CETA and the Connecticut Space Grant Consortium

In 1989, NASA began the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, a network of colleges and universities across the United States that works to provide opportunities for students to participate in NASA’s aeronautics and space projects. With this network, NASA supports science and engineering education, research and public outreach. More than 850 affiliates, universities, colleges, industry, museums, science centers, and state and local agencies, belong to one of 52 consortia in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The consortia fund fellowships and scholarships for students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), along with the research projects that the STEM students work on.

The Connecticut Space Grant Consortium promotes NASA aeronautics and space-related research here in the state. In addition to the University of Hartford, which is the lead institution of the consortium, the members are

Central Connecticut State University
Connecticut Colleges of Technology (14 community colleges)
Eastern Connecticut State University
Fairfield University
Southern Connecticut State University
Trinity College
University of Connecticut
UConn Health Center
University of Bridgeport
University of New Haven
Wesleyan University
Yale University

Here are some examples of projects the CT Space Grant Consortium funds and worked on by students attending various schools in the consortium.

Jason Smith, a University of Hartford mechanical engineering major with an acoustics concentration, is working on a new prototype space suit, the NDX-2, with other Hartford students and a team from the University of North Dakota’s Department of Space Studies. Another mechanical engineering major, Jamie Hamilton, is working on a new life-support system that will be implemented into that new prototype suit. This young woman is testing new, lightweight materials to be incorporated into the system. Another young woman, a junior at the University of New Haven majoring in forensic science and chemistry, is experimenting with biofuel production from algae. She is working on extracting hydrocarbons from a variety of algae strains to determine which will produce the most usable form of biofuel and the greatest yield.

This project demonstrates an important point about NASA and the Space Grant program: Although many of the grants go to engineering students, NASA wants to support students in other disciplines. It takes more than engineers to drive the space program; all kinds of expertise is necessary. Consider the planned moon station and the need for biologists, chemists—all manner of disciplines will be needed to plan, build, and run that project. In addition, NASA has decided to focus, whenever possible, on green projects.

The kickoff for Connecticut’s Space Grant program for the 2009-2010 academic year is being held on September 17, 2009, in the Student Union at the University of Connecticut. Students from all majors with an interest in NASA are encouraged to attend and learn about projects, grants, and other opportunities offered by this exciting program.