UArizona Team Lead Application
Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project (NEBP)
Seeking UArizona Team Lead(s)
Applications Due April 3, 2023
Team Lead Application
Overview:
The Arizona Space Grant Consortium is participating in the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project (NEBP). The NEBP project is led by Montana Space Grant Consortium, and it builds on the highly successful NASA and NSF-sponsored NEBP implemented during the 2017, 2019, and 2020 total solar eclipses. This new effort will broaden participation of STEM learners by immersing teams from a wide range of higher education institutions, including the University of Arizona, in an innovative NASA-mission-like adventure in data acquisition and analysis through scientific ballooning during the 10/14/2023 annular and 4/8/2024 total solar eclipses.
The University of Arizona Space Grant Program is seeking one to two University of Arizona student team lead(s) to lead a small group of UArizona students to participate in NEBP. What will the UArizona team be doing? At sites along the eclipse path, student teams will live stream video to the NASA eclipse website, use balloon-borne instruments to observe perturbations in atmospheric phenomena, and conduct individually designed experiments.
Team Leads must commit to the following:
- (Highly encouraged but not required) Attend a June 5-9, 2023 Engineering West Workshop at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. Full funding provided to attend.
- Summer (tentative) August 2023: Weekend workshop in Prescott, AZ, to launch 2 practice balloons.
- Must complete the NEBP Engineering Course Curriculum. This includes 16 fully virtual lessons and is expected to take 40 hours. (https://eclipse.montana.edu/education/engineeringcourse.html.
- Commit to continuing this work for both the 2023 annular and 2024 total solar eclipse activities (full AY23-24 participation). Must not be a graduating senior before May 2024.
- Must promote diversity on the team, be welcoming, help recruit additional team members, and be a leader for the team in all aspects.
- Be a good communicator and have experience with ballooning / be able to help others on the team with this project.
Team lead(s) will receive: $2,500 scholarship, plus (TBD) independent-study course credit. Team lead(s) will also be involved in all workshop and practice launch activities mentioned above, as well as be invited to attend the eclipse events with the Arizona Space Grant Consortium. Team lead(s) will be involved in publishing the teams’ work in a scientific journal and for NASA websites.
Other team participants (non-team leads) will receive independent-study course credit and be involved in this unique experience.
Team Lead Eligibility:
1. I understand I must be a U.S citizen if I am selected for a paid, team lead position. International students are encouraged to participate in the NEBP activities but cannot receive payment per NASA (federal) funding guidelines.
2. I understand that I must be enrolled at the University of Arizona while participating in the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project. This includes enrollment during Spring 2023, Fall 2023, and Spring 2024.
3. I understand that there may be an option to take a 1-credit special topics course in the Summer or Fall 2023 semester.
4. I understand I must commit to the research, development, testing, and integration phases leading up to both eclipse events in 2023 and 2024.
5. I understand that I must commit at least 40 hours of online/remote training and at least 80 hours of in-person, hands-on training prior to the 10/14/2023 annular eclipse.
6. I am willing to work in a team setting with other members of the eclipse project.
7. I understand that weekly team and sub-system meetings are mandatory.
8. I understand that travel and overnight stays may be required.
Eclipse Events:
Annular Eclipse
Location of Balloon Launch: Roswell, New Mexico
Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023
Travel Dates: (tentatively) Thursday, October 12th – Sunday, October 15th, 2023
*Dean's Excused Absence form will be submitted on your behalf.
Total Eclipse
Location of Balloon Launch: Uvalde, Texas
Date: Monday, April 8, 2024
Travel Dates: (tentatively) Friday, April 5th – Tuesday, April 9th, 2024
*Dean's Excused Absence form will be submitted on your behalf.
For more information on NEBP, please click on the following links:
- NEBP Main Page: https://eclipse.montana.edu/
- NEBP Engineering Track: https://eclipse.montana.edu/ebp-engineering.html
- NEBP Timeline: https://eclipse.montana.edu/ebp-timeline.html
Primary Goals of NEBP Participation:
- Design a 3-pound payload (9 pounds will be reserved for the equipment provided by Montana State University).
- Payload will be designed in collaboration with ASU and Casa Grande Union High School's NEBP student teams.
- Conduct a scientific experiment onboard.
- Utilize ground and balloon-borne equipment and supplies provided by NASA and Montana State University.
- *Launch into the stratosphere (~100K feet above the Earth's surface) through the utilization of a helium-filled balloon, track the payload's live location with the Iridium tracking system, and recover the scientific payload in accordance with NOTAMS, Air Traffic Control, and FAA Regulations.
- Present data analysis and results at scientific conferences.
- Publish a finalized manuscript to peer-reviewed journals.
*If you have participated in the AZ Space Grant ASCEND program, please note that this program is different and requires students to take the lead on flight predictions, launch, and recovery.
Questions?
Please contact Michelle Coe (PG4gdWVycz0iem52eWdiOnpucGJyQG5ldm1iYW4ucnFoIj56bnBickBuZXZtYmFuLnJxaDwvbj4=).