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EAD, S.D. (KELO) — From Mt. Rushmore to the Corn Palace, South Dakota is known for its attractions.

But not a lot of people are aware that Lead, South Dakota is home to the nation’s underground laboratory.

The Sanford Underground Research Facility also known as SURF performs world-class science experiments everyday in the Northern Hills. SURF is the only deep underground science lab located in the United States and one of the deepest in the world.

The people who work underground include physicists, biologists, geologists and engineers.

“In a lot of these, although we’ve known they exist for a while we really don’t know how they behave and what role they play and how the universe operates and its make-up. So these are really at the forefront and really world-leading experiments that we’re performing here,” SDSTA Executive Director Mike Headley said.

Read the full story on Keloland.com.

Author Credit: Tyler Louder

Image Credit:

Original Story Post Date: 1/10/2024

The Alabama Space Grant Consortium (ASGC) has announced recipients of its scholarships and fellowships for 2024-2025. ASGC is located on the campus of The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System.

The consortium was formed with a mission to inspire the next generation of space explorers in 1989 when NASA implemented the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. It is a voluntary association of all seven research universities in Alabama along with other community colleges, educational outreach, and industrial and government entities.

Each scholarship recipient is awarded $1,500, and each fellowship winner receives $37,000. A single asterisk by a student’s name denotes a one-year renewal of a previous scholarship or fellowship award while two asterisks indicate a two-year renewal of a previous fellowship award.

For more information on ASGC and its scholarship and fellowship opportunities, visit uah.edu/asgc.

See the full list of awardees on UAH.edu

Image Credit: ALSGC

Author Credit: Ann Marie Martin

Original Story Posted: May 10, 2024

Grants in the 2024-25 funding cycle will advance research on topics ranging from examining the behavioral and neurobiological impacts of confinement to cognitive workload analysis via deep learning.

Alesha Roll has joined the Iowa NASA EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) and Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) in the role of program specialist.

Alesha is a 2017 alumna of Iowa State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences. Her career has been marked by a diverse array of roles, all centered around her passion for STEM, education and outreach, and community engagement.

With an extensive background in grant management and compliance, Alesha has played a key role in integrating STEM programs and supportive policies. Her interest was sparked by an internship with the EARTH Program in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, through Iowa State University.

Alesha’s commitment to the community includes creating programs within health and coaching, participating in coalitions advocating for local food policies, food security, waste reduction, and public education. Additionally, she has done grant work for nonprofit organizations in her free time.

As a program Specialist with EPSCoR/ISGC, Alesha will be involved in grant management, focused on research infrastructure development and supporting education and outreach events. While her specific duties will evolve, her extensive background in community-focused initiatives and her enthusiasm for educational programs will bring value to the Iowa EPSCoR/ISGC team.

Read the full story on https://news.engineering.iastate.edu/

Image Credit: IA State

Author Credit: aere_sb1234

When Logan Switzer ’25 started his college career, the journey was a short drive from his Forest Grove home to the campus of Pacific University.

This summer, Switzer’s educational journey takes him from the laboratories of the Strain Science Center to the laboratories of one of the most prestigious scientific campuses in the world.

Switzer is one of 15 students from the United States selected this year to participate in the Research for Undergraduates Program at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Administered through the University of Michigan, the nine-week internship program runs June through August on CERN’s campus near Geneva, Switzerland.

“This is an absolute dream,” said Switzer, who is a double major in math and physics. “This is an absolute dream for people in grad school or doing post-doctorate work or anyone just having a career in physics in general. And here I am as an undergraduate, a junior in college who already gets to have this phenomenal experience.”

Read the full article on the Pacific University webpage.

Author Credit: Blake Timm

Image Credit: Pacific University Oregon

Washington, D.C.–December 11, 2023.  Universities Space Research Association (USRA) proudly unveiled today the winners of the prestigious 2023 USRA Distinguished Undergraduate Awards. Far from mere accolades, these awards are a testament to the boundless potential that the future of science and engineering holds.

USRA’s commitment to excellence reflects itself in these prestigious awards which recognize outstanding undergraduate students across diverse majors. These exceptional individuals have been selected through a rigorous and highly competitive process, celebrating their innovative problem-solving abilities, leadership qualities, dedication to promoting diversity science and engineering, and their potential to make significant contributions to their respective fields.

Dr. Jeffrey Isaacson, President and CEO of USRA stated, “These students serve as an inspiration to all. As we recognize their achievements, we look forward to witnessing the transformative contributions they will make to their fields and to the advancement of science and technology. Congratulations to the 2023 Distinguished Undergraduate Award winners!“

Read the full article on the Arizona Space Grant Consortium Website.

Author Credit: University of Arizona / AZSGC

Image Credit: USRA / AZSGC

Original Post Date: Dec. 11, 2023

This fall, each department in the University of Arizona’s College of Science nominated an outstanding senior who went above and beyond during their time as a Wildcat. We are pleased to share their stories as they reflect on their time at UArizona. Our final Outstanding Senior is Kristen Saban in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, who was also named the Outstanding Senior in the College of Science.

Kristen Saban

Hometown: Jericho, New York

Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
College of Science: Why did you choose your area of study? 

Saban: I was born and raised on Long Island, New York, where I didn’t have much exposure to completely natural landscapes. When I first started my journey at the University of Arizona, I was surrounded by unique cacti, shrubs, and lizards for the first time. I was fascinated by the biodiversity that surrounded me throughout the Sonoran Desert, and I found it fascinating to think about how anything was able to thrive in the harsh environment. These experiences filled me with questions of evolution and adaptation to novel environments, which pointed me in the direction of the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department. I have absolutely loved my time exploring these questions further through coursework and research in EEB.

Read the full article on the Arizona Space Grant Consortium Website.

Author Credit: Adam Gonzales

Image Credit: Kristen Saban / Arizona Space Grant Consortium / University of Arizona

Original Post Date: Dec. 13, 2023

It’s been one month since the total solar eclipse and while many people traveled to the path of totality to witness the awing alignment of the sun and moon, a group from the University of North Dakota made the trip to do science for NASA surrounding the solar spectacle.

Every day the National Weather Service launches two weather balloons from nearly 100 different locations across the United States to gather weather data as the balloon flies up through the atmosphere.

And leading up to the April 8th eclipse, NASA teamed up with 75 colleges and institutions for the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project to release this same type of weather balloon to gather weather data.

Nationwide Eclipse Learning Project Principal Investigator Angela Des Jardins explains the process, “They fly the same sensors, but they flew them once an hour every hour, 24 hours before the Eclipse and six hours after to really understand how the atmosphere is changing in response to the cold dark shadow of the eclipse.”

Read the full article on Inforum.com.

Author Credit: Jesse Ritka

Image Credit: UND Atmospheric Sciences Team

Original Post Date: May 8, 2024