Elizabeth Champagne is a University of Arizona Senior majoring in Astronomy and Physics. During Fall 2021, Elizabeth worked with Manpreet Singh from the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in the Planetary Sciences Department on a project titled "The study of plasma waves in space plasmas".
Jacob Blais is a University of Arizona Junior majoring in Natural Resources. Jacob works with Nate Pierce from the School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE) on a project titled "Legacy effects of temporally repackaged summer rainfall on soil respiration in Arizona grasslands".
Koda Benavidez is a University of Arizona Sophomore majoring in Applied Mathematics and Theatre. Koda works with Daniel Stolte from the University Communications Department as a science communication intern.
Eliot Baker is a University of Arizona Senior majoring in Chemical Engineering. Eliot works with Reyes Sierra-Alvarez from the Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department on a project titled "Bioremediation of the insensitive munitions compound, 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO)".
Roman Anthis is a University of Arizona Junior majoring in Aerospace Engineering. Roman works with Jesse Little from the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Department on a project titled "Fusion of Multi-fidelity Experimental and Computational Data for a Surrogate Aerodynamic Database".
I am a 5th year PhD student in the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, studying Saturn's upper atmosphere using data from the Cassini mission. I am a non-traditional student and got my first degree out of high school with a double major in biology and fine art. Years later, I went back to school to study astrophysics in order to pursue a career in planetary science. I am passionate about science communication and have completed a certificate in science communication here at the University of Arizona. I love those "aha" moments where a new understanding of the universe clicks and I want to help others have that same experience. A formative such moment for me was when I decided to draw the solar system with all the sizes and distances to-scale as a child. I quickly found that in order to do this I would need the better part of a ream of paper, leaving me with an intuitive sense of the scale of the universe that was awe-inspiring. My project aims to make this available for students and other members of the local community by erecting a to-scale model of the solar system along the mall from the East to the West end of campus. In conjunction with the model, I am designing a one-day undergraduate lab to bolster math skills and support students' understanding of the planets. By partnering with Flandrau Science Center, the model will also be used for outreach with k-12 classes.
[Update] On September 8, 2023 Zarah Brown achieved her goal! Zarah spearheaded the creation of a scale model solar system on the University of Arizona campus. After working on this project for years, Zarah's work is now open to the public and was introduced by the Lunar and Planetary Lab department head, Dr. Mark Marley, and College of Science Dean, Dr. Carmala Garzione (who happens to also be a former 1999 Space Grant Fellow) during a ceremony this afternoon. "The Arizona Scale Model Solar System [is] at a scale of 1:5 billion, the model extends from the Kuiper Space Sciences Building to the intersection of University Boulevard and Euclid Avenue and consists of 11 plaques illustrating the relative sizes of celestial objects. These are complemented by captivating narratives, NASA images, and illustrations contributed by LPL alumnus Dr. James Keane, and showcase the legacy of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in exploring our solar system. The realization of this project is the result of collaborative efforts, made possible by the generous support of the Arizona Space Grant and an anonymous benefactor."
If you're on the UArizona campus, please check out this installation and learn more here: https://www.lpl.arizona.edu/solarsystem/
I’m a third-year Ph.D. student in the Environmental Science department at the University of Arizona. My dissertation research focuses on late Quaternary soil-landscape evolution in the Sonoran Desert with an emphasis on better understanding how desert landscape dynamics and paleoclimate influenced land-use decisions and subsistence strategies employed by pre-European contact indigenous peoples. My NASA Space Grant project involves teaching students at Tucson High Magnet School about the importance of soils and soil processes in the global carbon cycle. This project will use in-classroom lab experimentation coupled with the field study of soils at the university agricultural experiment station. The soil experiments will use easy-to-find, low-cost materials and the experimental methods will be designed, at least in part, by the students themselves. The students will also have the option to collect and analyze their own soils. The overarching goal of the project is to get students thinking about the complex natural world that exists under their feet and to inspire an appreciation for what the average person simply refers to as “dirt”.
Hello! I am a third-year graduate student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Arizona, working with Dr. Jeong-Yeol Yoon. Our lab develops biosensors for medical and environmental health monitoring. Diagnostic tools can be expensive and time consuming, so our focus is on making these techniques more accessible. One cool aspect of this research is that it uses capillary flow in order to disperse samples throughout a paper-based microfluidic chip. Capillary flow is gravity independent, so by developing these diagnostic tools on the ground, we are also setting up a device that could one day potentially be used by astronauts and explorers in space. Currently, I am working to adapt our smartphone microscope design for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 from patient swabs. As part of the UA/NASA Space Grant Fellowship, I will work with a school in local Tucson, Arizona to introduce middle schoolers to the many facets of graduate school in Biomedical Engineering. Together we will be using the smartphone microscope to learn about antibody-antigen binding, improve our understanding of the tests being performed to detect COVID-19, and explore the exciting process of DIY science using fluorescence microscopy and 3D printing.
[Update] View Lane's curriculum materials here: https://sites.google.com/email.arizona.edu/diybiosensors/smartphone-mic…
View Lane's Youtube Channel here for additional resources: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmxu9I--s2ocf7_uAspWpPQ/featured
I am a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Computer Science. My research focuses on machine learning applications in astronomy and planetary science. I work with researchers in the Steward Observatory on classifying astronomical transients (brief, explosive astronomical events) using information about the galaxies in which those events take place. I also work with researchers in the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory on identifying the mineralogy on the surface of Mars and the Moon, using images taken by instruments aboard satellites rotating around those planetary bodies. I find working in this domain rewarding and meaningful because the objective of these projects is to ultimately optimize scientific observations and enhance our understanding of nearby planetary bodies in our solar system and far-reaching astronomical events.
Before coming to the University of Arizona, I attended Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, graduating in 2016 with a B.S. in Computer Science, and worked as a software consultant in Richmond, VA. I've participated in STEM outreach and science communication in different facets, and enjoy supporting others to explore and learn more about science. I have participated in outreach events in STEM/Computer Science for women at the middle school and university levels. I have also participated in research in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, collecting data to identify trends in the retainment of students of different demographics in computer science. My NASA Fellowship project focuses on enhancing public trust in science via an engaging and personal podcast series featuring space scientists.
[Update] View Marina's Podcast on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2t5wItUPwt834fze1L25AS
I am a second-year master's student in the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences. I have been working with the Cooper Center to develop experiential science curricula for 5th graders. The Cooper Center is known for its hands-on research-based programs in science and earth education. It is more important than ever before to engage the next generation in STEM. The young inquiring minds of today will become the problem solvers of tomorrow, and there are a lot of problems to solve. By locally contextualizing issues including climate change, water scarcity, and species endangerment, we can spark curiosity and help it bloom into a passion for STEM. Whether it's through NASA's world-scale missions or field sessions in the Sonoran Desert, we strive to open up learning opportunities for our youth.
This project lies at the intersection of my passion for nature, and my desire to leave the world a better place than I found it. My experiences in the Peace Corps (Ghana 2011-2014) and at the EPA have only reinforced these motivations. I hope to continue advancing these values during my graduate studies as well.
