NASA and Emporia
State University

Emporia State University is involved with several NASA research and educational programs. These programs include biology, chemistry, geography, geology, mathematics, physics, space-science, and teacher education. Several faculty and many undergraduate and graduate students have received support for their research and teaching activities. Each program area is described in more detail below.

Table of Contents
NASA JOint VEnture--JOVE
Kansas Space Grant Consortium--KSGC
NASA Project NOVA
Kansas NASA EPSCoR
Other NASA Connections

Mars imagery from ESU.
NASA in Kansas.

NASA JOint VEnture (JOVE)

In 1991 ESU was one of sixteen institutions selected from a national competition to become a NASA JOVE institution. JOVE had several objectives. The 3-year funding from the NASA JOVE program enabled ESU to develop research programs in earth science and physics involving faculty, undergraduate and graduate students. The earth science program under the leadership of Dr. J.S. Aber utilized satellite imagery to investigate surficial geology, monitor environmental conditions, or do other applied studies using remotely sensed data. Dr. J.L. Ballester was the physics research mentor for students doing collaborative investigations of dynamic processes of the interstellar medium, i.e., the "stuff" between the stars.

Hydrologic investigation at Devils Lake, North Dakota.
Glaciologic investigation at Myrdalsjökull, Iceland.

In addition to the basic research objective, other JOVE objectives which had mutual benefits for ESU and its students included curriculum development (e.g. course development such as Introduction to Space Science or curricula in geospatial analysis). Educational outreach was another objective contingent to JOVE involvement. Dr. R.L. Keith also provides programs in Peterson Planetarium pursuant to this objective. The recently renovated Peterson Planetarium has enhanced appreciably educational outreach in the space sciences. Dr. D.A. Backhus served as overall projector director for JOVE.

Peterson Planetarium.
Program in geospatial analysis.

As a result of successful proposals for additional grant funds from other sources, Aber was awarded a JOVE Augmentation Grant in 1995. This provided additional funds for equipment to establish a Geospatial Analysis Laboratory to do satellite image processing research, and to provide instruction for a number of courses, including several courses for the Geospatial Analysis program.

Undergraduate
Students involved with NASA JOVE projects.
Graduate
Chet Belcher Ruben Byerley
John Carter Yihong Ding
Angela Cathcart Dacia Fankhauser-Brandt
James Deane Zuming Gong
Luis Frayre Li Liang
Brad Garmon Doug Robertson
Katherine Griffith Yu Shi
David Louk Everett Spellman
Laura Rand Mike Webster (UG/G)
Bin Shen Chenbo Zheng
Bruce Tunnell
Elaine Van Dalsem

Kansas Space Grant Consortium

Emporia State University became a "Space Grant College" in 1993. Hence, ESU is now a member of the Kansas Space Grant Consortium (KSGC). This provides modest, annual funds to support undergraduate and graduate students with various earth science and physics research projects, under the guidance of Aber and Ballester. Backhus serves as a member of the Kansas Space Grant Consortium Executive Committee.

Students supported with KSGC funding.
Undergraduate Graduate
Matthew Becker Dorian Burnette
Byran Bombardier Eric Collins
Tim Fisher Zuming Gong
Elizabeth Fitch Billy Jacobson
Lianne Flax Margaret Landis
Brad Garmon Mik Lewicki
Rachel Hess Kebin Li
Ben Landis Li Liang
Amanda Leach John Morettini
Nathan Miller Doug Robertson
Jawad Nashatizadeh Alex Sill
Michael Newton Jet Tilton
Laura Rand J.J. Zeeberg
Jennifer Schiffelbein
Crystal Wood
Jennifer Yotz

Glacial geology of the central United States.

Project NOVA

A third NASA activity for ESU is Project NOVA, which will enable faculty from the Division of Mathematics and Computer Science, the Division of Physical Sciences (chemistry, earth science, and physics), and the Teachers College to do significant curriculum development for courses in mathematics, physical science, and the Teachers College required for elementary education majors. Dr. M. Harrell, director of the Science and Mathematics Education Center, Drs. S. Irwin and N. Smith, the Teachers College, and Drs. Backhus, Keith, and K. Thompson from the Physical Sciences are the staff for Project NOVA. This project will extend from 1996 into 1998.

More on project NOVA.

Kansas NASA EPSCoR

In 1996, five collaborating Kansas Regents universities were awarded a multi-year NASA EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) grant. The initial award (1996-2001) supported ESU faculty and students to pursue research in collaboration with colleagues at other state universities. Satellite imagery and ground-based studies were utilized to investigate forest vegetation and infer climatic conditions in northeast Kansas. A second EPSCoR award to Aber and Dr. F. Pavri (2002-2004) continues similar research on wetland environments under the HYSPIRE (HYperSPatial Imagery of Rural Environments) program.

HYSPIRE research.

Studies of biochemical responses to microgravity environments are underway by Drs. M. Keck and D. Saunders, and astrophysical studies of interstellar conditions and dynamics of low-temperature stellar evolution are being conducted by Ballester. In 2003 several ESU faculty in collaboration with University of Kansas faculty were awarded "seed grants." Ballester and Dr. Chuck Pheatt (math/computer science) are involved with alternative materials (ultralightweight) for telescope designs, and Dr. Rich Sleezer (earth science) is collaborating with an investigation of the role of small impoundments (ponds) and dynamics of the carbon cycle. Backhus serves in a statewide capacity for the NASA EPSCoR program. Backhus serves in a statewide capacity for the NASA EPSCoR program.

Graduate students involved with EPSCoR projects.
Majeed Amini Dacia Fankhauser-Brandt
Kelby Harrell Billy Jacobson
Margaret Landis Kham Noam Nang
Andy Schmidt Jet Tilton
Jon Vopata Rao Vyakaranam
Juliet Wallace Naomi Wilkins
Ziyou Xiong J.J. Zeeberg
John Zupancic

Undergraduate students involved with EPSCoR projects.
Hyung-Sun Choi Raymond Kallaher Ben Landis

Other NASA Connections

In 1994, Aber advised three 8th grade students from Holy Trinity Catholic school in Paola, KS. These students prepared a research proposal on Satellite based laser spectrometer for detection of flue gas discharge at coal-fired powerplants for a NASA Mission to Planet Earth competition sponsored in collaboration with the National Science Teachers Association. Their proposal was judged first place in the nation. They were awarded an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in a five-day symposium in May, 1995.

Landsat 7 proposal for global inventory of glaciers.

Another example of a positive spinoff from NASA grant activity was the selection of Ballester as a NASA-ASEE Summer Faculty Fellow. In the summers of 1996 and 1997 he joined Alexander Tielens, NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA, for collaborative research. Their research involves dynamics of charged particles and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the interstellar environment.

NASA jobs and employment opportunities.

Emporia State University homepage or
Departments of Physical Sciences introduction.

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For more information about this webpage, contact: C.M. Pettit.
Last update: June. 2007.