Space Grant Success Stories

“Dora Elalaoui-Pinedo has been studying the enigmatic pits in the northern polar regions of Mars using images taken with the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, or HiRISE, a high-resolution camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter”.

“Tenielle Gaither, geologist and project lead for Planetary Nomenclature” says, “Nadine was a mentor to me as an NAU undergraduate participant in the NAU/NASA Space Grant program. The addition of the name Barlow to solar system nomenclature is the perfect way to commemorate her lasting impact on planetary science”.

Trent is the founding director of the U of A’s Center for Human Space Exploration (CHaSE) and “shared insights into the center's projects, which range from testing spacesuit mobility with dance students to pioneering the use of advanced technology such as Apple Vision Pro in space.”

This Arizona Education Foundation award recognizes impactful champions of public education. Ms. Lara has been a dedicated educator for nearly 50 years, and now works with the NASA/NAU Space Grant Office as the American Indian Mobile Educational Resources (AIMER) coordinator in Northern Arizona.

Nine U of A undergrads were selected to work directly with expert researchers for this mentorship program named after Arizona Congressman Morris "Mo" Udall.

Across the state, Arizona Space Grant awards over 150 internships each year. Interns play critical roles in the research happening at our universities, research centers, within local industry, and at NASA Centers. Read about ASU JPL intern, Megan Miller, and her experience as an intern this summer.

After eight years of planning, design and construction, a small satellite built entirely by U of A students finally blasted into orbit.

"This summer I will be interning with the new Quantum Engineering and Sensing Technology (QuEST) lab at GSFC, helping build their new cold atom interferometry lab."

Marquez was one of three Interplanetary Initiative students who received an ASU NASA Space Grant internship for AY23-24, enabling him to embark on a self-directed project exploring the use of AI-powered chatbots for exoplanet research