.

Read the full article on udel.edu.

Original Post Date: 1.28.25

Author Credit: Mike Chalmers

Image Credit: University of Delaware

Michelle Yatvitskiy, a recent graduate of the fashion and apparel studies master’s program (center), holds a strip of a new fabric for the outer layer of space suits that was the result of a collaboration between the fashion and chemical engineering departments and a company founded by Blue Hen alumni. Yatvitskiy is accompanied by Huantian Cao, chair of the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies (left), and chemical engineering professor Norm Wagner (right).

Delaware Space Grant Consortium | Building Better Space Suit

Interdisciplinary collaboration leads to innovative new fabric

When future astronauts head to the Moon, they may very well be wearing space suits created, in part, through a collaboration between two University of Delaware academic departments, a new UD alumnae and a company founded by UD alumni.

This interdisciplinary project included Norm Wagner, the Unidel Robert L. Pigford Chair,  Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Huantian Cao, chair of the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies; Richard Dombrowski, former associate research scientist in UD’s Department of Chemical Engineering and co-founder of STF Technologies, and Michelle Yatvitskiy, who graduated this year with a master’s degree in fashion and apparel studies and a graduate certificate in sustainable apparel business.

The outcome of their collaboration is a new fabric for the outer layer of space suits, called the environmental protection garment (EPG) shell, that will prevent lunar dust particles from penetrating the material.

“Our fashion apparel studies program covers everything related to clothing, and space suits are a form of clothing,” said Cao. “Quite a few of our alumni work with ILC Dover, a major space suit manufacturer.”

Author Credit: Brenda Lange

Image Credit: Evan Krape

Original Post Date: Oct. 1, 2024

Read the full story on udel.edu

Mississippi Space Grant Logo and NASA Partner Logo

Mississippi Space Grant Awards Scholarships to USM

To advance research and opportunities for students, the College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) awarded 27 scholarships through the NASA-Mississippi Space Grant Consortium (MSSGC) program.

This state-wide initiative aims to ignite students’ passion for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) disciplines while equipping them with the resources and support needed to excel in their academic journey. The scholarships foster academic excellence and empower students by increasing awareness of NASA employment and research opportunities for those pursuing related majors at USM.

“I consider myself fortunate to serve as the Southern Miss coordinator for the NASA-Mississippi Space Grant Consortium,” said Dr. David Cochran, associate dean for Research and Graduate Education in the College of Arts and Sciences. “It’s an honor to be able to participate in a nationwide NASA initiative that promotes STEM and space education and provides funding to some of our most deserving students.”

Author Credit: Ivonne Kawas

Image Credit: MSSGC

Original Post Date: Jan. 6, 2025

Read the full story on usm.edu

Delaware Space Grant Consortium | Moon Rock Research

UD mechanical engineering students help NASA test a moon rover

As aspirations for lunar colonization grow, so does the need to understand the moon’s freshwater reservoirs. Researchers are interested in determining if these hidden natural resources could serve as a source of drinking water and as fuel, both of which are key cornerstones for any long-term lunar habitat.

To this end, NASA is investigating new areas of the moon for signs of freshwater. As part of this effort, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, aims to characterize the distribution and physical state of lunar waters and then to determine whether humans will be able to use lunar water resources found on the moon.

But before VIPER launches in late 2024, a number of tests must be conducted here on Earth to ensure that the golf cart-sized rover can withstand harsh lunar conditions. This is what a team of seniors in the University of Delaware’s College of Engineering worked on as part of a project that could aid in [human]kind’s next giant leap.

 

Author Credit: Jess Gardner

Image Credit: Photos courtesy of Team 116 and NASA

Original Post Date: May 21, 2024

Read the full story on udel.edu

Sidike Paheding, PhD, was awarded a grant for his research project “Transferring Knowledge Across Planets: Domain Adaptation for Marian Surface Mapping.”

Connecticut Space Grant Consortium Awards Funding for Groundbreaking Engineering Research

The NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium (CTSGC) has recognized Fairfield University’s School of Engineering and Computing with prestigious research grants and scholarships. These awards highlight innovative projects and academic excellence that align with NASA’s mission objectives.

In fall 2024, Naser Haghbin, PhD, assistant professor of the practice of mechanical engineering and Sidike Paheding, PhD, assistant professor of computer science received funding for their groundbreaking work, as did graduate students Gabriel Grant ’24 and Gerald Malloy ’24, and undergraduates Eric Dillner ’25 and Joseph Borges ’25.

Dr. Haghbin’s project, “Dynamic Object Tracking and Handling in a Vision-Guided Robotic Arm,”  advances the capabilities of autonomous robotics by implementing real-time object detection, dynamic path adjustment, and responsive control systems for a robotic manipulator. By utilizing a vision-based tracking system, designing algorithms for path optimization, and programming a gripper for precise interactions, his research addresses critical challenges in automation. The outcomes aim to refine planetary sample collection, streamline spacecraft assembly and repair, and assist astronauts in high-risk scenarios.

Dr. Paheding brings a fresh perspective to planetary exploration through his research project “Transferring Knowledge Across Planets: Domain Adaptation for Martian Surface Mapping.” This project seeks to improve surface mapping of Mars by applying advanced semi-supervised domain adaptation techniques to Earth-based terrain data. By addressing the differences between Earth and Mars, it will create specialized terrain models tailored to Martian environments.

These models are essential for enhancing autonomous rover navigation, enabling safer and more efficient exploration of planetary surfaces. The research also aligns with NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, advancing broader space exploration goals and supporting future missions to the Red Planet.

Author Credit: Sara Colabella

Image Credit: Fairfield University

Original Post Date: Dec. 5, 2024

Read the full article on fairfield.edu

Bennett Maruca, associate professor of physics and astronomy, has a new thermal vacuum chamber in the Delaware Space Observatory Center he directs. The instrument makes it possible for University of Delaware students to develop and test CubeSat research satellites for a 2026 NASA launch.

Delaware Space Grant Consortium Funds CubeSat Mission

NASA selects UD’s CubeSat spacecraft for upcoming mission

Students pursue higher education with worthwhile goals in mind. They want to learn from experts, explore more of the world, earn a degree, find a good job and contribute to a better future.

It’s safe to say that not many expect to lead a NASA-supported mission during their undergraduate studies. But at least a dozen University of Delaware students will have done that by the time they collect their diplomas in the next few years.

All are part of a team creating Delaware’s first orbital spacecraft, which was selected by NASA for launch in 2026 as part of its CubeSat Launch Initiative. The NASA program, which started in 2011, aims to give students an opportunity to be part of real missions and gain extraordinary experience in what it takes to do space research.

CubeSats are small, modular, inexpensive satellites that carry experiments for science investigations and/or technology demonstrations. About 160 CubeSats have been launched in the NASA program over the years, many deployed from the International Space Station (ISS).

Delaware’s mission — the Delaware Atmospheric Plasma Probe Experiment (DAPPEr) — will launch its CubeSat spacecraft from the ISS and orbit independently through Earth’s upper atmosphere.

 

Author Credit: Beth Miller

Image Credit: Photos by David Barczak

Original Post Date: April 17, 2024

Read the full article on udel.edu.