Student Abstracts

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Undergraduate – Senior, Physics

Author(s): Bryan Borosky

Using Machine Learning to Predict Cosmological Dark Matter Halo Formation

After cosmic inflation, quantum fluctuations caused certain pockets of the early universe to become denser than others. These ‘peaks’ in the initial density field of the universe accumulated mass through gravitational interactions and eventually collapsed into dark matter halos, the densest dark matter structures in the universe. When dark matter particles self-annihilate within halos, their gamma ray signals are greatly enhanced due to the high densities of these structures. Previous work has been done to model dark matter halo formation using numerical cosmological ‘N-Body’ simulations. Existing models can predict the properties of simulated halo populations across different cosmologies without the need for running computationally expensive simulations, but they fail to predict which initial peaks ultimately form halos. Since it is not feasible to run a simulation to determine halo populations for every possible dark matter power spectrum, this work advances existing models by predicting which peaks form halos by using a wavelet neural network, trained to identify halo formation across 6 wildly different simulated cosmologies. We then apply the neural network to make predictions for halo formation within new, previously untested simulated cosmologies. By advancing the capacity to predict which density peaks form halos, we better our understanding of halo populations and their properties. This, combined with Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope data, allows for further constraints to be placed on the dark matter annihilation rate, especially for universes with nonstandard expansion histories.

Mentor: Adrienne Erickcek, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Graduate – Ph.D., Physics

Author(s): Nathaniel Berry

The Tale of Two Mergers

By investigating the velocity distributions of white dwarf populations, astronomers can gain insights into their kinematic ages. The kinematic ages of these stars, combined with masses, temperatures, and elemental abundances, can help illuminate how certain spectral types of white dwarfs formed and evolved. Using astrometry from Gaia and data from the Montreal White Dwarf Database, we calculated tangential velocity distributions for several white dwarf populations, including the Hot DQs. We found that Hot DQs (with effective temperatures of T_{eff}\geq18000K) exhibit a larger velocity dispersion. This suggests that Hot DQs represent an older population of stars than their high effective temperatures suggest. This indicates that Hot DQs likely were reheated and are each the product of the merger of two white dwarfs. We also report findings on other populations of white dwarfs, such as DAHes, Cold DQs, and more.

Mentor: Chris Clemens, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Pitt Community College

Community College, Engineering

Author(s): Andrew Day, Joshua Jones, Matias Ripa, Aiden Sugg, Joshua Wall

Students automate a telescope and its camera to take photos and videos of the Sun remotely 

Pitt Community College has over the past years obtained many instruments required to build a functional and high-quality solar observatory. This observatory can be used to enhance instruction in PCC’s Astronomy courses as well as to educate the public during open houses and department tours and increase student interest in the fields of engineering and astronomy, as well as the STEM fields in general.  In this study, engineering students have taken steps to automate a telescope to take photos and videos of the Sun remotely and to serve as an automated observatory to observe solar phenomena including any prominences and flares. The students, under the guidance of the project mentors, were able to use solar tracking software and a Raspberry Pi system to automate the telescope, pier, and camera, and to coordinate the telescope to track the Sun remotely as well as take high quality pictures and videos. This system will be able to function as an automated solar observatory, fulfilling the project’s objective. 

Mentor: Mohamed Ali Ahmed Abdel Rahman and Joy Moses-Hall, Pitt Community College

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Undergraduate – Junior, Physics

Author(s): Reece Clark

Skynet 2 and Astromancer: Empowering Students to Explore the Universe

Skynet 2: Robotic Telescope Network introduces the future of astronomy education by connecting optical and radio telescopes across the globe. The primary focus of this project is on creating quality-of-life features that allow users to seamlessly create observations by adjusting telescopes, filters, exposures, and more. Skynet 2 will be deployed in classrooms across the United States, enabling students and astronomers to create and analyze astrophotography when they may not otherwise have access to these devices. This could be due to light pollution or lack of funding in their area. Furthermore, Skynet 2 enables rapid data collection of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) shortly following detection.

Astromancer is another educational tool developed by the Skynet team to provide further astronomy education in both optical and radio wavelengths. While Astromancer already contains several educational modules, this project adds two new tools. The first focuses on creating, processing, and analyzing radio astronomy images using Skynet’s radio telescopes. This allows students to determine the proper flux for a radio source based on the frequency range they used to create their image. The second module guides students through determining a pulsar’s period. It walks them through calibrating detectors, creating a Lomb-Scargle periodogram, and displaying the proper period for the pulsar.

Together, Skynet 2 and the new Astromancer modules expand access to astronomy and provide students with tools to explore the universe hands-on, regardless of their location or resources.

Mentor: Daniel Reichart, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

Elon University

Undergraduate – Senior, Astrophysics

Author(s): Julianna Levanti

Distinguishing between Active Galactic Nuclei and Ultra Luminous X-Ray Sources in Dwarf Galaxies

Over-massive black holes (BHs) found at high redshift pose difficult questions about BH evolution. Theories suggest that the early universe gave rise to intermediate-mass BH (IMBHs, 10^2 – 10^6 M_sun) seeds that evolved into these more massive BHs. However, these BH seeds are difficult to detect due to their low brightness at large distances. Instead, determining the fraction of galaxies with nuclear IMBHs at z=0 can uncover the formation mechanisms of early universe BH seeds. Dwarf galaxies with active BHs, called dwarf AGN, are the ideal systems for finding IMBHs, however, due to their low masses, dwarf galaxies are metal-poor. Low metallicity environments can populate ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs), which mimic the signatures of dwarf AGN. We use novel photoionization models including contributions from stars, AGN, and ULXs, dwarf AGN observations from the RESOLVE and ECO surveys, and Bayesian analysis to quantify each source’s distributed contributions and infer environmental properties. Our results show models require AGN excitation to fit observations as determined by a series of goodness-of-fit metrics. Models that include an AGN and/or a ULX decrease the inferred metallicity by 0.1 dex, emphasizing the need to account for multiple excitation sources when deriving dwarf galaxy properties. Our findings suggest that the [O I]/Hα emission line ratio used to select the dwarf AGN sample requires excitation from active IMBHs. This diagnostic could become a practical selection tool for observers to identify dwarf AGN without needing to account for false IMBH signatures caused by ULX. Our results have the potential to better distinguish between signatures of active IMBHs and ULXs using JWST high-redshift and local observations.

Mentor: Chris Richardson, Elon University

Catalyst Program, The Science House

Saint Mary’s School 

High School

Author(s): Lilly Hall

Eclipse Megamovie: Image Processing 

The eclipse megamovie project represents a unique collaboration between professional scientists and the general public, harnessing the power of crowdsourcing to advance our understanding of the Sun. By integrating advanced image processing techniques and leveraging the enthusiasm of citizen scientists, the project has made significant contributions to solar physics, while simultaneously making science accessible and engaging for the broader community.

The eclipse Megamovie image processing in 2017 and 2024 has included images taken without professional equipment. Due to the photographers not using tracking mounts, the moon and the Sun “move” in time within the field of view.

The primary goals of my internship included:

Code Development for Image Processing: The internship focused on developing code to automate several crucial image processing steps. This included aligning and recentering solar eclipse images, applying histogram equalization to enhance image contrast, and converting the images to polar coordinates for easier analysis of coronal flows and jets. 

Optimization and Testing: Another goal of the internship was to optimize the performance of the code, ensuring that it could efficiently handle large datasets produced by the citizen scientists. We tested the code to verify the accuracy and quality of the processed images, with emphasis on methods used for optimization and the improvements achieved.

Mentor: Joann Blumenfeld, Catalyst, North Carolina State University 

Duke University

Undergraduate – Sophomore, Physics

Author(s): Gavin Ockert, Seung Hyun Jin, Trevor Darr and Charlotte Porter

Foundations for Governance in Space: A Charter for Extraterrestrial Societies

As humanity continues to expand its presence in outer space, the need for comprehensive governance structures to address ethical, legal, and practical challenges becomes increasingly urgent. Drawing inspiration from established international agreements, including the Artemis Accords, the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, and the Antarctic Treaty, the goal of this project was to produce an ethical charter for a hypothetical space colony.

The charter tackles various common issues of contention when creating a new colony, including naturalization processes, government-granted rights, language barriers, and internal security. The charter also enumerates clear steps to prioritize the protection of extant cultures while still enabling national cooperation and socialization within the colony.

This work aspires to spark meaningful dialogue and inspire collaborations across disciplines, contributing to the development of a robust and forward-looking governance system for humanity’s ventures into the cosmos. By considering likely advances in technology and the effects of outer space on a new government, this charter serves the unique purpose of providing future policymakers with an ethical framework that combines the complexity of governance with the nuances of long-term space habitation.

Mentor: Giovanni Zanalda, Duke University Space Diplomacy Lab

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

The University of North Carolina at Asheville

Undergraduate – Junior, Physics

Author(s): Will Kinley

Developing Stellar CME Models Across Various Stellar Types and Wavebands

Data regarding stellar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is significantly lacking with little to no multiwavelength detections of non-solar events. Understanding CMEs is important as they have large implications in areas from planet habitability to stellar evolution. We see these effects locally on Mars. Yu et al. (2023) discusses how Mars’ prolonged exposure to solar wind and CMEs has degraded the planet’s once protective atmosphere to what it is now.  To address the severe lack of detections of non-solar CMEs, we will build upon previous work done by Osten et al. (2015, 2016) and Crosley et al. (2017) who have provided a useful groundwork in modeling observational properties of CMEs. These specific models involve modeling the presence of shocks in stellar atmospheres. These shocks accelerate electrons that emit at certain frequencies based on changing parameters like electron density, magnetic fields, and distance from shock origin. This provides us with a differential equation which we can then adjust to fit various stellar types such as M dwarfs, solar and young solar types, giants, and pre-main sequence stars. Using measured atmospheric parameters of a select sample of magnetic stars, we will predict observational properties for each type of star. This will provide multiwavelength information which we will use to develop a multiwavelength observing campaign of ideal candidates. Our poster will discuss how these observational properties change for the different types of magnetically active stars and how this leads us to our chosen ideal candidates for non-solar CME observations.

Mentor: Christene Lynch, The University of North Carolina at Asheville

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Graduate – Ph.D., Physics and Astronomy

Author(s): Pa Chia Thao

Decoding HIP 67522: Transit Timing Variations and Revised Planetary Ephemeris

Mass measurements of young planets are crucial for testing and refining planetary evolution models: without a mass, a young planet may appear to have a similar radius to an older planet but remain significantly inflated if it is less massive. Traditional radial velocity techniques for measuring masses have proven challenging for young stars due to increased stellar noise. Transit Timing Variations (TTVs), which occur due to the gravitational pull of other planets or bodies in the system, causes deviations in the timing of planetary transits across the host star. These variations provide a powerful alternative for estimating planetary masses, as they are less impacted by stellar activity.

In this project, we analyzed photometric observations of HIP 67522, a 17 million year old system hosting two transiting gas giant planets. Planet b has a radius about 10 times that of Earth and orbits its host star every 6.95 days, while planet c, with a radius approximately 8.2 times that of Earth, was recently validated and has a period of 17.95 days. We observed 24 transits of planet b and 11 transits of planet c, using data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Satellite Survey (TESS), Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO), the Antarctic Southern Photometry (ASTEP) Telescope, and the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope. Our analysis detected TTV amplitudes of 5 minutes for planet b and 10 minutes for planet c. These results allowed us to refine the ephemerides of both planets and place upper limits on their masses. 

This study provides insights into the dynamics and evolution of young planetary systems, contributing to their early stages of development. 

Mentor: Andrew Mann, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Faculty Research Grant Program

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Undergraduate – Junior, Astrophysics

Author(s): Bennett Kirby

Revealing Color Dispersion Patterns Among Hot Subdwarfs Through Gaia DR3 Multi-Epoch Photometry

Hot subdwarf stars are core-helium-burning objects that were once red giants but have been stripped of their outer envelopes, likely through interactions with a nearby companion star. Most are in binaries and exhibit photometric oscillations due to pulsations, companion irradiation, ellipsoidal modulations, eclipses, or other effects. Like a fingerprint, the pattern of variability observed in their light curves, which is wavelength-dependent, can reveal the nature of the companion and help classify and characterize the binary. Gaia multi-epoch photometry is a long baseline data structure that provides intermittent photometric data in three distinct optical bandpasses dating back to 2014. By analyzing the photometric dispersions in the G, GBP, and GRP measurements of stars observed by Gaia, we create dispersion-dispersion plots that help us identify new variables, highlight anomalous objects, and reveal patterns amongst known hot subdwarf variables. Here we will discuss the details of this methodology, as applied to hot subdwarfs, and demonstrate the overall efficacy of this approach.
Mentor: Brad Barlow, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

Community College, Music education

Author(s): Catori Wilkie 

Illuminating the Hidden Universe: Revealing the Orion Nebula Through Infrared and Optical Imaging

Interstellar dust plays a critical role in shaping the observable universe, often obscuring the true nature of celestial objects in optical wavelengths. Infrared (IR) astronomy offers a powerful means to peer through these veils of dust, revealing stars, star-forming regions, and structures otherwise hidden from view. This project investigates the capabilities of IR imaging in comparison to visible light by focusing on a well-known deep-sky object, the Orion Nebula (M42). Utilizing a telescope equipped with an astro-modified DSLR camera, we will capture images of the nebula using both visible narrowband filters and an IR-pass filter. The study aims to illustrate the enhanced transparency of interstellar dust to IR light and how it unveils hidden celestial features.

By systematically comparing images captured across these spectral ranges, we will identify differences in visible and IR penetration through dust-dense regions. This will include qualitative assessments, highlighting hidden stars and structures revealed in the IR images, as well as quantitative analyses to measure the relative brightness and degree of IR transparency. The methodology emphasizes accurate calibration and data analysis to ensure robust results.

The findings of this study will contribute to the broader understanding of how IR astronomy complements traditional optical observations in revealing the universe’s hidden facets. This project also aims to demonstrate the accessibility of advanced astrophotography techniques for students and amateur astronomers, showcasing how modest equipment can yield meaningful scientific insights. The outcomes will be documented through visual comparisons, analytical summaries, and public outreach materials to inspire further exploration of the universe through both professional and amateur astronomy lenses. By bridging technical and educational goals, this project underscores the transformative power of infrared light in expanding our cosmic perspective.

Mentor: Denise Williams, Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Undergraduate – Senior, Astrophysics

Author(s): Donovan Schlekat

The Future of Optical Astronomy with the Skynet Robotic Telescope Network

The Skynet Robotic Telescope Network (Skynet) is a global network of autonomous, queue-based robotic telescopes used as a data collection platform for a variety of fields within astronomy and astronomy education. Originally consisting of six telescopes dedicated for rapid response observations of gamma-ray burst afterglows, Skynet has grown to include ~20 optical telescopes across four continents. 

As part of an overhaul of Skynet’s software stack, we have created new observational modes and models, as well as new scheduling capabilities, which complement a wide variety of scientific uses. All Skynet observing modes will be available through a public API, allowing automatic response to transient alert systems or external scripting. The new observation modes include the option to collect discrete datasets with multiple telescopes in parallel, which will be crucial to rapid response observations to a transient phenomena, as well as the ability to observe targets with multiple telescopes sequentially, a useful option for extended photometric or spectroscopic monitoring campaigns of time-dependent systems. New models will also allow for flexible observation requests based on a target signal-to-noise-ratio, and along with future work to build in automated photometry, allow the possibility of adaptive exposure times based on photometric data collected in real time. Finally, the addition of an observing schedule event manager to the network will allow for the use of Skynet telescopes for target-of-opportunity observations, as well as exclusive access to particular telescopes at specific times. 

These capabilities will allow Skynet telescopes to be used for time-sensitive observations of exoplanet transits, solar system objects, and transients, while maintaining the queue-based observing system of the network during other times. Along with the overhaul of the system’s hardware management and integration software, allowing for new instruments such as optical spectrographs, the overhaul of Skynet’s optical observing system will greatly increase the network’s scientific capabilities. 

Mentor: Daniel Reichart, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

North Carolina State University

Undergraduate – Sophomore, Plant Biology & Biochemistry

Author(s): Caitlyn Elliott

Utilizing beneficial microbes to enhance plant growth under limiting nutrient conditions

Providing sufficient nutrients to crop plants sustainably is an issue for established agriculture on Earth, with the financial and environmental cost of fertilizer. Additionally, developing agriculture in spaceflight or extraterrestrial environments faces similar challenges. Species of rhizobacteria that support crop plants in various ways have been identified as a potential method for alleviating plant nutrient deficiencies and maintaining yields while minimizing fertilizer application. One such microorganism, Azospirillum brasilense, has been shown to promote plant growth due to its ability to fix nitrogen, solubilize phosphate, and produce auxins.  This project explores the ability of two Azospirillum bacteria strains isolated in North Carolina to improve Arabidopsis thaliana growth under limited nitrogen and phosphorus conditions. We conducted growth assays on agar plates using media with varying levels of nitrogen or phosphorus. To measure the effect of the bacteria strains, primary root length was measured at multiple time points, and auxin and anthocyanin content was analyzed. From preliminary data, both bacteria strains promote growth under non-limited conditions and have different effects under limited conditions. One of the strains, Azo 12, increases the primary root length of A. thaliana grown on media with insoluble phosphate by 92% over the un-inoculated control. The other strain, Azo 6, appears to increase lateral root and root hair development in comparison to Azo 12 and control-treated plants. These observations align with the results of phosphate solubilization and DR5:GUS staining tests. Further assays and gene sequencing of the bacteria strains will clarify their different effects. We anticipate that this work will add to our knowledge of plant-growth-promoting bacteria and aid in the continued development of solutions for sustainable agriculture and space exploration.  

Mentor: Imara Perera, North Carolina State University

Jessica Lynna Andrews

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Western Piedmont Community College 

Community College, Nursing

Author(s): Jessica Lynna Andrews

Biodegradation of plastics by mealworms: A Comparative Study of traditional and compostable Plastics

Western Piedmont Community College:  Collaborative Research Experiences in Science and Technology (CREST)  

Mealworms, the larvae of the darkling beetle (Tenebrio Molitor), have demonstrated a unique ability to consume and biodegrade various forms of plastic, including polystyrene. This process is facilitated by microorganisms in the mealworms’ guts, which break down the plastic into carbon dioxide and other less harmful byproducts. Approximately half of the carbon from the ingested plastic is converted into CO₂ through respiration, while the remainder is excreted as biodegradable waste. This discovery is significant as it offers a potential biological solution to the escalating problem of plastic pollution. By reducing the volume of plastic waste in landfills and the environment, mealworms could play a crucial role in mitigating the environmental impact of plastic. However, further research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects and scalability of this method. This study aims to investigate the differences in the biodegradation of plant-based and compostable plastics compared to traditional plastics by mealworms. We will do this by placing mealworms in separate containers with different types of plastic, and the initial plastic weights will be recorded to measure the extent of degradation. Additionally, we will examine whether adult darkling beetles, which have consumed plastic as larvae, influence the microbial composition in the guts of their offspring. This could potentially lead to breeding mealworms that are more efficient at digesting plastic.  

Mentor: Stacey Johnson, Western Piedmont Community College

2024-2025 MSI Pathways Scholar

Winston-Salem State University 

Undergraduate – Junior, Biology

Author(s): Gabrielle N. Erwin 

Directed Evolution of Plant Species in Regolith Substrates

This research aims to adapt plant species to thrive in regolith substrates by combining traditional artificial selection methods with advanced genetic engineering and bioinformatics. A prospective outcome includes the development of lunar-adapted plant varieties capable of supporting sustainable extraterrestrial agriculture.

This research begins by selecting diverse candidate plant species, such as cereals and Arabidopsis thaliana, cultivated in regolith simulants under controlled conditions mimicking lunar and Martian environments. Traits such as enhanced nutrient uptake, optimized root systems, and tolerance to stressors like high calcium and low organic matter will be prioritized. Selective pressures and CRISPR/Cas9 technology will be applied to enhance these traits, with high-performing plants crossbred to maintain genetic diversity.

High-throughput sequencing and transcriptomics alongside phenotypic analyses will identify molecular mechanisms underlying these adaptations. Key metrics such as root morphology, biomass production, and nutrient efficiency will be assessed and integrated using advanced bioinformatics tools to derive meaningful insights.

All data, standardized per NASA’s guidelines, will be submitted to the Open Science Data Repository (OSDR) via NASAGene Lab, ensuring open access for researchers worldwide. This project supports broader scientific exploration and innovation by contributing to the growing body of open science data.

This research seeks to generate valuable data and lay a foundation for scaling up agricultural systems capable of supporting long-term off-world missions. Insights from the study will inform the design of prototypes for large-scale off-world agriculture while addressing global food security challenges. Through this integrated approach, the project bridges the gap between theoretical research and practical applications, contributing to both space exploration and sustainable agricultural innovations.

Mentor: Rafael Loureiro, Winston-Salem State University

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

Appalachian State University

Undergraduate – Junior, Biology

Author(s): Cooper Brown

Bubble, Bubble, Gas Leads to Trouble: Greenhouse Gasses in Southern Appalachian Ponds

Stagnant bodies of freshwater, such as ponds, are significant sources of natural greenhouse gasses, including methane, a potent gas that has nearly 21 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide. The climate warming effects of methane create a positive feedback loop in greenhouse gas production, as warmer temperatures promote gas production by microbes such as methanogens, a group of archaea that create methane through metabolic processes. This study examined how greenhouse gas concentrations in the water column and sediment vary seasonally and spatially in Southern Appalachian ponds. Sediment and water column samples were collected seasonally from two natural and one man-made pond in northwestern North Carolina, at three locations in each pond. Using gas chromatography and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, we measured the concentration of  methane, dissolved inorganic carbon, and ions used as electron acceptors by microorganisms, all of which are associated with microbial greenhouse gas production. Additionally, water parameters such as temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen content were measured to compare these indicators with the seasonal climate and the concentration of methane. Results suggest that the man-made Duck Pond provides warmer environmental conditions that conducive to microbial production of greenhouse gasses; however, the shallower natural pond, Buckeye Pond, was a disproportionately large producer of methane with a maximum production of  1,474 µM in spring 2024. Buckeye Pond and the Duck Pond reached maximum mean sediment methane concentrations at 18 and 20 degrees Celsius respectively; whereas the Amphibian pond had the highest mean sediment methane concentrations at the lowest temperature sampled in that pond (7 degrees Celsius in the fall 2024 sampling). These findings offer insights into the effects of climate conditions and water quality on microbial greenhouse gas production, especially as ponds are becoming increasingly common in the form of water retention ponds due to urbanization. 

Mentor: Suzanna Bräuer, Appalachian State University

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

Community College, Electronics Engineering Technology

Author(s): Marina Herrera, Elijah Nash, Matthew Frazier

Using CRISPR to Engineer UV-resistant ade Yeast: Creating a Model Organism for High Altitude Ballooning

Ade yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) are valuable model organisms for studying the effects of mutations due to their distinctive pink colony coloration, which allows for visual identification of genetic disruptions. In our previous work, we aimed to use ade yeast as model organisms for studying the effects of UV radiation during high-altitude balloon (HAB) flights. However, we found that ade1 yeast experienced 100% mortality under moderate UVB radiation, rendering them unsuitable for these experiments.

This year, our project seeks to address this limitation by developing ade yeast strains with enhanced UV resistance. We are pursuing two approaches: artificial selection of ade1 yeast by exposing them to progressively longer exposures to UVB radiation and selecting for resistant colonies, and CRISPR-mediated engineering of ade2 knockouts in wild-type yeast to produce red-colored strains that retain the natural UV resistance of the wild type. These engineered or selected strains will be evaluated to determine whether UV sensitivity is inherent to the ade mutations or influenced by other genetic factors.

By enabling ade yeast to withstand UV exposure, we aim to restore their utility as model organisms for high-altitude ballooning and other extreme environment research. This work will enhance our ability to study the biological effects of radiation and contribute to NASA’s mission of advancing research critical to space exploration and long-term human missions.

Mentor: Denise Williams, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

Appalachian State University 

Undergraduate – Senior, Biology 

Author(s): Hailey Church

Something to Ponder: How microbial activity relates to greenhouse gases in man-made and natural ponds

Small freshwater ponds can have high primary productivity and organic litter which creates anoxic conditions promoting microbial respiration. This leads to a disproportionate amount of methane and carbon dioxide production for their size. Man-made retention ponds lack the organic filtration of natural ponds making them more susceptible to anoxic conditions. To understand the differences in potential for microbial greenhouse gas production from man-made and naturally occurring ponds, we collected water column and sediment samples from two natural ponds in the Pond Mountain Game Lands in Ashe County, NC and one man-made pond in Watauga County, NC. Samples were collected in spring, summer, and fall of 2024 and winter of 2025 to quantify the influence of season on microbial activity. DNA was extracted and quantitative PCR performed to determine the abundance of the mcrA, pmoA, and norB greenhouse gas cycling genes. Among the ponds we sampled, naturally-occurring Buckeye Pond and Amphibian Pond, both at Pond Mountain had the highest and intermediate mean methane concentrations in the sediment (780 µM and 238 µM, respectively across three seasons), and the man-made Duck Pond had the lowest levels (138 µM across three seasons measured to date). Mean sediment methane concentrations were highest in spring for both Buckeye Pond (1,474 µM) and the Duck Pond (308 µM), but were highest in Fall for Amphibian Pond (448 µM). We hypothesize that the samples with higher methane concentrations will have a higher abundance of the mcrA gene and lower abundance of the pmoA gene. We also hypothesize that the colder seasons will have less microbial activity and that microbial activity will increase with the depth of the pond. The results of this study can improve our understanding of how ponds play an integral role in their environment due to their microbial activity and greenhouse gas release.

Mentor: Rachel Bleich, Appalachian State University 

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

The Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN)

Graduate – Ph.D., Nanoengineering

Author(s): Anjali Kumari

Enhancing 3D In-Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier Models for Space Health Research

Optimizing Earth-based 3D cell culture systems to simulate microgravity is vital for understanding human physiology in space, as microgravity affects cellular growth, differentiation, and gene expression. Simulated systems enable insights into how cells respond to stress, assemble into 3D structures, and model diseases for long-term space travel. Microgravity, combined with vibrations and radiation, disrupts cellular functions and tissue integrity, challenging astronaut health during extended missions. High-Aspect Ratio Vessels (HARVs) and Rotary Cell Culture (RCC) systems provide insights but face limitations like insufficient media flow or lack of physiologically relevant extracellular matrix (ECM) environments. Additionally, current 3D spheroid models lack a common cell culture media to cohesively maintain all cells forming the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB).

Using the BBB as a model, this research aims to improve current cell culture media formulations to form a physiological relevant 3D BBB. This will then help to examine the impact of microgravity-induced stress by leveraging small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) as biomarkers for BBB health. The project focuses on developing cell culture media to simultaneously sustain the BBB’s neurovascular unit (endothelial cells, astrocytes, pericytes, neurons, and microglia) in the form of spheroids by monitoring their assembly and integrity. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are grown in cell-specific media, assembled into 3D spheroids using existing protocols, tested for survival in 3 culture media formulations, and characterized using flow cytometry, super-resolution confocal microscopy, and other imaging tools.

The study aims to develop a common media to sustain the entire neurovascular unit for improved 3D spheroid BBB models. sEV analysis will offer insights into morphological and cell adhesion challenges that 3D cell cultures face due to changes chemical changes in the cell culture media. This research optimizes RCC platforms by adding relevant 3D cultures for studying microgravity’s effects on BBB integrity and sEV cargo, supporting astronaut health and contributing to biomanufacturing and regenerative medicine advancements on Earth.

Mentor: Kristen Dellinger, The Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN)

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Undergraduate – Senior, Chemistry: Molecular Biotechnology

Author(s): MyKayla A. Greene

Proteomic Insights into Brain Vulnerability and Resilience: Dietary Supplementation with Panax quinquefolius Mitigates Synaptic Decline in Models of Cognitive Impairment

Space travel imposes numerous stressors on human physiology and an unknown effect on aging processes; however, synaptic resilience mechanisms may help mitigate these effects. Cognitive health is a critical focus in preventing age-related conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This poster investigates the impact of dietary supplementation with Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng) on brain health markers in a model of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) using middle-aged Fischer rats. Six weeks of supplementation reduced cognitive deficits and improved synaptic integrity and behavioral performance, as shown in previous findings. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects, this study explores proteomic changes associated with axonogenesis and synaptic connectivity (e.g., VAT-1, Rab-10, CAMKV), as well as protein clearance pathways, including the ubiquitin-proteasome system (e.g., PSB6, NEDD8) and the autophagy-lysosomal pathway (e.g., LAMP1, cathepsin B). These pathways are critical in mitigating age-related lysosomal stress and other brain-compromising conditions. By identifying proteomic signatures indicative of dietary healthiness, such as the preservation of proteome components under brain stress, this work contributes to a growing body of research on optimizing cognitive resilience. Findings will integrate proteomic and behavioral data to provide a comprehensive understanding of how dietary interventions like Panax quinquefolius supplementation protect brain health. Insights gained may inform strategies for addressing cognitive decline in resource-limited environments, including long-term space travel. 

Mentor: Ben A. Bahr,The University of North Carolina at Pembroke

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Durham Technical Community College

Community College, Chemical engineering

Author(s): Amandine Lambert, Lorelei Schreiner

Progress towards understanding the Lytic vs. Lysogenic life cycle in Phages​

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. Phages have two life cycles: The lytic and lysogenic. In the lytic cycle the virus will infect and replicate its DNA inside the host cell until the cell lyses. In the lysogenic cycle the virus will infect the host cell but wait to replicate its DNA until optimum conditions. These conditions for example could be UV, nutrients, pH, temperature, etc. Once the conditions stress the bacteria cell the virus will replicate its DNA and go into the lytic life cycle. Previously we have discovered, isolated, and characterized a novel phage ModicumRichard through bioinformatics and comparative genomics. ModicumRichard is a phage that infects the bacteria Gordonia rubripertincta. The genome of ModicumRichard encodes regulatory genes, namely the cro protein and immunity repressor, which mediate the switch in life cycles. To study these dynamics, we subjected the bacterial host to UV radiation, simulating conditions known to stress G. rubripertincta. We aim to use this research to further understand the switch of life cycles in the bacteriophage in the future. 

Mentor: Catherine Ward, Durham Technical Community College

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

East Carolina University

Graduate – Ph.D., Biomechanics

Author(s): Mackenzie Hoey

Quantifying the Effects of Microgravity on Cervical Spine Stability: Insights into Tissue Damage in Astronauts

Mechanical loading is necessary for maintenance of connective tissue within the body. Musculoskeletal cells sense mechanical loading and adapt accordingly. Unloading, in conditions like microgravity, leads to muscle atrophy and bone loss when no loading signals are being sent to the tissues. Moreover, osmotic pressure in intervertebral discs (IVDs) causes lengthening and flattening of the spine, placing further strains on muscles, nerves, and fibrous connective tissue in IVDs. As a result, many astronauts experience spinal pain in microgravity. Furthermore, as astronauts return to gravity their risk of cervical IVD herniation increases 35x from increased spinal instability that results from damaged tissue. This research aims to use finite element modeling of biological tissues to understand the impact of duration of microgravity and return to gravity on the spinal tissues of astronauts. The spine lengthens by 4% within 36 hours of entering microgravity. As this occurs, the flattening of the spine causes pressures up to 3.9 kPa at the C5-C7 spinal cord levels which exceeds thresholds known to cause blood flow dysfunction. Similarly, nerve roots are compressed by their superior vertebrae with pressures up to 9.1 kPa which is three times the value that causes impulse propagation dysfunction. Lastly, the von Mises stress in the C5C6 IVD shows signs of fiber damage at 5.5 MPa upon lengthening. This damage will lead to greater instability and increased risk of IVD herniation upon returning to gravity. Protocols and exercise regimens must be created to target the deep paraspinal muscles in microgravity. This will not only maintain muscle mass and a better spinal position for nervous tissue, but it will also allow IVDs to be loaded to maintain fiber integrity.  

Mentor: Alex Vadati, East Carolina University

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Wake Technical Community College

Community College, Chemistry

Author(s): Carla Moore

The Small World Initiative:  Promoting Antibiotic Discovery

Eight years ago, the United Nations held its first meeting on antimicrobial resistance.  Drug-resistant pathogens caused 35,000 deaths in the US last year and 1.3 million deaths globally (NY Times, October 1, 2024).  The use of antibiotics has driven the evolution of resistance, where bacteria find ways to survive and defend themselves, rendering some antibiotics ineffective and leaving patients with no treatment options.

To support this global health challenge, the Small World Initiative (SWI) was created as a platform to engage college students in scientific exploration and to create a pipeline for antibiotic discovery.  Students perform hands-on field and lab research on soil samples in the hunt for new antibiotics.  SWI includes 167 participating schools across 35 US states, Puerto Rico, and 12 countries.

As student scientists at Wake Technical Community College, our objectives were to collect diverse bacteria from soil samples (the source of 75% of antibiotics in current use), test the bacteria against pathogens, isolate those that showed inhibitory activity, and send promising candidates to the soil sample central database for the Small World program.

Soil samples were diluted in saline, plated, incubated, then screened against pathogens (or safe relatives of pathogens with similar features) that are becoming antibiotic-resistant in healthcare settings.  Several soil samples showed antibiotic activity toward the pathogenic tester strains and were marked for further biochemical tests.

Mentor: Jackie Swanik, Wake Technical Community College

North Carolina State University

Graduate – Ph.D., Biochemistry

Author(s): Blake Horton

Observing the Disruption of the Arabidopsis thaliana Circadian Clock in Simulated Microgravity

Understanding plant growth in altered gravity will be crucial for future long-term spaceflight. Despite decades of growing plants in space, little is known about the molecular effects of altered gravity on plant growth. In spaceflight fluid dynamics may be altered due to microgravity, potentially disrupting biological processes. One such biological process may be the circadian clock, a network of transcriptional and translational feedback loops responsible for the precise coordination of a plant’s internal biological and molecular processes with its external environment. Coordinating environmental responses to the 24-hour day/night cycle is necessary for optimal performance in plants and humans.

To examine the effect of microgravity on the circadian clock, we utilized the Random Positioning Machine (RPM) to simulate microgravity. Control and RPM-grown Arabidopsis seedlings were collected every 2 hours for 48 hours. Shoot tissue from each time point was used for transcriptional analysis to observe the effect of microgravity on the core circadian clock as well as downstream circadian-regulated genes.

This RNA-seq analysis provides a comprehensive observation of the molecular effects of the plant response to microgravity. Analysis of rhythmic genes in both 1g as well as simulated microgravity shows a disruption in core circadian clock components in both the morning and evening complexes. Consequently, downstream circadian-regulated genes also show disrupted rhythmic expression. This work demonstrates that microgravity impacts the internal circadian clock, and emphasizes the need for further research of these effects for future long-term spaceflight missions.

Mentor: Colleen Doherty, North Carolina State University

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

North Carolina A&T State University

Graduate – Ph.D., Bioscience

Author(s): Charles Naney

Investigating the relationship between host senescence and immune system function on host gut microbiomes in outer space

The U.S. Census Bureau reported in 2023 that one in six people in the United States are over 65 years old. This statistic suggests that one in six people in the country were alive when the U.S. first sent a man to walk on the moon. The upcoming Artemis III mission is scheduled to take place 58 years later. Space travel is incredibly complex, but once a mission is completed, it yields valuable scientific insights from the experiments. Over the past decade, studies have found there to be reductions in gut microbiota as well as dysbiosis in astronauts during spaceflight compared to background time on Earth.

Growing exploratory activities and commercial opportunities are raising profound questions surrounding how human health may be evaluated across the growing numbers of those involved, including humans of different ages. With outer space being an altered environment shown to have some shared effects on gut microbiota between humans and mice, it is therefore critical to further address a hypothesis that the physiologic condition of the host impacts host microbiomes.

This study aims to develop a computational model of gut microbiome data reported by humans and other animals sent to outer space. Through this model, we seek to infer how host senescence and host immune system processes may relate to altered composition and function of gut microbiota. For instance, the functional role of less abundant microbiota is expected to increase as the host organism ages into senescence. Through this study of host-microbiome data collected from humans and mammals in outer space, we arrive at a computational and interdisciplinary approach toward studying the joint relationship of the gut microbiome with host immune systems and patterns of senescence in mammals.

Mentor: Scott H Harrison, North Carolina A&T State University

Faculty Research Grant Program

Simon G. Atkins Academic & Technology High School

High School

Author(s): Sally Lee

The Effect of Aluminum Sulfate in the Cultivation of Baby Bok Choy in Lunar Regolith Simulant (LHS-1)

This study explores the stimulant effect of aluminum sulfate in Lunar regolith simulant (LHS-1) on Baby Bok Choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis). The experiment tests three types of treatments, T1, without any aluminum sulfate, T2, with 0.5% of aluminum sulfate, and T3, with 0.7% of aluminum sulfate. 

The study included controlled environmental conditions, except for the regolith treatments. The specimen germinated for 7 days before being planted in treatment regolith. Temperature, water, dampness of the soil, light source were checked daily, and the specimens were photographed daily. Additionally, pH levels, biomass of leaves, roots, root count, and height of the specimen (leaves and pool roots) were assessed for each treatment. 

Results suggested that T2 (0.5% aluminum sulfate) and T3 (0.7% aluminum sulfate) surpassed the cultivation of T1, which had no additives of aluminum sulfate. The assessment regarding pH levels stated that the treatments with more aluminum sulfate had a lower regolith pH level than treatments without the additive. Significant reciprocation between the treatments in phytohormones was shown in the ANOVA results. In Abscisic Acid (F = 34.56, p < 0.01), T1 showed 25.4 ± 2.1, T2 showed 37.8 ± 3.2, and 42.5 ± 3.6. Indole-3- Acetic Acid (F = 40.23, p < 0.01), T1 showed 30.2 ± 2.5, T2 showed 45.1 ± 3.9, and T3 showed 48.3 ± 4.1. Cytokinins (F = 28.76, p < 0.01), T1 showed 35.6 ±  3.0, T2 showed 49.8 ± 4.2, and T3 showed 53.4 ± 4.5.

The aluminum sulfate decreased the pH level of the Lunar regolith simulant (LHS-1), causing the decrease in Heavy Metal (HM) stress, allowing an increase in phytohormones, and seemingly stimulating an increase in Baby Bok Choy’s growth.

Mentor: Rafael R Loureiro, Matthew Brady, Winston-Salem State University, Simon G. Atkins Academic & Technology High School (WSFCS)

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Western Piedmont Community College

Community College, Biology

Author(s): Emmaline Phipps

A Study of American Ginseng at Western Piedmont Community College 

Panax quinquefolius, commonly known as American Ginseng, is a perennial herb native to the deciduous forests of Eastern North America, especially the Appalachian and Ozark regions.  It has gradually declined across its native range due to overharvesting and habitat destruction.  The population of over 200 ginseng plants that we have discovered thrives in the Piedmont region of North Carolina.  Over three years, we have conducted quantitative and qualitative assessments to evaluate the population dynamics and environmental influences on its growth.  The results have indicated that American Ginseng thrives in full-shaded woodland areas, with rich soil, and north or north-east-facing slopes where gravity and avian species play crucial roles in seed dispersal.  Local fauna, including white-tailed deer and eastern cottontails, pose a threat to the plant health.  Monitoring done by undergraduate researchers at Western Piedmont Community College has revealed a population increase over the past three years, despite ongoing concerns about poaching and habitat stability.  The past year’s count showed a decline in reproductive plants. The goal of this study is to create a plan to preserve and expand the population of American Ginseng at Western Piedmont Community College and its surrounding natural habitat.

Mentor: Stacey Johnson, Western Piedmont Community College

North Carolina A&T State University 

Undergraduate – Senior, Biology

Author(s): Khalia McClure 

Characterizing Changes in the Oxidative Stress Response of Streptococcus mutans Following Adaptation to Simulated Microgravity

With advancements in space travel, understanding how long-term space travel affects human health is important. Since the human microbiome plays a role in overall health, it is essential to study how these microbes evolve under the selective pressures of space. NASA has found that astronauts on long-term space missions experience oral health decline, leading to tooth decay. Streptococcus mutans contributes to tooth decay through sucrose fermentation, acid tolerance, and biofilm formation, which leads to plaque buildup. To study the evolutionary changes in S. mutans under the selective pressures of space, we previously conducted two 100-day experimental evolution studies: one under simulated microgravity (sMG) and another combining sMG with co-adaptation to silver nitrate. Genomic analysis revealed mutations in oxidative stress response genes (rex and gorA) of S. mutans. RNA sequencing showed differential expression in oxidative stress pathways, indicating enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) defense after adaptation to sMG.

To confirm the enhanced ROS defense suggested by genomic and transcriptomic data, we conducted a phenotypic analysis. Adapted populations (ancestral, ancestral in sMG, four normal gravity-adapted, eight sMG-adapted, and four sMG-silver-adapted populations) were grown to an OD of at least 0.5. These populations were incubated with CM-H2DCFDA, a chloromethyl derivative of H2DCFDA, as an indicator for ROS, and then treated with 5 mM hydrogen peroxide, a common ROS generator in the oral cavity, to induce oxidative stress. Fluorescence measurements are taken using 492-495 nm excitation and 517-527 nm emission and normalized to OD 600. As we collect the data, we predict higher fluorescence values in the ancestral and normal gravity populations and lower fluorescence in sMG populations, confirming that sMG adaptations enhance oxidative stress tolerance. Since the oxidative stress response is critical for S. mutans biofilm formation, this provides insight into the increased prevalence of tooth decay during long-term space travel.

Mentor: Misty Thomas, North Carolina A&T State University 

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Western Piedmont Community College

Community College, Associate of Science

Author(s): Emma Shorthouse

How the land infrastructure and habitat affect the nesting of the Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) population at Oakhill Community Park

Oakhill Community Park and Forest is a multi use property owned and operated by Foothills Conservancy in Burke County, North Carolina. By the late 70’s, the Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) population had severely declined. Nesting boxes are being utilized for conservation, education, and forest restoration, therefore, resulting in a population rebound. We want to study how the habitats and land usage affect the use of bluebird nesting boxes. Nesting boxes will be placed in different locations and periodically monitored. The observations will be analyzed to determine trends. 

Mentor: Stacey Johnson, Western Piedmont Community College

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Durham Technical Community College

Community College, Biology

Author(s): Kieran Murthy

Optimizing Phage Discovery: Investigating the Impact of Incubation Time on Lytic and Temperate Phage Yields in Enriched Isolation Protocols

When using an enriched isolation protocol to isolate G. terrae and M. smegmatis bacteriophages, the enriched culture must be incubated for several days before extracting phages. The SEA-PHAGES Phage Discovery Guide suggests incubating for between 2 and 5 days. This is an imprecise suggestion, and it has been found that different yields of lytic and temperate phages can be obtained from the same enriched culture after different periods of incubation. The project aims to determine if a relationship exists between the incubation time of an enriched culture and the phages yielded from it. To do so, 4 enriched isolation cultures are created per host, each using a different combination of 1 lytic and 1 lysogenic phage. Phages are chosen to ensure distinct appearances of plaques. These cultures are then incubated for 7 days. Each day of incubation after the first, an aliquot is taken from each culture and preserved at 4°C. After incubation, serial dilutions of each culture are plated as plaque assays and incubated at 30°C for 2 days. Then, the numbers of plaques are counted on each plate, distinguished by appearance, and used to calculate the yield of temperate and lytic phages from each culture on each day. Understanding the effects of incubation time on the type and quantity of phages yielded from enriched isolation will help optimize phage isolation protocols that intend to maximize discovery of lytic or temperate phages.

Mentor: Alex Broussard, Durham Technical Community College

North Carolina A&T State University 

Graduate – MS, Biology

Author(s): Malachi Williams

Examining 100-Day Evolution Experiment of Simulated Microgravity on  Streptococcus mutans biofilms

The United States intends to land on the Moon’s south pole before 2024 and establish a sustainable environment before 2028. As a result, many studies are ongoing to evaluate the impact that long duration space travel has on human health. To successfully establish novel communities in space, we must really consider the impact this has not only on human physiology but on the evolutionary response of the microbes in which we carry. Of the oral microbes, Streptococcus mutans is most well-known for its ability to cause dental cavities while also residing as a part of the normal human oral microbiome. Several short-term and long-term adaptation studies in simulated microgravity have shown that this pathogen adapts novel genotypic and phenotypic changes, although, to date, all studies have evaluated adaptation of planktonic S. Mutans, while it is its biofilm form that is required for pathogenesis and plaque formation. Therefore, here we plan to ask the following research question: What are the genotypic and phenotypic changes that occur in S. mutans biofilms as a result of adaptation in simulated microgravity? To do this, we are conducting a 100-day experimental evolution study using high aspect ratio vessels embedded with hydroxyapatite discs to simulate the dental surface for biofilm growth. After 100-days we will use Illumina whole genome and RNAseq to understand the mechanisms that S. mutans is using to adapt to this environment. Overall, we predict that the adaptation of S. mutans biofilms in an environment closer to that in which it would encounter in space (sMG, artificial saliva and hydroxyapatite) will adapt novel traits that favor phenotypes associated with the evolution of strains that are more resilient in the built environment of Moon and therefore more likely to cause dental cavities.

Mentor: Misty Thomas, North Carolina A&T State University 

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Central Piedmont Community College

Community College, Information Technology

Author(s): Imtiaz Mohammad, Adriana Castillo, Elijah Johnson

Central App

This research examines the primary financial challenges college students face and explores how a finance management app can help alleviate these challenges. Since college students are often young adults transitioning into economic independence, these new responsibilities can cause immense pressure, heightened by the academic and social demands of attending college. Qualitative methods identified the specific causes of financial stress among college students, and the case study identified and analyzed features used and missing in finance apps that existed on the market. Qualitative research revealed that the leading causes of financial stress were food and housing insecurity and lack of knowledge about building and managing credit. The case study showed that although financial apps exist on the market, students still lack a centralized place that connects them to information focused on affordable alternatives tailored to their needs. In conclusion, a streamlined app connecting students to information regarding student discounts, affordable housing, and low-stakes credit-building opportunities such as secured credit cards, can significantly reduce financial stress among college students. By making this information readily accessible through an app provided by colleges and universities, students have the potential to not only alleviate the stress associated with their finances but also improve student connectivity to essential resources that support students’ academic experience and mental health.

Mentor: Tony Stanford, Central Piedmont Community College

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

North Carolina A&T State University

Undergraduate – Senior, Mechanical Engineering

Author(s): Stephen Livengood

Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping for Obstacle Avoidance

As our airways become more crowded and the demand for autonomous drones increases, more robust situational awareness in GPS-denied or dynamic environments is critical. Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is one way of addressing these challenges by mapping the environment in real time. This project focuses on harnessing visual SLAM as a redundant system for identifying obstacles and avoiding collisions. Unlike conventional SLAM implementations, which often focus on navigation and detailed map-building, this work incorporates predictive modeling to classify approaching features as obstacles. 

An ORB-SLAM3 algorithm is employed to process stereo camera data from a QUANSER Qdrone2 quadcopter to generate feature maps from camera frames. The objective is to extend the functionality of the feature maps generated by ORB-SLAM3 to identify and predict potential obstacles. Through real-time updates of the map, the system will detect features moving closer to the drone and classify them as obstacles, triggering commands to avoid the obstacles. Alongside other methods of obstacle detection, this technology has potential to help strengthen collision avoidance systems and make autonomous air travel safer with applications in search-and-rescue, autonomous vehicles, and urban air delivery operations.

Mentor: Sun Yi, North Carolina A&T State University

Duke University

Graduate – Masters, Tech Ethics and Policy

Author(s): Anna Mallard, Nikhil Methi, Aaron Coley and Faith Austin

“Further Defining the Space of Space Healthcare:” Exploring the Challenges of Autonomously Operating AI Health Assistants in Future Space Missions

NASA has proposed the development of precision space health (PSH) systems to provide comprehensive medical assistance on future long-term missions. These systems would require the integration of continuous biomonitoring and AI-enabled tools in order to operate autonomously and provide healthcare guidance in the absence of real-time communication with ground control. Such systems, however, remain largely theoretical, and employing AI to facilitate astronaut wellbeing instead of relying upon human specialists comes with significant challenges. Some of the most impactful include: poor reliability due to insufficient training data, a lack of knowledge about hazardous conditions in space, difficulties of updating models in real-time, and collecting astronauts’ data without breaching their privacy. Though such PSH systems would be a vast improvement—if not a necessity—for space healthcare, they pose a range of engineering, policy, and ethical issues.

Our project addresses these concerns by situating the future of space healthcare within the lineage of health models developed throughout terrestrial exploration. The history of providing healthcare for people operating in isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) environments suggests the relationship between enabling autonomy and relying on technological innovation is a complex one, and will be more challenging as AI replaces certain roles which were previously performed by humans. Though technologically plausible, the implementation of such systems has to be thought of beyond the scope of engineering challenges, which is why our project looks both at potential downstream effects and possible preemptive solutions to foster more holistic applications of AI in space healthcare. The goal of our project, which is being conducted through a Duke Bass Connections initiative, is to help NASA and other spacefaring entities prepare for unknowns in personal healthcare delivery using AI assistants in isolated, unpredictable, and dangerous conditions, in order to be best prepared for future missions to the Moon and eventually to Mars.

Mentor: Giovanni Zanalda, Duke University

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Wake Technical Community College

Community College, Engineering 

Author(s): Jake Abernethy

The mathematics behind choosing the locations of crests and sags in the road to allow for optimal drainage

Roadway drainage systems are essential to safe travel, as an effective drainage system can help increase the longevity of a road, mitigate erosion, and reduce the risk of accidents. Hydrological analysis, or the study of the movement of water over a given area, is the main method engineers use to determine how to effectively design drainage systems. These analyses are impacted by many variables such as, the crests and sags of the roadway, and the slope of the roadway. This presentation will focus on how mathematics are used in these analyses to calculate the locations for crests and sags, to allow for optimal drainage.

Mentor: Wendy Johnson, Mentor of NCDOT group for START internship

Wake Technical Community College

Community College, Biotechnology

Author(s): Kalia Canela

Investigating Relationship Between Bolivina Argentea Reproductive Habits and Environment

Foraminifera are phytoplanktonic or benthic organisms which form calcite tests upon death. These tests are preserved in sediment and serve as a window into past environmental conditions. Bolivina argentea(B. argentea) are benthic foraminifera which can either reproduce sexually(microspheric) or asexually(megalospheric) and retain physical characteristics differentiating the two. If Bolivina argentea’s reproductive habits are related to sea surface temperature changes then number of sexually reproduced B. argentea will decrease as temperature increases. The ideology for this hypothesis is because B. argentea must release free floating gametes into the water to sexually reproduce, high temperatures will hinder the gamete’s ability to survive long enough to find another B. argentea.

Mentor: Sara Rutzky and Catherine Davis, Wake Technical Community College and North Carolina State University

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Forsyth Technical Community College 

Community College, Associates in Science

Author(s): Maraam Al-Shayef and Eva Dardeau

Exploring Non-Woven Melt Blown Fabrics for Eutrophication Mitigation to Enhance Nitrate Removal in Water Filtration

Eutrophication describes processes where surface bodies of water accumulate excess nutrients, phosphorus and nitrates, while concurrently experiencing a change in sunlight and temperature. This combination of excess nutrients, increased temperatures, and more intense sunlight leads to an algal bloom, thus adversely affecting the environment and accessibility of clean drinking water. A series of methods have been used to mitigate the excess nutrient issue, including runoff filtration before discharging it into surface water. The cost-effectiveness and modular nature of runoff filtration rely on size exclusion and adsorption for contaminant removal. Still, issues such as clogging and the need for pre-treatment hinder filtration efficiency. To address these limitations, this study explores nonwoven meltblown fabrics as a low-cost alternative to microfiltration membranes that offer high surface areas due to their fiber size range (1-10 µm). The fabrics are made of polymers like polypropylene (PP); PP electrospun membranes, known for their thermal stability, chemical resistance, and mechanical strength, are widely used in water filtration due to their micro- and nano-sized fibers, high surface area, and ease of fabrication. However, production efficiency concerns remain, and polymer limitations must be addressed by integrating PP with nanomaterials while incorporating adsorptive materials (e.g., granular activated carbon) within these fabrics to enhance absorption performance. Additionally, recent studies demonstrate that fiber diameters could substantially impact nutrient removal, with larger diameters producing average contaminant removal rates of 51% for nitrates. To continue to maximize these results, this study aims to investigate how differences in hydrophobicity and chemical composition between fibers influence nutrient removal efficiency and fouling behavior.

Mentor: Shakiyah McCoy, North Carolina State University

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

Wake Forest University

Graduate – Ph.D., Physics

Author(s): Nicholas K. Corak

Quantifying post-fire vegetation regrowth dynamics using ground observations and remote sensing

Prescribed fire is a land management strategy used to replicate the natural fire frequency for wildfire mitigation, ecosystem restoration, maintenance, and protection of rare plant species. In the Southeastern United States (SEUS), prescribed fires occur more often and total more burned areas than other regions in the country, making the SEUS an ideal region to study the impact fire has on vegetation recovery dynamics. We use leaf area index (LAI), a measure of canopy density, to monitor vegetation recovery dynamics following prescribed fire across North Carolina physiographic regions. We collected ground observations of LAI using a LICOR 2200C Plant Canopy Analyzer before, immediately after, and throughout subsequent years for fifteen sites that experienced prescribed fire at least once from 2022-2024. We use the ground observations to evaluate LAI from two NASA satellite missions, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Landsat. MODIS MOD15A2H Version 6.1 is an 8-day, 500-m product derived from a radiative transfer algorithm that depends on biome specific soil and vegetation characteristics to estimate LAI. The Landsat-derived LAI product employs a random forest machine learning model to fuse Landsat surface reflectance with the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and MODIS to produce LAI at a 30-m spatial resolution. Our findings indicate that land cover classification and vegetation heterogeneity play an important role in describing the differences in seasonal estimates of LAI values across datasets. Additionally, we found that remote sensing estimates of plant density do not capture losses to LAI even when all vegetation is removed during fire. These results have implications for studies using satellite remote sensing to quantify disruptions to vegetation following small, low-severity fires. 

Mentor: Lauren E. L. Lowman, Wake Forest University

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

North Carolina State University

Graduate – Ph.D., Geospatial Analytics

Author(s): Rebecca Composto

Best of Both Worlds: Combining satellite and process-based methods into a complete flood map

Flooding causes many types of harm from economic losses and damages to disrupting daily life. Flood maps help decision-makers recover from and prepare for future events. Satellite- and process-based flood models are two effective strategies for making flood maps; however, they are rarely compared or combined. Each strategy has advantages and disadvantages. For example, process-based flood models are complex and tend to be data-intensive, and satellite imagery is limited by collection days and obstructions (e.g. clouds, tall buildings, and shadows), which are challenges further exacerbated in urban settings.

To address the gap in comparing and combining flood models, we are producing a flood extent using a satellite- and process-based urban flood model for Hurricane Helene in several urban areas in North Carolina. We will create a satellite-based flood model that uses Sentinel-2 (10m) data and the Random Forest machine learning algorithm to produce a flood extent. Next, we will produce a process-based flood extent using the height above the nearest drainage (HAND) model. We then will compare these two flood extents and determine their level of agreement. The benefits of this study are twofold: creating flood extents for the study areas after Hurricane Helene and developing methods to take advantage of two flood modeling strategies. More accurate methods for mapping floods will help emergency managers, city planners, and residents adjust to the rising risk of flooding. 

Mentor: Mirela Tulbure, North Carolina State University

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Forsyth Technical Community College

Community College, Engineering

Author(s): Oscar Alonso Gonzalez Garcia

Optimizing Biochar Adsorption and Testing Synergy with Non-Woven Melt Blown Fabrics to Decrease Effects of Eutrophication

Algae blooms, which are caused by eutrophication, lead to water quality deterioration that negatively affects humans and animals. Eutrophication is caused by three components: temperature, sunlight, and excess nutrients in surface waters. The factor that this research activity will prioritize is the gradual decrease in nutrients (nitrates and phosphorus) in water systems due to the runoff of agriculture fertilizers and urban waste. Biochar has the capacity to decrease concentrations from water systems by adsorbing both on to its surface and the pore structures contained within it. Biochar can be created from a multitude of biomass sources such as rice husks, pine trees, etc. making the process sustainable. To optimize the yields of biochar, its adsorbent qualities need to be assessed. Thus, the surface area, pore structure and pore volume will be assessed by analyzing scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Functional groups will be assessed by using FT-IR spectroscopy which measures absorption of infrared light at various wavelengths, and X-ray photon spectroscopy which measures emitted electrons from core levels after irradiation with X-rays. Active sites will be assessed using Raman spectroscopy which uses a laser to measure vibrational modes of molecules on the surface of the biochar. After assessing the adsorption of the biochar yields, the synergy of using biochar with [non-woven meltblown fabrics] will be investigated to potentially produce improvements in nutrient removal capabilities of the geotextiles. The aim of this research is to optimize the hybrid geotextiles (non-woven melt blown fabrics + biochar) to combat the deterioration of water quality affected by eutrophication.

Mentor: Tandeka Boko, Forsyth Technical Community College

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Central Piedmont Community College

Community College, Data Science

Author(s): Yao Djaka, Vinz Damuag, and Jiovani Umana

G.R.I.D (Generator Running in Daylight)

Electricity has been a staple of modern life for the past century. Because most technology is powered by electricity, power outages can have severe effects as affected communities would lose access to necessities such as cooked food, communication, medical devices, etc. As such, there is an urgent need to supply affected communities with a temporary source of power until the main powerline is restored. This project addresses the question: How can we more effectively distribute power to communities suffering power loss? To answer this question, we researched the most efficient and convenient methods to generate power without a traditional power source. We were able to engineer a prototype that consisted of a portable generator equipped with a battery that was powered by a solar panel. We evaluated the effectiveness of our model by collecting data and comparing it to alternatives in the current market. The use of solar power and the portable nature of the prototype allows it to provide power in areas with power outages that are harder to access. Compared to other alternatives on the market, our prototype is cheaper and more accessible as each individual component can be repaired or switched out without having to replace the entire device. This project demonstrates a practical and sustainable solution to enhance disaster resilience by providing reliable, renewable, and accessible power during emergencies. 
Mentor: Matthew Miller, Central Piedmont Community College

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Wake Technical Community College

Community College, Engineering

Author(s): Tina Haidari

Nourish International

For my project, I decided to collaborate with Nourish International and research the importance of food banks, how they help the community, and the improvements they have made on the health of the environment. This project required gathering both qualitative and quantitative data to get the best results. In order to gather qualitative data, I decided to interview people who work in the food bank and ask them about the impact the food bank has made on the wellbeing of the community and the environment. I also signed up to do volunteer work to get a better understanding of the work environment of food banks and the essential factors that are put into consideration when making decisions to help those in need. Lastly, for quantitative data, I decided to analyze the demographics of the county to get a better understanding of the needs of the community, and the environmental concerns to come up with the best solutions for resolving these concerns. In this research, what stood out to me the most was learning that food banks play an important role in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and prevention of food waste. As a result of this research, I have decided to educate people on the importance of food banks and how everyone can make mindful decisions that positively impact the environment and the people of their community.

Mentor: Sarah Horstman, Wake Technical Community College

North Carolina Central University

Graduate – Ph.D., Behavioral Health and Data Science

Author(s): Tony Esimaje

Flood Vulnerability Mapping using Machine Learning Techniques (SVM, Random Forest, and Artificial Neural Networks) and the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI)

Flooding remains one of the most destructive natural disasters, exacerbated by climate change, urbanization, and poor land management. This research focuses on Flood Vulnerability Mapping using Machine Learning Techniques, integrating Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) with Sentinel and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery and twelve critical environmental factors, including the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI). The study aims to develop a high-resolution flood risk assessment framework to enhance predictive accuracy under varying rainfall conditions.

Machine learning techniques offer a transformative approach to flood modeling by capturing complex, non-linear relationships among environmental variables. The inclusion of Sentinel and SAR imagery improves spatial and temporal precision, with Sentinel providing land cover data and SAR enabling surface water detection under all weather conditions. Additionally, TWI serves as a key hydrological factor, quantifying soil moisture and water accumulation potential.

To ensure robust model performance, this study employs the Jaccard Index for evaluation and cross-validation, measuring spatial agreement between predicted and observed flood zones. The research seeks to address key questions on the effectiveness of integrating remote sensing data with ML techniques and the role of TWI in improving flood prediction accuracy.

This study advances flood risk assessment by leveraging geospatial data, machine learning, and topographic indices to generate actionable insights for disaster management and urban planning. The findings can inform policy decisions related to land use, drainage infrastructure, and flood mitigation, ultimately enhancing resilience in flood-prone areas. By integrating multiple cutting-edge technologies, this research fills a critical gap in flood modeling and contributes to the development of more reliable and adaptive flood risk management strategies.

Mentor: Timothy Mulrooney, North Carolina Central University

North Carolina Central University

Graduate – Masters, Environmental, Earth, and Geospatial Science

Author(s): Ellandra Howell

Temperature Changes in Texas Over The Last Two Decades

The state of Texas has changed dramatically in its climate. Over the last two decades, the state has transformed from having predictable weather patterns to unpredictable patterns. Snowfall has been an indicator of Texas climate change. States known to have warmer climates have experienced freezing temperatures, people are unaware of how to sustain their everyday lives in low temperatures. There are news reports in the recent years of power being out for a prolonged period of time and pipes freezing during Texas winters. Taking average temperature data from weather stations in Texas over the last two decades and making them into a qualitive map that shows the temperature change over the years. Having a study done that shows where the climate can go will allow chances to adapt to the lower temperatures. 

Mentor: Christopher McGinn, North Carolina Central University

North Carolina Central University

Undergraduate – Sophomore, Environmental, Earth, and Geospatial Sciences 

Author(s): Kierstin Hines

Identification of areas with high flood risks using Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) in Western NC

Flooding presents a significant threat to communities, especially in regions prone to hurricanes, where excessive rainfall and runoff can cause severe damage. This study focuses on the development and application of a Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) to assess flood risk in three North Carolina counties that were heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene.

We utilized LiDAR data in the form of .tif files obtained from NCOneMap. By importing this data into ArcGIS Pro and processing it with Python, we generated high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) to compute the TWI. The TWI is a hydrological tool that evaluates the potential for water accumulation based on two factors: slope and upstream catchment area. Areas with higher TWI values are more likely to experience water pooling and flooding.

Our analysis uncovered a strong correlation between regions with elevated TWI values and those that suffered the most severe flood-related damage during Hurricane Helene. This demonstrates the TWI’s effectiveness as a predictive indicator for identifying flood-prone zones.

The findings underscore the utility of topographic indices like the TWI in flood risk assessment and disaster preparedness. By identifying areas at greatest risk of flooding, local governments and emergency management agencies can allocate resources more effectively, prioritize mitigation efforts, and reduce future flood impacts.

This study highlights the critical role of modern geospatial technology and hydrological modeling in addressing the challenges posed by climate-related disasters. By leveraging tools such as the TWI, communities can enhance their resilience and better protect lives and infrastructure from the devastating effects of flooding.

Mentor: Timothy Mulrooney , North Carolina Central University

North Carolina Central University

Graduate – Masters, Earth, Environmental & Geospatial Science

Author(s): Daniel Nduka

Spatial Analysis of Traffic Volume and Air Quality in North Carolina between 2019 and 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly played a crucial role in shaping many of the social, economic, and more importantly health practices that are obtainable in the country and the world today. With the pandemic hitting its peak early in 2020, many governments worldwide were strong-armed into deciding to quarantine – first in zones and eventually nationwide. This paper hypothesizes that in the state of North Carolina specifically 1) There was a general decrease in traffic volume and particulate matter (PM) 2.5 concentrations during the 2020 quarantine period and 2) The decrease in PM 2.5 emissions is largely a direct result of the halt in most day-day human activities that required movement during this period. Traffic volume and atmospheric data were downloaded from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and the Nation Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) respectively. These data sets were then run through mathematical change detection in ArcGIS Pro to visualize changes in traffic volume and PM 2.5 during the quarantine. A two-tailed T-Test and Regression analysis was conducted through Excel to see if there is any statistical significance in the change in traffic volume and change in PM 2.5. The research findings expose a visual and statistical decrease in traffic volume and PM 2.5 in most counties in North Carolina between 2019 and 2020. However, further statistical analysis to establish correlations between the observed factors proved futile, as results show that there is no statistically significant relationship. 

Mentor: Tim Mulrooney, North Carolina Central University

North Carolina Central University

Graduate – Masters, Environmental, Earth and Geospatial Science

Author(s): Oluwatosin Michael Ibrahim and Andy Egogo-Stanley

Flood Inundation Analysis Of Hurricane Florence (2018) In Southeastern North Carolina Using Uavsar Data

Hurricane Florence, a devastating storm that impacted the southeastern United States in September 2018, caused widespread flooding, particularly in North Carolina. This study analyzes flood inundation in Southeastern  North Carolina using Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar data acquired on September 18 and September 23, 2018. A Python script was used to execute the Freeman-Durden decomposition algorithm to extract double-bounce, volume, and odd surface scattering components. They were further processed and converted into TIFF. Flooded areas were identified using raster differencing in ArcGIS Pro.  Random Forest classification generated training samples from digitized known land cover, mapping flood inundation.

Preliminary results reveal significant flood extent along river channels and low-lying urban areas. The classified images indicate flood expansion between September 18 and 23, with flooded areas predominantly along the Neuse River, particularly in and around New Bern, Chip at River Road, Vanceboro, and Glenburnie Drive, North Carolina. The mapped results show that the flood extent is notable in built-up regions and sparsely vegetated lands. The difference raster highlights newly inundated areas like northeast Clayroot which indicates the hurricane’s prolonged hydrological impact.

To validate the flood extent analysis, ground confirmation was conducted using a combination of online publication reports and geotagged flood images from various sources. High-resolution flood photographs from news articles and public reports were analyzed to identify specific locations affected by Hurricane Florence. These locations were then digitized in Google Earth Pro to create a reference flood map, which was overlaid with the classified UAVSAR data for comparison. This approach provided an additional layer of verification, ensuring that the observed inundation patterns in the SAR-derived flood extent maps aligned with real-world flood conditions.

Mentor: Timothy Mulrooney, Zhiming Yang, North Carolina Central University

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Wake Technical Community College

Community College, Associate in Science and Associate in Engineering

Author(s): Rahi Patel

Nourishing Communities: Food Security and Sustainability in North Wake and Durham

Food security and sustainability are critical challenges requiring community-driven solutions to combat hunger and ensure equitable access to resources. In North Wake County, a population of 1.18 million faces economic inequality and high housing costs, despite a median household income of $102,918. In Durham County, with 295,845 residents and a 13.6% poverty rate, economic disparities exacerbate food insecurity for low-income families and seniors. Local organizations address these challenges while fostering sustainable practices for long-term community resilience.

In North Wake, Wake Forest Community Table provides free meals and fosters community connections, while Hope House supports underserved families with food pantries, mentorship programs, and senior services. The Food Shuttle Farm integrates food distribution with chemical-free farming and composting, promoting eco-friendly practices and reducing waste. In Durham, Meals on Wheels delivers meals and wellness checks for seniors, Farmer FoodShare links marginalized farmers with food-insecure communities, and Durham Farmers’ Market supports local vendors and improves food access with initiatives like SNAP/EBT and Double Bucks.

These organizations use innovative approaches such as chemical-free farming, composting, and partnerships with local businesses to address root causes of food insecurity, including economic inequality and limited access to fresh food. Programs like The Food Hub and Mini-Grants empower small and BIPOC-owned farms, creating a sustainable food system while supporting local economies. By fostering collaboration and addressing systemic challenges, these efforts provide essential resources to vulnerable populations, strengthen resilience, and raise awareness of equitable food access.

This study underscores the transformative potential of community-driven initiatives in aligning food security and sustainability. By addressing hunger, supporting vulnerable populations, and promoting environmental stewardship, these organizations offer a scalable model for building resilient, inclusive communities.

Mentor: Sarah C. Horstman, Wake Technical Community College

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Forsyth Technical Community College 

Community College, Associate in Science 

Author(s): Skyler Pitts 

Exploring Innovative Water Treatment: Biochar, Geotextiles, and Nanotechnology for Enhanced Contaminant Removal and Pollution Control

The advancement of water treatment addresses the challenges of nutrient and microbial contamination in water treatment systems. The systems enhance target contaminant removal by utilizing biochar, geotextiles, and nanotechnology-enhanced membranes. These methods target the essential contributors to eutrophication and water pollution, such as phosphates, nitrates, cyanobacteria, and Escherichia coli (E. coli.). This study uses biochar, a pine-derived material created through pyrolysis, to enhance nitrate adsorption through temperature adjustments and residence time to maintain their functional groups and porosity. The biochar is then embedded on a geotextile. The geotextiles are nonwoven meltblown fabric made from Polypropylene with fibers of 1-10 µm (micrometer), incorporating granular activated carbon solutions to remove microbial bacteria. Nanotechnology-enhanced membranes combine nanomaterials with polymer (Polypropylene) to increase their chemical resistance, thermal ability, and adsorption, ensuring high filtration efficiency in water treatment systems. Results from this study could establish the foundation for efficient water systems that address global water pollution challenges. The systems integrate and revolutionize water treatment using advanced materials and systems. The findings will ultimately benefit public health, agriculture, and aquatic ecosystems, ensure safe drinking water, and protect aquatic ecosystems while building sustainable solutions to water pollution.

Mentor: Kyana Young, Wake Forest University

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Forsyth Technical Community College

Community College, Environmental Biology

Author(s): Cameron Roberts

Unique nonwoven meltblown fabric application to decrease eutrophication in freshwater biomes to filter nitrogen and phosphorus from stormwater runoff

Eutrophication is a natural process accelerated by the introduction of excess nitrates and phosphorus which are absorbed by soil and plants. These nutrients combined with an increase in sunlight and temperature cause rapid algae growth and eventually the water quality degrades when algae blooms occur. The result is decreased available oxygen and an increased pathogenic bacteria population. These algae and bacteria intoxicate native organisms, making them harmful for human consumption, due to their harmful neurological damage caused when ingested. These effects highlight the importance of maintaining safe and healthy environments. The Young Lab Group is testing nonwoven meltblown fabrics as a physical method to solving this environmental challenge. These fabrics offer a cheap alternative to traditionally used filtration methods, making it a more economical choice. Differences in efficacy between thicker and thinner fabric materials is the focus of this study. Thicker diameter fabrics have a larger surface area for absorbing nutrients in stormwater runoff but tend to have more space between each fabric column. Thinner-diameter fabrics have less surface area but have less space between each fabric column. Both diameter variations have tradeoffs that need investigating. Broadening former studies provides a promising approach for mitigating heavy algae blooms and general eutrophication. Continuing the work on studies that have shown non-woven meltblown fabrics to be an economical alternative to absorb nutrients to solve the algae bloom problem. This research aims to test the nutrient absorption after exposure to nonwoven meltblown fabrics to find the most effective nitrate filtration method and increase the success rate of filtration in an eutrophic environment.

Mentor: Jaime Cardenas Sanchez, Wake Forest University

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

North Carolina State University

Graduate – Ph.D., Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences

Author(s): Matthew Romm

Phytoplankton Response to Individual Dust Events in the North Atlantic

The influence of mineral dust deposition on phytoplankton activity is an ongoing area of research with many unanswered questions regarding the role of iron in dust. To better understand the impact of atmospheric dust deposition on marine organism productivity and health along with biogeochemical cycles, we followed a series of North African dust events transported over the North Atlantic. We were thus able to monitor changes in phytoplankton due to dust deposition. We combined aerosol optical depth (AOD), chlorophyll-a concentration [Chl-A], and sea surface temperature (SST) with other data from NASA’s MODIS instruments aboard the Aqua and Terra satellites between 2003 and 2020 to better understand the phytoplankton response, the significance of changes in biomass versus physiology, and to look for confounding drivers of change, such as upwelling nutrient fluxes. Combined with lidar data from NASA’s CALIPSO satellite, we are gaining a more complete understanding of how marine organisms respond to specific dust events.

Mentor: Douglas Hamilton, Nicholas Meskhidze, North Carolina State University

NASA Langley Research Center Intern

Duke University

Graduate – Ph.D., Environmental Engineering

Author(s): Sarah Scott

Air Quality Prediction Using TEMPO Data: Predicting Air Quality with High Resolution Remote Sensing Data

Unveiling trends and patterns in the air we breathe is key to understanding the effects of anthropogenic activities on the environment. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), a common pollutant primarily associated with combustion processes, poses significant risks, particularly for individuals with pre-existing conditions like asthma. Given the highly reactive nature of NO2 in the earth’s atmosphere, it is essential to track and monitor how air quality fluctuates and changes at fine temporal and spatial scales. NASA’s TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution) satellite provides hourly daytime measurements of trace gases over the North American continent. This breakthrough in high spatial and temporal resolution enables the tracking of air quality on a neighborhood scale, providing continuous data, a feature unavailable from traditional stationary ground sensors that only capture a snapshot of air quality once a day. This study proposes the development of a predictive model for NO2 forecasting by combining TEMPO data with machine learning techniques. Specifically, we will apply algorithms such as Random Forests and neural network-based methods, including feed-forward networks and Gaussian Processes. These models will be trained to predict NO2 concentrations based on temporal patterns and various meteorological factors, such as relative humidity, temperature, and wind speed, which may influence pollutant behavior. Model validation will be conducted using measurements from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and NASA’s Pandora ground stations, which provide high-precision, ground-based NO2 data. By integrating these real-world measurements with high-resolution remote sensing data, we aim to improve the accuracy of NO2 predictions. Our proposed model will enhance our understanding of air quality dynamics, leveraging the use of advanced remote sensing data with well supported machine learning techniques. 

Mentor: Hazem Mahmoud, NASA

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

Duke University

Undergraduate – Senior, Biology, Marine Science and Conservation

Author(s): Henry Sun

Generative diffusion models for dataset augmentation and cetacean detection: prospects and perspectives for ecology

Object detection models are seeing increased use within the ecological field for automated detections of wildlife within imagery, and rely upon large quantities of training images to ensure accuracy and robustness. In cases where acquisition of high-quality training images is difficult, data augmentation approaches exist within the field of computer vision (CV) to artificially increase training sample size and boost model performance. Despite the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, little research exists which evaluates the potential for generative diffusion models to function as a tool for dataset augmentation within ecology. Here we explore the capability for current generative diffusion models to assist with cetacean detection, with North Atlantic right whales (NARWs) and humpback whales acting as case study species. We show using reverse image searches and object detection models that fine-tuning of generative diffusion models is able to produce accurate and identifiable images of both humpbacks and NARWs. Further, we develop a framework for assessing changes in object detection model performance which compares traditional dataset augmentation approaches to those using generative AI. We discuss our methods and results extensively within the context of leveraging generative AI in broader contexts in environmental science and ecology, and provide recommendations and best practices for expanding the use of diffusion models within scientific research. 

Mentor: David Johnston, Duke University

NASA DEVELOP Intern

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Undergraduate – Junior, Geography and Environmental Studies 

Author(s): Caroline M. Tintinger

Urban Heat Mapping for Cooling Initiatives and Climate Resilience in Asheville, NC

Asheville, NC, experiences the urban heat island effect, with higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas. This effect intensifies with increased urbanization and less vegetative cover. Asheville’s urban heat island was exacerbated by population increases and tree cover decline, escalating the need for heat mitigation. We partnered with the City of Asheville Sustainability Department and Asheville GreenWorks whose actions prioritize sustainable city planning and equitable climate resilience. Using NASA Earth observations and ancillary datasets we spatially mapped urban heat, heat vulnerability, and cooling and adaptive capacity from 2019-2023. To map urban heat, we used Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) &amp; Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) and Landsat 9 OLI-2 &amp; TIRS-2 for land surface temperature and albedo data and the ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) for evapotranspiration data. We assessed heat vulnerability using the urban heat data and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index. To evaluate cooling and adaptive capacity we used the InVEST Urban Cooling Model, integrating our heat vulnerability analysis with land use and cover data from Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument. Our results revealed distinct spatial patterns of urban heat, heat vulnerability, and cooling and adaptive capacity in Asheville with downtown as the focal hotspot and an outward decreasing radial pattern. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to reduce heat impacts, address environmental injustices, and enhance climate resilience. Our project provided research to local organizations they can use for heat mitigation in the greater Asheville area.

Mentor: Tallis Monterio, Center Lead for NASA DEVELOP NCEI

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Wake Technical Community College

Community College, Associate in Science – PreMed

Author(s): Deepson Tamang

Promoting Scientific Literacy for Earthquake Preparedness: Lessons from the 2015 Nepal Earthquake

This project explores how scientific knowledge empowers communities to be more resilient to seismic disasters, with a primary focus on the 2015 Nepal Earthquake. By conducting extensive analysis of geological surveys, fault line studies, and comparative research with regions like Japan and California, the project underscores the importance of scientifically informed disaster preparedness. Key findings from this research suggest that communities with greater scientific literacy in seismic science can adopt earthquake-resistant construction practices, improve emergency response systems, and minimize fatalities. The project aims to advocate for the integration of scientific education into disaster preparedness strategies, promoting proactive risk management and safer infrastructure.

Mentor: Jessica Kelley, Wake Technical Community College

North Carolina Central University

Graduate – Masters, Environmental, Earth and Geospatial Science

Author(s): Juan Vivas

Urban Sustainability Ecosystems Under Threat: Analyzing Climate Change on New Hanover County, North Carolina Using Geospatial Techniques

This study focuses on the impact of climate change, urbanization, and land use changes on the ecosystems of New Hanover County, North Carolina. The research explores how urban growth, deforestation, and climate effects—such as urban heat islands—are altering the region’s natural landscapes and biodiversity. Using geospatial tools like Google Earth Engine and Python, we analyzed changes in vegetation health and land cover from 2013 to 2023. We applied the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to satellite imagery to assess vegetation changes and utilized the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) for a broader perspective on land cover transformations.

Our findings indicate a noticeable decline in vegetation health, particularly in urban areas like Wilmington and along the coast. Urbanization has increased impermeable surfaces, resulting in higher temperatures. The urban heat island effect has intensified, as demonstrated by rising surface temperatures in areas with significant land cover changes. A difference analysis between 2013 and 2023 revealed change density of urban expansion, underscoring the vulnerability of ecosystems to human activities and climate variations.

Our research highlights the need for GIS-based adaptation strategies to address these challenges. By utilizing geospatial analysis, we provide insights into the environmental vulnerabilities of New Hanover County, emphasizing the importance of sustainable development to safeguard its ecosystems and communities

Mentor: Timothy Mulrooney, North Carolina Central University

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

Appalachian State University

Undergraduate – Senior, Physics – Applied Physics

Author(s): Cade Tischer

Atmospheric Aerosol Hygroscopicity Measurements for the Training of a Machine Learning Model to Predict Aerosol Liquid Water Content

Atmospheric aerosols significantly influence climate by scattering sunlight and serving as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), yet uncertainties in their effects remain a critical challenge for climate modeling. This project, supported by NC Space Grant, contributes to two NSF-funded field campaigns at Appalachian State University (APP) during Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, in collaboration with Georgia Tech and NOAA. The primary focus is to train, evaluate, and apply machine learning (ML) models to predict aerosol liquid water content (ALWC) and CCN concentrations, key parameters in understanding aerosol-cloud interactions.

Under the guidance of APP Professor James Sherman, I will focus on measuring the aerosol light scattering humidity enhancement factor, f(RH), using advanced nephelometer systems. These measurements will improve data quality and enable studies of the influence of aerosol size and chemical composition on f(RH). High-quality f(RH) datasets generated during the campaigns will train ML models, led by Georgia Tech collaborator Dr. Pengfei Liu, to predict ALWC.

The project provides hands-on experience with aerosol instrumentation, data analysis, and Python/MATLAB scripting. Results will be presented at conferences and contribute to publications on aerosol water uptake and CCN parameterization. These findings have broad implications for improving Chemical Transport Models and addressing uncertainties in climate predictions. This pioneering U.S.-based study of f(RH) and ML modeling of ALWC sets the stage for future NSF grants and enhances our understanding of aerosol-climate interactions in the southeastern U.S.

Mentor: James Sherman, Appalachian State University

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

Community College, Associate’s in Science Transfer

Author(s): Cameron Williams

Integrated Energy Harvesting Using Piezoelectric and Photovoltaic Cells for Sustainable Power Generation

This research project aims to determine whether an integrated circuit that utilizes both piezoelectric and photovoltaic cells would be applicable in real-world use to generate an adequate amount of renewable energy. The energy harvesting system will be tested using a simple laboratory setup consisting of components such as a battery, microcontroller, rectifier, piezoelectric cells, and photovoltaic cells. The experimental model treats the solar and piezoelectric cells as separate energy sources, with their output passing through a rectifier before being stored in a battery or directed to another system. To enhance renewable energy generation, the model could be scaled for bulk production and deployed along pathways or roads. To assess its cost-effectiveness, the energy output will be measured and compared to other energy generation and storage methods.

Mentor: Krishna Panchal, Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

North Carolina State University

Graduate – Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering

Author(s): Riley Bishop

Developing the Terrestrial and Underwater Locomotion Capabilities of a Screw-Propelled Vehicle for Autonomous Exploration

Information obtained from the surface exploration of celestial bodies is vital in NASA’s efforts to discover signs of extraterrestrial life and expedite manned missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond. The current fleet of autonomous, wheeled rovers deployed for surface exploration can be restricted in their potential regions of travel due to hazardous terrain including substrate strength and slopes from craters and canyons. Furthermore, exploration of celestial bodies with water sources in our solar system, such as Europa and Enceladus, may benefit from amphibious rover technology capable of traversing both on land and underwater. This work presents the progress of an ongoing project to develop the locomotion capabilities of a truly amphibious screw-propelled vehicle (SPV) for autonomous exploration. A small-scale terrestrial prototype was designed, fabricated, and deployed in uncontrolled field conditions and a variety of environments, including the snow- and ice-covered mountains and sandy beaches, to demonstrate the SPV’s robustness through various substrates and surface inclines. Additionally, the underwater capabilities of an SPV were explored. The energy efficiency and thrust generated by a rotating helical drive (screw-shaped drive of an SPV) were determined through physical experiments and computational fluid dynamics simulations, and the performance was compared to that of a typical modern propeller. Lastly, the information gained from these experiments aided the design of a submersible underwater SPV prototype. This prototype was deployed at the dive well at NC State’s Casey Aquatic Center, where the vehicle’s underwater locomotion was demonstrated and studied both on the water surface and fully submerged.

Mentor: Andre Mazzoleni, North Carolina State University

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

Duke University

Undergraduate – Senior, Mechanical Engineering

Author(s): Sage Cooley

Experimental response characterization of precise-profile 3D-printed shallow domes

Instabilities in load-bearing structures have historically been avoided. More recent research, however, suggests that nonlinear behavior can be harnessed for purposeful motion. ‘Multistable’ structures can be easily produced using the precision and speed attained by 3-D printing technologies. These structures exhibit tunable properties by way of their programmed instability. Thin-walled domes are a class of structures in this area; experiments on 3-D printed, simple-curvature domes in the literature investigate their load response for central perturbation. The presented study aims to broaden knowledge on multistable structures by acquiring load response from multiple doubly-curved specimens in various locations on their respective surfaces. Preliminary results indicate that qualitative and quantitative nonlinear behavior depends on force-application location as well as the amplitude of curvature.  

Mentor: Lawrence Virgin, Duke University

NASA Langley Research Center Intern

North Carolina State University

Undergraduate – Junior, Mechanical Engineering 

Author(s): Wade Collins

Fabrication and Material Characterization of Transparent Boron Nitride Nanotube (BNNT) Thin-film Composites for Extreme Space Applications

This research investigates the potential of Boron Nitride Nanotube (BNNT) composites as multifunctional materials for extreme space environments, particularly focusing on applications like active dust mitigation on lunar and Martian surfaces. The study aimed to enhance the mechanical, ferroelectric, and radiation shielding properties of BNNT-polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composites to address the challenges posed by harsh space conditions, including abrasive dust, extreme temperatures, and radiation exposure.

Composite films with varying BNNT concentrations (0.5%, 1%, and 2.5% by weight) were fabricated using acoustic and speed mixing techniques to optimize dispersion. Ferroelectric properties were characterized using a Radiant Precision RT66C Materials Analyzer, revealing an increase in remanent polarization with higher BNNT content, suggesting improved piezoelectric capabilities. Tensile testing, performed in accordance with ASTM D882 standards, demonstrated increased Young’s modulus and yield stress with BNNT inclusion, demonstrating enhanced stiffness and strength. Radiation shielding assessments utilized neutron radiation testing, comparing decay data of activated indium foil shielded by BNNT-PVDF films, though no significant shielding trends were observed due to insufficient material thickness.

While initial results highlight the promise of BNNT composites in improving material performance under space conditions, further research is necessary to refine fabrication methods, enhance BNNT dispersion, and validate piezoelectric and radiation shielding properties. Future work includes direct piezoelectric measurements, surface acoustic wave device integration, and UV-Vis spectroscopy for optical transparency analysis. This study underscores the potential of BNNT composites in advancing sustainable and resilient technologies for space exploration.

Mentor: Cheol Park, NASA Langley Research Center

Faculty Research Grant Program

High Point University

Undergraduate – Senior, Electrical Engineering

Author(s): Emma Higgins, Dalia Widmer 

Evaluating Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Sustainable Power Generation on the Lunar Surface

The lunar environment presents significant challenges for energy generation, with extreme temperature variations from 250°F (121°C) to -208°F (-133°C). This research investigates the feasibility of Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs) as a potential power source for lunar exploration and long-term habitation. The primary objectives are to characterize the ability of TENGs to generate power in the lunar environment and to identify materials capable of effective charge transfer while withstanding harsh environmental conditions.

A critical aspect of this study is analyzing input force and contact frequency required for TENG operation in the Moon’s low-gravity environment. Since TENGs rely on periodic contact and separation of materials to induce charge transfer, understanding the mechanical constraints and energy conversion efficiency is essential. Additionally, the electrostatic properties of lunar regolith may influence TENG performance, either by enhancing charge accumulation or introducing challenges in energy generation.

Material selection is crucial for optimizing efficiency and durability. Ongoing research focuses on evaluating materials based on their thermal stability, mechanical resilience, and triboelectric properties. Preliminary findings suggest that while regolith interactions could contribute to charge accumulation, optimizing material pairing and mechanical actuation is key to achieving practical energy generation.

This research aims to refine TENG designs, maximize energy conversion, and address environmental limitations. The central question remains: Can TENGs function effectively on the lunar surface, and are they a viable solution for sustained power generation in extraterrestrial environments?

Future work will focus on improving energy output models, optimizing material combinations, and developing specialized TENG systems designed for the lunar surface, ultimately contributing to advancements in off-world energy solutions.

Mentor: Eve Klopf, High Point University

NASA Langley Research Center Intern

North Carolina State University

Graduate – Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering

Author(s): Jacob Daye

Advanced Deployment Mechanisms for Deployable Space Trusses

Deployable Composite Booms (DCB) are a new class of space structure technology being developed at NASA Langley. They are similar to a tape measure in that they are thin-walled stiff structures that can be rolled on a spool and then deployed during missions. However, the carbon fiber material used for these structures make them far stronger and much lighter than metal deployable structures and have the added benefit of being less thermally sensitive. DCBs have flight heritage on previous missions like NASA’s Roll-out Solar Array (ROSA) and the current Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3). Now, DCBs are being considered as a primary structure to enable compact, low-cost multifunctional lunar towers that improve line-of-sight coverage with other lunar surface assets and the Sun in remote locations. 

Building on previous work performed in conjunction with MIT, NASA Langley, and NCSU, this project work encompasses several facets. Analytical modelling is used to identify the unique strengths of a novel deployable composite truss structure when compared to existing competing designs. These results are corroborated by the development of a custom workflow that utilizes MS Excel, Python, and Abaqus to automate the creation and analysis of complex finite element simulations. Finally, a detailed 3D finite element model is constructed to investigate the shape of a DCB truss longeron as it undergoes deployment, a critical point of potential failure for thin-walled deployable structures.

While certain aspects of the project and its results are restricted proprietary information, this presentation will focus on introducing the concept of deployable lunar towers and the process of developing models and tools to perform comparisons between highly complex structures.

Mentor: Juan (Johnny) Fernandez, NASA Langley Research Center

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

North Carolina State University

Undergraduate – Senior, Mechanical Engineering

Author(s): Carrie Horrell

Effects of Zeolitic Slurry Composition on Selective Gas Capture in 3D-Printed Space Life Support Systems 

Selective gas capture including humidity and carbon dioxide is essential to climate control, crew health, and instrument preservation in enclosed space cabin environments. Zeolite bead and pellet beds are commonly employed as solid-desiccant adsorbent media for selective gas capture but face serious challenges including high pressure drop penalty, wall channeling and early breakthrough, and poor thermal management due to point-to-point contact. Compared to conventional bead and pellet bed systems, additive manufacturing presents a promising pathway to overcome the above challenges by offering a continuous monolithic structure. These monolithic structures could lower the pressure drop penalty, minimize/eliminate wall channeling and early breakthrough, and demonstrate excellent thermal performance. This research project investigates how the adsorption performance and mechanical properties of zeolitic structures printed with Digital Light Processing (DLP) are affected by slurry composition. Here, we combine 13X zeolite desiccant powder with a photopolymer binder to make a slurry for print. The DLP printing is employed to selectively cure a photopolymer resin and 13X zeolite powder mixture via UV light projection to generate gyroid monolith geometries. Printed samples were subjected to debinding and sintering to almost remove the photopolymer binder and produce near-pure zeolite monoliths. Isotherm adsorption tests are then conducted to compare selective gas capture uptake to pure 13X powder, 13X beads, and photopolymer resin. Printed monoliths are also subjected to compressive crush strength tests to characterize their mechanical strength. Data collected provides insight into the adsorption rates, thermal efficiencies, mass and heat transfer, and structural integrity of the fabricated monoliths, contributing to the understanding of zeolitic monoliths in space life support systems.

Mentor: Sajjad Bigham, North Carolina State University

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

North Carolina State University

Graduate – Masters, Aerospace Engineering

Author(s): John Gillespie

Investigating the Effect of Wind Gusts on Flow in Urban Airspace using a Wind Gust Generator

Experimental Aerodynamics deals with the collection of data and analysis of results pertaining to experimental testing of rotors, propellers, wings, aircraft. This includes the use of models, force sensors, flow measurement equipment, and wind tunnels. This study seeks to answer two main questions using a wind gust generator, model building, and a rotor blade: How does air flow around large buildings in the urban environment, and how does a rotor perform near buildings in the urban environment? In the study, it is shown that there was little to no flow directly behind the model building, and a viscous boundary layer about 0.5 feet in thickness on the building edge that made the flow “stick” to the edge and wrap behind the building. It was also shown that the rotor blade had a minimum rolling moment at the with the rotor hub at building edge, and that the produced thrust dropped as the rotor approached the model.

The results show that a multi-rotor drone or eVTOL aircraft will encounter turbulent flow conditions near buildings that are being blown by uniform wind gusts. These conditions will adversely affect the performance of the aircraft, but knowing now how the aircraft will react, researchers can design safer systems and airspaces. The findings in this study are the first steps towards allowing delivery drones and air taxis to operate safely within cities. The next steps include creating chaotic airflows more similar to the gusty winds found in large cities to gain a better understanding of how exactly these aircraft will react in real life.

Mentor: Darius Carter, North Carolina State University

Collaborative College of Technology and Leadership

Community College, Engineering, Aerospace Engineering

Author(s): Ava Hourihan

The Benefit of Model Rocketry For Prospective Engineers

The 2025 American Rocketry Challenge provides high school teams with the requirements to build a model rocket that reaches an altitude of 790 feet at apogee, has a total flight time between 41 to 44 seconds, and can carry two eggs packaged sideways without either one sustaining damage. Furthermore, the participating teams are required to act within specific design constraints for the types of motors used, the materials utilized, and the altimeters used to collect altitude data. The Collaborative College of Technology and Leadership Model Rocketry Team has developed and constructed a model rocket that can meet these launch and design requirements. The team consists of ten CCTL high school students who share a variety of interests in aviation and engineering. Through designing a model rocket with specific mission goals, as well as building multiple primary and back-up model rockets that fit design criteria, the team is able to display and utilize the engineering design process, principles of flight, and the basics of aerospace engineering. All of the students involved in this project value aviation and aerospace engineering, and many team members plan to continue this pursuit and eventually build careers in STEM fields. 

While focusing on the challenge provided by The American Rocketry Challenge, the members of the CCTL rocketry team seek to promote aviation through outreach programs like workshops, newsletters, and other educational opportunities.  

The CCTL Model Rocketry Team and Aviation Club is dedicated towards advancing the accessibility of aviation, engineering, and STEM for students in the Iredell Statesville School District, as well as pursuing excellence in competitive model rocketry.

Mentor: Heather Forbis, Collaborative College of Technology and Leadership

NASA Internship Award

North Carolina State University

Graduate – Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering

Author(s): Auston Gray

In-Situ X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) and Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) for Material Characterization

Recently, in-situ X-ray computed tomography (CT) has been employed to characterize various materials, specifically their failure behavior. This research sought to further develop these capabilities and apply them to composite materials, where the effect of manufacturing parameters on material performance is not yet fully understood. Through the methods available, this project focused on relating volumetric displacement and strain to material strength and damage mechanisms within the materials.

To accomplish these goals, CT scans were created of material specimens at varying loads approaching specimen failure using a custom-built test stand, followed by reconstruction and analysis of this data using digital volume correlation (DVC) software. Spatial mapping of displacement and strain volumetrically is a unique capability being developed at NASA Langley, is new, and as such these results were validated to ensure they aligned with the overall behavior expected.

Using CT scan technology and DVC software, we were able to visualize changes in structure within specimens, relate observed displacement and strain to material characteristics, and track these behaviors with increasing load up to material failure. This analysis was first performed on cork, demonstrating this method to accurately model deformation within complex structures under load. However, we also applied this framework to stitched composites, aiding material development within an area showing much promise in addressing interlaminar shortcomings of current composite structures. The research done here demonstrates that the current methods can model strain within material structures with appropriate resolution and effectively visualize material behaviors when exposed to loads.

In the future, this in-situ X-ray CT and DVC technology will be utilized to visualize failure mechanisms within novel composite materials, as well as providing greater detail in data to develop material models. With these methods, we hope to increase understanding of current materials and boost development of future materials.

Mentor: Bryan Kubitschek, NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Langley Research Center Intern

North Carolina State University

Undergraduate – Senior, Aerospace Engineering

Author(s): Ryan Keever

Development and Prototyping of a Deployable Jigging Structure and Lightweight Tower Lifting Mechanism for Lunar Surface Operations

The Tall Lunar Tower (TLT) project at NASA Langley Research Center aims to develop a system for the autonomous assembly of vertical truss structures on the lunar surface, supporting critical infrastructure such as power generation and communications. This research focused on two key subsystems: a deployable jigging structure and a lightweight tower lifting mechanism, both designed to overcome the mass and volume constraints associated with lunar transportation.

To reduce the construction robot system’s (CRS) transportation volume, a deployable jigging structure was prototyped using 3D printing for rapid iteration. The prototype successfully demonstrated the feasibility of compactly stowing and deploying the jigging structure.

To reduce system mass, a cable-driven tower lifting mechanism was developed, replacing heavier alternatives. This work included the design of a cost-efficient test stand using CAD software. The mechanism was designed to be constructed from readily available components, enabling rapid testing and refinement of the lifting mechanism. These advancements contribute to the readiness of autonomous truss assembly systems for the lunar surface.

Mentor: Matthew Mahlin, NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Intern

North Carolina State University

Undergraduate – Senior, Mechanical Engineering

Author(s): Victor Haxholdt

Thermal Conductivity Measurements of a Lunar Soil Composite 

As NASA and other organizations prepare to establish a permanent presence on the Moon, there is a growing need to utilize in situ resources for sustained operations. This summer, I was part of a research team dedicated to engineering advanced materials for thermal energy storage on the lunar surface. The Moon presents a unique energy dilemma: it experiences 14 Earth days of continuous sunlight followed by 14 days of continuous darkness. The darkness is characterized by cryogenic temperatures that are hostile to both equipment and human activity. Battery-operated systems struggle to function at such low temperatures, and the lack of sunlight during this period eliminates solar power as an energy source. Our research focused on enhancing the thermal transport behavior of a lunar soil composite by incorporating a high thermal conductivity material. The goal was to develop a composite that could serve as an efficient thermal energy storage solution. My tasks included theoretical modeling, test setup simulations, electrical harnessing, data measurement, post-processing, and compiling the findings for a research journal, which is currently in progress.

Mentor: Chullhee (Chace) Cho, NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Kennedy Space Center Intern

North Carolina State University

Undergraduate – Senior, Aerospace Engineering

Author(s): Jose Leigh Sosa

Lunar Discrete Event Simulation Model

The goal of this project was to develop a Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model for the Moon to Mars (M2M) campaign, supporting NASA’s Artemis missions. The research aimed to assess how dedicated lunar surface elements could accelerate the construction and development of Lunar Surface Infrastructure (LSI), ultimately enabling a sustained human presence on the Moon. The central question was: How can the integration of new and existing lunar surface elements optimize mission timelines, costs, and operational complexity?

To answer this, the project began by establishing Ground Rules and Assumptions (GR&A) for existing mission phases, including Exploration Extra-Vehicular Activities (xEVA) and the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV). This involved analyzing extensive documentation from NASA and its international and commercial partners. Additionally, new infrastructure elements were conceptualized to address unmet needs, guided by the tenets of the M2M Architecture Definition Document (ADD).

The resulting DES model integrated both GR&A and proposed elements to simulate the timeline, cost, and complexity of the M2M campaign. Highlights include the ability to quantify the impact of additional infrastructure on accelerating LSI development and improving Artemis mission efficiency. The findings underscore the critical role of a systems engineering approach in advancing lunar exploration, with implications for future sustained human presence on the Moon and beyond.

Mentor: Chad Brown, NASA Kennedy Space Center

2024 Collier Aerospace Corporation Interns

North Carolina State University

Graduate – Masters, Aerospace Engineering

Author(s): Karthik Kannan, Sachet Patil, Alex Duggleby 

Structural Analysis and Optimization at Collier Aerospace

Enhancing Aerospace Structural Design through Advanced Analysis and Automation Tools

In this research project, we explored improved methods for sizing and analyzing aircraft structures using advanced analytical tools, specifically the software HyperX. Our key research question was: How can systematic design techniques enhance the efficiency and accuracy of aerospace structural design?

To investigate this, we collaborated with Collier Aerospace, NASA, and various other industry partners to perform structural analysis using the industry-standard software HyperX. HyperX is a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Post-Processor used to size structures and can reduce weight, shorten schedules, increase producibility and assist in achieving certification. 

The approach involved developing software plug-ins to automate processes, conducting FEA, and performing trade studies to evaluate various design configurations. The methods we used primarily revolved around the use of HyperX on customer projects. HyperX is primarily used to determine the minimum weights for structural parts of a FEM model. This functionality can be expanded to conduct trade studies between different model configurations, allowing for quick and easy comparison. This allows for easier collaboration with customers, allowing the team to present the best possible option for the structure at hand. Structural analysis requests from customers can sometimes escape the scope of what HyperX has to offer natively, requiring the development of external tools. These help to add other methods and calculation tools needed to solve complex problems. Tools such as Python, C, and Excel were primarily used for these user tools, often also interfacing with other software such as Hyperworks, FEMAP, and PyNastran.

The results demonstrated notable improvements in design workflow. By automating key tasks and streamlining data analysis, we achieved faster design iterations and enhanced decision-making capabilities. This work provided us an opportunity to truly apply what we have practiced in school to real world aerospace challenges.

In conclusion, the effort highlights the potential of integrating advanced computational tools into the stress analysis workflow, along with engineering expertise, to create better aerospace designs efficiently. This has provided huge experience to further contribute meaningfully to future innovations in the aerospace industry.

Mentor: James Ainsworth, Collier Aerospace Corporation

NASA Wallops Flight Facility

North Carolina State University

Undergraduate – Junior, Aerospace Engineering

Author(s): Aryan Patel

Flight Safety Analysis of Guided Rockets Launching from NASA’s WFF

The safety of populations and infrastructure around a rocket launch site is essential to the core values of NASA. The possibility of a rocket travelling off of its nominal course possesses extremely severe consequences. Therefore, one of the goals of the Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) division at the Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) of NASA is to ensure the safety of people and infrastructure around WFF by rendering the vehicle non-propulsive once it is determined that the vehicle is sufficiently off course. One of the many jobs of the SMA is to calculate the “point of no return” and this is the project I had the privilege of working on.

My project consisted of creating a MATLAB script that uses an application to calculate the maximum deviation from the predetermined elevation of the rocket in flight at incremental ranges from the launch pad and to create a graph that a Range Safety Officer (RSO) would use to monitor the rocket’s path. The graph also informs the officer to destroy the rocket once a maximum deviation in elevation has been crossed, after which the rocket can pose a severe threat to its surroundings. The project involved creating an intuitive interface using MATLAB’s App Designer, gathering and processing the elevation and flight path data, and exporting the final graph in the desired formats.

The project resulted in a significant reduction of time and manual labor by 15-60x. The previous methods used slower processes and required the engineer to manually work with the data and deal with any abnormalities while my application handles everything automatically. The project also allowed me to connect with wonderful people at NASA and make invaluable memories.

Mentor: Randall Strom, NASA Wallops Flight Facility

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

Community College, Electrical Engineering Technologies 

Author(s): Thomas Manning, Lex Phillips

Advancement of Autonomous Flight Systems for Remote-Controlled Aircraft

This research investigates the development of autonomous flight for a remote-controlled (RC) plane. The goal of the project is to create a system that enables the RC plane to perform autonomous takeoff, navigation, and landing using onboard sensors such as GPS, accelerometers, and gyroscopes. The study focuses on integrating flight control algorithms with sensor feedback to achieve stable and accurate flight in a variety of conditions. Key challenges, including maintaining flight stability and handling environmental factors, are addressed through the design and implementation of real-time control systems. The research contributes to advancing the understanding of autonomous flight in small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and demonstrates the potential for applications in areas such as surveillance, mapping, and environmental monitoring.  

Mentor: Lucas McGuire, Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Graduate – Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science

Author(s): Daniel Saraphis

Enhancing Human-Automation Teaming Through Learning Based Multistage Model Predictive Control

Human-automation teaming is increasingly critical in developing autonomous vehicles, significantly improving performance, efficiency, and adaptability. However, integrating automation into these systems can lead to unintended consequences, particularly complicating issues for human operators during malfunctions. Both humans and automated systems are prone to errors, making it essential to manage the transition of control seamlessly in unforeseen circumstances. This involves creating bi-directional control transitions between a human driver and an intelligent automation system to maintain effective collaboration and align with human preferences.

Unlike current methods for control transfer in semi-automated vehicles that rely on predefined rules, this project introduces a novel approach. Adaptable, learning-based control transfer strategies were developed that ensure robust performance and respect human preferences. 

Gaussian Processes Regression (GPR) models were used to formulate this control transfer policy to model the uncertainty arising from parametric variations between human expectations and model predictions. The advantages of employing GPR includes their non-parametric nature and their capability to quantify the uncertainty in predictions, which is crucial for integrating into robust model predictive control (MPC) frameworks. Simulation-based studies were conducted to train the GPR model, where humans and automation collaboratively controlled a semi-automated vehicle. 

After the GPR model was created, a tractable scenario-based predictive controller was developed. We integrated the GPR model to dynamically adapt the scenario tree online. This method reduces the conservatism associated with robust decision-making strategies by updating the real-time scenario representation of unmodeled dynamics. To validate the effectiveness of the approach, rigorous simulation studies were conducted. These studies involved scenarios where both human operators and the automation system detected an obstacle and negotiated control of the steering wheel to avoid it safely. The results were promising, indicating that the learning-based control approach effectively enhanced safety and trust in semi-automated vehicles by accommodating human preferences in dynamic and uncertain environments.

Mentor: Amir Ghasemi, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Scholar

North Carolina State University

Undergraduate – Junior, Aerospace Engineering

Author(s): Leonard Yan, Felix Ewere

Empirical Evaluation of Hexacopter Performance Post-Single Rotor Failure

Rotor failure is a potentially dangerous mode of failure in multirotors which may occur from structural or electrical damage. In scenarios where multirotors are used for urban air mobility, rotor failure may be catastrophic. Experimental in-situ observations of rotor failure and recovery were conducted using a subscale hexacopter. The hexacopter features a frame constructed primarily with carbon fiber and PLA plastic with a motor-to-motor diameter of 28 inches and six 12 x 4.5 inch propellers. Three clockwise and three counterclockwise rotors were positioned in a NPNPNP cross (X) configuration. Configured with a shutoff circuit for a single side rotor, constructed using an Arduino microcontroller and relay, gyroscope and accelerometer measurements for angular velocity and linear acceleration were collected using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) in a Pixhawk 6C flight controller. Normal operational flights as well as both clockwise and counter-clockwise side-rotor failure were both evaluated to observe the multirotor’s deviance in pitch, yaw, and roll attitudes as well as the loss in T/W and available control authority index. Beginning with normal hovering flight, the hexacopter’s shutoff circuit stops the delivery of power to one of the six rotors after a preprogrammed time delay. The hexacopter then corrects for the failed rotor and assumes a hovering configuration. IMU measurements are taken during the entire flight from power-on to power-off. Data on the performance of a hexacopter post-single rotor failure were collected and evaluated, showing an unstable yawing response to counterclockwise rotor failure and a successful recovery to clockwise rotor failure. Rotor failure caused a 16.68% decrease in the maximum T/W and a complete loss in control authority for the NPNPNP configuration hexacopter. Empirical observations showed that the hexacopter could recover back to a hovering state, but not a controllable state post-rotor failure, with a more severe yaw bias coming from counterclockwise rotor failure compared to clockwise rotor failure.

Mentor: Felix Ewere, North Carolina State University

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

Duke University

Graduate – Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering

Author(s): Vincent Wang

Development of a Mesh-Based Feedforward Controller for Autonomous Ultrasound Applications

Ultrasound is a popular medical imaging modality due to the lack of radiation, low cost, and portability. Additionally, ultrasound’s wide range of utility makes it an extremely useful small form-factor tool for maintaining crew health while reducing overall exposure to ionizing radiation during spaceflight missions. However, one problem that hinders adoption of ultrasound is the necessity of trained sonographers to obtain consistent, high-quality scans. This problem is especially acute in crewed space settings, where astronaut training already presents a high burden, and it may be prohibitively difficult to introduce additional crew members with sonographic skills. One alternative solution is autonomous robotic ultrasound systems (ARUS), which presents a promising replacement for human operators in producing high quality, repeatable images. Despite previous research into ARUS, the lack of safe, broadly applicable force control algorithms limits the adoption of this promising technology. Force control ensures both image quality and patient safety by modulating force to prevent human discomfort while ensuring acoustic coupling between the probe and tissue, but the heterogenous and nonlinear dynamics of tissue pose a challenge. This project describes a global mesh-based approach to applying feedforward corrections to selected waypoints during an autonomous robot-controlled ultrasound scan. Using a set of indentations, a nonlinear mass-spring mesh model is tuned to match the heterogenous stiffness properties of an unknown tissue phantom. The model is then used to predict force responses to given deformations, allowing for a feedforward correction to scan points to bring them closer to the target force level, reducing overall force deviations from the target.

Mentor: Leila Bridgeman, Duke University

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

Duke University

Graduate – Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering

Author(s): Harry Xu

Computational analysis of the HyMAX and hypersonic compression ramp test cases

While wind tunnel experiments are still the gold standard for data collection in aerospace applications, computational methods have continually improved in their ability to provide reasonably accurate results. However, there is often a tradeoff between accuracy and processing time when using computational methods like computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This research aims to investigate the accuracy of results when applied to the hypersonic regime by focusing on two test cases, (1) the Hypersonic Multibody Aeroelastic eXperiment (HyMAX) from UNSW Canberra and (2) modifications on a hypersonic compression ramp.

The primary computational tools used for this study are Ansys Fluent, a commercial CFD solver commonly used in industry, and FUN3D, a more research-oriented CFD solver developed by NASA Langley. The study aims to compare and contrast the usability and accuracy of the two solvers to understand methods to decrease computation time while retaining reasonable accuracy. The two test cases will be examined in 2D and 3D simulations to identify what potential three-dimensional effects might be missed when using a two-dimensional simulation.

For the HyMAX case, the solution between the two solvers compares decently well and the 2D and 3D results are similar when measured along the center of the geometry. However, particular flow interactions can only be observed in 3D, especially towards the sides of the geometry. For the compression ramp, the two solvers also arrive at similar results and there are even fewer differences between 2D and 3D, perhaps due to how the geometry is constructed.

Mentor: Earl Dowell, Duke University

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Surry Community College

Community College, Chemistry

Author(s): Victoria Blakley, Riley Arnder

Chemical Composition of Wine: Volatile Acids Group

Surry Community College houses the North Carolina Center for Viticulture and Enology, a hub for education and research in winemaking. Throughout the wine production process, various tests are conducted to monitor its chemical composition and properties. As part of an undergraduate research project, students analyzed three key components of wine: ethanol percentage, volatile acid concentration, and unbound sulfur dioxide content. Following technical guidelines and applying their chemistry knowledge, the students prepared solutions and apparatus, conducted procedures, recorded data, and performed the necessary calculations and data analysis.

Volatile organic acids, such as formic acid and acetic acid, are commonly present in wine mixtures. To isolate these acids from wine samples, a specialized distillation apparatus known as a Cash Still was utilized. (Iland, 2021) The distilled acid-water mixtures were subsequently titrated with 0.10 M sodium hydroxide. Using the titration data, the acid content was calculated for Surry Cellars Tannat Reserve and Petit Manseng Reserve wines, as well as an acetic acid standard.

Iland, P., ed. (2021). Techniques and methods for chemical, physical and sensory analyses and tests of grapes and wine. Patrick Iland Wine Promotions Pty Ltd.

Mentor: Robin L Narehood, Surry Community College

Faculty Research Grant Program

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Graduate – Masters, Chemistry

Author(s): Nour Alsharid

Designing Microfluidic Devices that Incorporate Fourier Transformation-Based Detection Methods for Trace Analysis of Biosignatures

The challenge during space missions is the limited space, resources, and time scientists are often working with when analyzing samples. The focus of this project is to design microfluidic devices that are capable of providing ultrasensitive trace analysis at the fraction of the materials, cost, and time. Droplet microfluidic systems utilize segmented flow to create nanoscale aliquots of microliter sample volumes. The sample size and reproducibility is able to be manipulated by controlling channel geometry and flow rates of two immiscible liquids. Creating sample volumes on the nanoscale allows us to maximize measurement information and certainty from low volumes of collected samples. This overcomes common experimental challenges such as low sample availability which limits the number of replicate measurements afforded. Currently, there are existing approaches for in-situ trace analysis of organic amines and amino acids for space exploration that leverage highly sensitive laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection on a capillary electrophoresis (CE) separation channel, which separates species based on their charge-to-size ratio. Fourier transformation-based detection methods have utilized multiple-point detection to encode time-domain signals that enable improved signal-to-noise and analyte peak resolution when converted into frequency-domain. The work presented herein will address new approaches to encoding time-domain separations using segmented flow profiles to produce a reference frequency on microfluidic platforms to enhance measurement sensitivity for trace biosignature detection.

Mentor: Laura Casto-Boggess, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Surry Community College

Community College, Chemistry

Author(s): Camille Jimenez, Aidan Current, Ethan Diaz, and Reagan Smiley

Composition of Wine: Percent Ethanol Group

Surry Community College houses the North Carolina Center for Viticulture and Enology, a hub for education and research in winemaking. Throughout the wine production process, various tests are conducted to monitor its chemical composition and properties. As part of an undergraduate research project, students analyzed three key components of wine: ethanol percentage, volatile acid concentration, and unbound sulfur dioxide content. Following technical guidelines and applying their chemistry knowledge, the students prepared solutions and apparatus, conducted procedures, recorded data, and performed the necessary calculations and data analysis.

The ethanol content in ethanol-water mixtures was determined using a specialized distillation apparatus called an ebulliometer. A standard curve of vapor temperature versus percent ethanol was generated by preparing ethanol-water mixtures ranging from 0% to 20% ethanol and measuring the vapor temperatures of each sample. The ethanol percentages of Surry Cellars Tannat Reserve and Petit Manseng Reserve wines were then determined by measuring their vapor temperatures and comparing them to the standard curve. The properties of a solution, such as boiling point and density, depend on the identity and concentration of its components. Ethanol, being a volatile solute, influences these properties. When an ethanol-water mixture boils, the vapor contains ethanol and water in proportions reflective of the liquid phase. (Gilbert, 2020) The vapor temperature results for the standard samples and the alcohol content of the Surry Cellars wines were consistent with reference materials commonly used by viticulture students. (Iland, 2021)

Gilbert, T. R., Kirss, R. V., Bretz, S. L., & Foster, N. (2020). Chemistry: The Science in Context. WW Norton & Company.

Iland, P., ed. (2021). Techniques and methods for chemical, physical and sensory analyses and tests of grapes and wine. Patrick Iland Wine Promotions Pty Ltd.

Mentor: Robin L Narehood, Surry Community College

Faculty Research Grant Program

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Undergraduate – Senior, Chemistry

Author(s): Brinda Patel

Optimization of Laser-Induced Fluorescence for Frequency-Encoded Detection 

Searching for biosignatures of extraterrestrial life on icy moons requires high-sensitivity techniques with detection limits down to low nanomolar and picomolar concentrations. Capillary electrophoresis(CE) with laser-induced fluorescence(LIF) is a highly sensitive method for in-situ trace analysis. Fluorescent amine-reactive probes, including 3-carboxy-6,8-difluoro-7-hydroxycoumarin succinimidyl ester (Pacific blue, Iex=405 nm; lem= 455 nm), are used to target primary amine-containing species, which mimic the biosignatures of interest. Capillary electrophoresis separation channels would then separate the fluorescent amine-reactive species based on the charge-to-size ratios. CE with LIF is routinely used for highly efficient separations with nanomolar detection limits. Real-world sample matrices include interfering metal cations and salts that result in destacking and reduced resolution. The goal of this work is to enhance the sensitivity and resolution of this technique with frequency-encoded microfluidics. Fourier-transform detection techniques enable enhanced resolution by converting the intensity-vs-time electropherogram data into the frequency domain with a reference frequency. An increase in peak resolution has been observed upon conversion to the frequency domain. This work addresses the optimization of a LIF detection system and the integration of capillary electrophoresis separations with a microfluidic frequency encoder towards enhanced strategies for in situ analysis of potential biosignatures.

Mentor: Laura Casto-Boggess, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Western Piedmont Community College

Community College, Associate of Science

Author(s): Sophia Turner, William Paine, Samuel Schneider, and Rowan Kneen

Investigational Synthesis of Gold Nanoclusters on Proteins

Gold Nanoclusters grown on Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) are known to be fluorescent under UV light in the red portion of the visible light spectrum (640nm to 690nm). This study aims to reproduce the growth of these highly fluorescent nanoclusters using other proteins and a range of controlled variables for each protein while following the BSA procedure as a base model. The primary goal is to identify various factors in the reaction which promote the growth of the nanoclusters.  Upon testing alternate proteins and the controlled variables of each, spectroscopic methods such as fluorescent spectroscopy, fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy will be used to analyze results. The goal of this research is to broaden the understanding and uses of gold nanoclusters as a fluorophore.  The primary application of interest is the tracking of molecules through biological systems, whose action may be impeded by large organic fluorophores. Future studies will explore applications to pharmaceutical testing as well as medical diagnostic techniques. 

Mentor: Stacey Johnson, Western Piedmont Community College

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Durham Technical Community College

Community College, Chemistry

Author(s): Julian Russick

Repurposing Wastewater and Optimization of Voltage Output via Microbial Fuel Cell

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bioelectrochemical systems capable of producing electricity by using electrons derived from biochemical reactions catalyzed by microorganisms. MFCs offer clean reusable sources of fuel, particularly in limited spaces.

It has been observed that MFCs inoculated with wastewater obtained from a brewery can yield an electrical potential. The unreacted yeasts in the wastewater anaerobically metabolize glucose, converting its chemical potential energy into electricity. Considering that the flavor of any beer depends on the strain of yeast used, wastewater from various brews were tested in the MFC to determine if the yeast strain correlates with the voltage output. 

Environmental conditions conducive to optimal metabolic efficiency for the yeast cells were also considered. For each brew tested, the optimum pH and temperature for the yeast strain were determined. Voltage output was observed as a function of either the optimum pH or temperature, independent of each other. In each case, the average maximum voltage output lasted 30 minutes followed by an immediate descent. This raised the question of the possible outcome when simultaneously applying optimum pH and temperature to the MFC. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used as proof-of-concept. Simultaneous application of its optimum pH and temperature produced a maximum sustained voltage for 2.0 – 2.5 hours.

Currently, methods are being implemented to better sustain the yeast cells within the MFC anode. Since the reaction within the anode must be under anaerobic conditions, a modified fuel cell has been constructed and fitted with vacuum adapter to remove air from the headspace. Also, all fluids and buffers have been degassed. Improved anerobic conditions will optimize the catalytic potential of yeast cells within the wastewater. Sustainment of microorganisms in an MFC may provide an alternative to space missions that rely upon either nuclear or solar power for their batteries. 

Mentor: Darryl Bing, Durham Technical Community College

2024-2025 Community College Research Pathways Program

Surry Community College

Community College, Associate in Science STEM fields

Author(s): Lukas White, Macy Whittington

Chemical Composition of Wine: Unbound Sulfur Dioxide Group

Surry Community College houses the North Carolina Center for Viticulture and Enology, a hub for education and research in winemaking. Throughout the wine production process, various tests are conducted to monitor its chemical composition and properties. As part of an undergraduate research project, students analyzed three key components of wine: ethanol percentage, volatile acid concentration, and unbound sulfur dioxide content. Following technical guidelines and applying their chemistry knowledge, the students prepared solutions and apparatus, conducted procedures, recorded data, and performed the necessary calculations and data analysis.

During the winemaking process, sulfur dioxide gas dissolves into the mixture, playing a critical role in preserving wine quality. The sulfur dioxide content in Surry Cellars Tannat Reserve and Petit Manseng Reserve wines was measured using the Aspiration method. Sulfur dioxide was isolated from each wine sample by adding phosphoric acid and aspirating the gas. The gas was then collected in a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and mixed indicator. The oxidation-reduction reaction between sulfur dioxide and hydrogen peroxide turned the green indicator to a purple color. Titration of the resulting mixture with 0.01 M sodium hydroxide to the appropriate green endpoint provided the data necessary to calculate the sulfur dioxide content. (Iland, 2021)

Iland, P., ed. (2021). Techniques and methods for chemical, physical and sensory analyses and tests of grapes and wine. Patrick Iland Wine Promotions Pty Ltd.

Mentor: Robin L Narehood, Surry Community College

Lenoir-Rhyne University’s AeroBears, competing in the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC), faculty mentor: Doug Knight

Presenting: Demmi Ramos, Kaleigh Sloop, Will Mauney, Ethan Levitt, and Michael Gerbitz

Team: Demmi Ramos, Kaleigh Sloop, Will Mauney, Ethan Levitt, Michael Gerbitz, Ashley Mangandid, Wolfgang Landers, and Allan Shade

The Lenoir-Rhyne Bearricane Rocket

The Lenoir-Rhyne AeroBears team is constructing “Bearricane,” a rocket for the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) for 2025. This will be Lenoir-Rhyne’s fifth year competing in this intercollegiate rocket competition that encourages teams to reach target altitudes up to 45,000 ft of all chemical propellant types. “Bearricane” aims to reach 10,000 ft and safely recover a two-kilogram payload. This single-stage, 6-inch diameter, 8-foot long, 47-pound rocket will be flying with an Aerotech M1845 motor. Combining size, weight, and altitude, this is the team’s most ambitious launch yet.

The rocket will also contain a student-designed airbrake system, developed as a senior research project. This will allow the team to manipulate the rocket’s altitude and speed. It will be 3D-printed using a durable plastic filament. The two-kilogram payload will be an inert 3U CubeSat-formatted system equipped with live telemetry and video. This will contain SRAD electronics and radio telemetry systems capable of transmitting live digital video, flight telemetry, and other measurements to the ground using radio transceivers. The payload will also be housing an egg restraint system, designed to see if a fragile object can withstand the launch and landing forces of the M motor along with a couple of cameras to record flight video.

Last year, the team placed 26th out of 122 teams and has consistently placed higher with each competition. Even though Lenoir-Rhyne University is the smallest school by enrollment in the IREC, the team has shown increasing quality of work that makes the team a strong competitor for the competition at Midland, Texas in June 2025.

NC State University Aerial Robotics Club, competing in the Student Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) Competition, faculty mentor: Felix Ewere

Presenting: Max Shipp, Mark Petrilli, Cadence Davis, and Leo Bergmann

Team: Max Shipp, Mark Petrilli, Cadence Davis, and Leo Bergmann

The Aerial Robotics Club at NC State University

The Aerial Robotics Club at NC State (ARC) is an interdisciplinary student organization whose goal is to design, build, test, and compete with an unmanned aerial system. The club’s primary research and competition aircraft, Kavik 1, is a fixed wing airplane capable of carrying a large payload while remaining light, compact, and maneuverable. Kavik 1 has a 9-foot wingspan, a cruising speed of 40 knots, and a maximum takeoff weight of 45 pounds. Within the club, projects are divided into four subteams: airframe, electrical, drop and software. The Airframe subteam designs and manufactures the aircraft in order to meet mission requirements and fulfill subteam needs. Drop subteam develops a drop payload that aligns with the competition requirements to ensure the most points are awarded. Electrical subteam develops the electrical system on the aircraft that enables communication, propulsion, and maneuverability. The software subteam creates programs that allow the aircraft and its subsystems to be autonomous and functional.

NC State University’s AquaPack Robotics, competing in RoboSub (international robotics competition), faculty mentor: John Muth

Presenting: Abhiram Poosarla, Jack Fetkovich, Alex Ofsanik, and Saranga Rajagopalan

Team: Abhiram Poosarla, Jack Fetkovich, Alex Ofsanik, and Saranga Rajagopalan

SeaWolf IX: Advancing Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Design for Precision Navigation and Manipulation

We are AquaPack Robotics, a student-led organization that builds Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to compete in RoboSub, an annual international robotics competition in California. RoboSub challenges teams to navigate an underwater obstacle course and complete vision, acoustic, and manipulation based tasks.

Our current vehicle, SeaWolf VIII, is a stable electrical and mechanical platform equipped with advanced systems for RoboSub. SeaWolf VIII excels in navigation, capable of identifying and passing through a specified side of a submerged gate, circumnavigating a red buoy, and firing torpedoes at the target. It’s also able to conduct these tasks in style, executing barrel rolls between the tasks. It is equipped with peripheral tools such as a torpedo launcher and precision-drop mechanism to complete missions with high accuracy. Additionally, our robust software architecture allows for real-time computer vision and signal processing, enabling it to navigate and manipulate within its aquatic environment.

This competition cycle, our objective is to develop the hardware for SeaWolf IX, a vehicle building upon the capabilities of SeaWolf VIII to be more robust and elevate our performance ceiling. This comes in the form of a modular electrical system, with upgrades such as stackable circuit boards, wide-bandgap semiconductors, and wet-mateable connectors to improve upon power capacity, provide expansion space for new technologies, and facilitate ease of use while in the water. Mechanically we retain key elements from SeaWolf VIII, such as its modularity and open frame design, while focusing on weight reduction, compactness, and maneuverability to produce a lighter and more mobile AUV.

To optimize development time and ensure consistency across both vehicles, the peripherals and software architecture from SeaWolf VIII are designed to seamlessly transfer to SeaWolf IX. This integration will streamline mission code and enable a smoother transition between robots, enhancing AquaPack Robotics’ ability to compete at the highest level.

NC State University’s High-Powered Rocketry Club (Tacho Lycos), competing in the NASA Student Launch Challenge, faculty mentor: Felix Ewere

Presenting: Katelyn Yount, Elizabeth Bruner, Donald Gemmel, Abigail Kuppler, and James Garmon

Team: Katelyn Yount, Elizabeth Bruner, Donald Gemmel, Abigail Kuppler, James Garmon, James Holley, Aubri Sprouse, Trent Couse, Connor Swanson, Ryan Keever, and Samuel Patterson

2025 NASA Student Launch

Our team competes in the annual NASA Student Launch competition to build a rocket that will launch to between 4-6,000 feet and carry a scientific payload. This year, the payload challenge is to collect relevant flight and landing site data, then transmit it to a NASA receiver upon landing. The team will attend the competition in Huntsville, Alabama, at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center at the beginning of May, 2025.

UNC Charlotte Gold Rush Robotics, competing in the IEEE SoutheastCon Hardware Competition, faculty advisor: Samuel Shue

Presenting: Philip Smith, Aidan Dattada, and Tyler Eisenbraun

Team: Philip Smith, Aidan Dattada, and Tyler Eisenbraun

IEEE SoutheastCon Hardware Competition

Gold Rush Robotics from UNC Charlotte competes in the IEEE Southeast Conference Hardware Challenge. We are given a new set of objectives each year and must create a robot to complete said tasks autonomously. This year our objective is themed around mining in space. We have to find “minerals” scattered around the field, including inside a cave with low light conditions. Once we have found and collected these minerals we have to sort them into two types. Some of them have a dense magnetic core and the others are hollow with no visual indication. This requires us to utilize other sensors and create unique sorting solutions. Students from all disciplines are brought together to make our hardware, software, and electrical systems properly come together to create the robot we have today. One of the unique challenges we have worked on this year is creating a custom CAN communication system for our robot. This improved reliability and led to the ability to create more modular subsystems.

UNC Charlotte 49er Miners, competing in the NASA Lunabotics Challenge, faculty advisor: Aiden Browne

Presenting: Reese Walser, Abdur Rehman Khan, Blake Lilly, William Lawson, Matthew Hembree, and Grey Trull

Team: Reese Walser, Abdur Rehman Khan, Blake Lilly, William Lawson, Matthew Hembree, Grey Trull,

Cullen McNinch, Matthew Ewert, and Nathan Chiaravallotti

NASA Lunabotics

The Charlotte 49er Miners will be participating in NASA’s 2025 Lunabotics competition this May; we will design, construct, and operate a lunar rover capable of autonomously mining, storing, transporting, and depositing simulated lunar regolith in a controlled environment. Building upon the work of previous teams from Charlotte, we are improving last year’s rover by implementing modifications based on this year’s competition requirements and addressing potential points of failure identified in prior evaluations. At the start of the project, our goals included creating an autonomous rover routine, enhancing the excavation drum design, and minimizing regolith loss during the deposition process. Each year, the conditions and requirements for the Lunabotics competition evolve. To meet these updated criteria and succeed in the competition, the project team was tasked with performing a 50% redesign of the existing rover. This year’s most significant change is the emphasis on automation, as teams that can complete a run fully autonomously have a substantial advantage in winning.

UNC Charlotte 49er Rocketry Team, competing in the NASA Student Launch Challenge, faculty advisor: Arun Vishnu Suresh Babu

Presenting: Ben Janke

Team: Ben Janke, Dillon Freer, Gracie Judy, Ethan Sprouts, Ethan Jones, Adam Brown, Jacob Denny, Jessenia Vang, Mitchell Privette, and Alec Shrum

NASA University Student Launch Initiative

The UNC Charlotte 49er Rocketry Team participates in the NASA University Student Launch Initiative, a year-long competition designed to challenge university students across the nation. During this competition, the team must design, build, and ultimately fly a high powered rocket to a calculated apogee. Additionally, the rocket must transmit eight key pieces of data relating to crew survivability, the flight path and landing conditions. To successfully complete these requirements, the team has designed a vehicle that carries the payload to a given apogee and a payload that is able to record and transmit the data. The vehicle subsection of the rocket is designed to deliver the payload to the wanted apogee without compromising its goal. The vehicle also must successfully recover and be able to be reused for future flights. The primary function of the payload is to record and transmit data to a ground station. This is accomplished by having a removable capsule that is self contained that is equipped with an accelerometer, thermometer, gyroscope, GPS and a transmitter. The system is designed to be robust enough to survive the flight conditions, and also be able to take accurate measurements during flight. In this current semester, the team will build the designed payload and vehicle. The team will then fly the completed project in the competition, which will be in Huntsville Alabama.

UNC Pembroke’s Rocket Team, competing in the First Nations Launch competition, faculty mentor: Steven Singletary

Presenting: Joseph Cimadamore, Seth Lowrey, Riley Edwards, and Andy Cruz

Team: Joseph Cimadamore, Seth Lowery, Riley Edwards, Andy Cruz, Nicole Cimadamore, Xander Vasquez Amores, Jacob Catanzarite, Jenna Kim, and Daniel Smith

Cohesive Multi-Sensor Flight Analytic System

The Mars Engineering Challenge of the 2025 Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium’s First Nation Launch competition is for “teams [to] incorporate multiple sensors (5) into a cohesive system to analyze the flight.” After some trial and error with alternative technical approaches such as the Raspberry Pi, the UNCP Rocket Team plans to utilize Arduino Nano ESP32 controllers to facilitate a comprehensive system between the five necessary sensors that will analyze airspeed, orientation, atmospheric pressure, acceleration, and deflection forces during flight. Most notably of these sensors and the team’s integration approach for these devices include the deflection sensor and our embedding process into the fins of the rocket, the payload sled seated around the motor mount with a fabricated exterior access panel, and the airspeed sensor which will be housed within a custom computer-aided designed and 3D printed nose cone.

Wake Technical Community College’s Engineering Club, competing in the NC Space Grant High Altitude Balloon Challenge, faculty advisor: John Spevacek

Presenting: Anton Berezhnyl, Astha Gadhvi, Emmanuel Lee, and Joshua Hackney

Team: Anton Berezhnyl, Astha Gadhvi, Emmanuel Lee, Joshua Hackney, David Dietrich, Daniel Timothy Dietrich, Philip Ash Abronski, Jonathan Serb, Julian Reder, and Trenton Homegardner

What’s it like up there and do I need to wear sunscreen?

The Engineering Club of Wake Tech’s southern campus will launch a high-altitude balloon in April 2025. Two novel and unique experiments will be part of the payload. One will be to sample the atmospheric moisture in the stratosphere. Upon entering that zone, two ports will open, allowing the moisture to be collected on a dry-ice cold finger. During descent, the ports will close, and the sample will be analyzed back at Wake Tech.

The payload capsule will have test plaques on its exterior surfaces as the second experiment. These will be 3-D printed from various materials. Our interest is in observing what, if any UV photodegradation occurs. This information could be valuable as 3-D printed plastics are commonly used in High-Altitude Balloons, and as far as we are aware, no one has ever studied their degradation.

The payload will be descending with a steerable parachute (similar to a parasail) controlled by a servo which can make course corrections and allow it to land in a convenient landing zone. The descent will be controlled by GPS and a flight controller.

Wake Technical Community College’s Northern Eagles, competing in the NC Space Grant High Altitude Balloon Challenge, faculty advisor: David Etheridge

Presenting: Steven Jelic, Biruk Kebede, Patrick Klauser, and Abe Espinoza 

Team: Steven Jelic, Biruk Kebede, Patrick Klauser, Abe Espinoza, Finn Cummings, Griffin Kroeper, Bryce Lebron, Justin Majano, Cale Rogoyski, Faith Abernathy, Micah Smith, Pat Powers, Jason Bartus

NC Space Grant High Altitude Balloon Challenge

The NC Space Grant High-Altitude Balloon Challenge is a competition for engineering students at NC universities and colleges requiring students to:

• Work as a team to successfully complete an engineering design, build, test, and evaluation project.
• Design, build, launch and recover two recording payloads (one required and one elective) from a helium balloon ascending to the edge of space (~20 miles up).
• Obtain Amateur Radio Technician License level training (in partnership with the NC Amateur Radio Society) to facilitate tracking and safe recovery of the balloon payload.

HABC Flight System

In addition to meeting requirements for size, weight, power, and flight/data recording, each team designs a research experiment, a payload housing, and a recovery/tracking mechanism for the balloon flight system.

Required Payload

The students will design a 4″ x 4″ x 4″ container to house the required elements of the competition, including a programmable microcontroller with an SD card for data storage, an accelerometer, a GoPro camera to record a video of a 640 x 480 minimum resolution, a secondary camera that will take photos at intervals of at least 5 seconds in 640 x 480 resolution and 8-bit color, a Beeline radio transmitting in the 70 cm band at 100mW of output power, Spot Trace GPS tracker, and a radio tracking system. Data collected from these components will be sent via wireless transmitter to the ground. The container will be created from PLA plastic using a 3-D printing process.

Our Research Experiment

For the individual payload, the students will measure the radiation in the upper atmosphere with a Geiger counter. The Geiger counter probe will extrude from the CubeSat to detect the presence of muons and record the associated atmospheric data. The remainder of the Geiger counter and associated systems resides within the CubeSat, ensuring that it will be well-insulated to protect against the outside atmosphere and temperature. The data that the Geiger counter collects will be stored internally on a datalogger for subsequent analysis.

North Carolina A&T State University

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

Graduate – Ph.D., Nanoengineering

Author(s): Alden Contreras

In Silico Modeling and Validation of Microreactors for Advanced Aerospace Materials

This research leverages in silico modeling and simulation of miniaturized reactors  to streamline the synthesis of advanced materials for aerospace applications. Using COMSOL software, we develop realistic models to predict fluid dynamics, thermal behavior and reaction kinetics in continuous and miniaturized reactor configurations. Experimental data from both liquid-liquid and solid-liquid-gas phase reactions are integrated into the model for validation, establishing a robust feedback loop for refining reactor designs. The resulting miniaturized reactors offer precise control over reaction parameters, enabling efficient resource use, reducing material waste, and ensuring reliable operation and enhancing safety. Current efforts involve scaling these designs for pilot-scale manufacturing of advanced ceramics and polymers, laying the groundwork for broader industrial adoption. By integrating high-fidelity simulations, rapid experimental validation, and intelligent process design, this approach enhances safety, efficiency, and flexibility for space and terrestrial applications.

Mentor: Jeffrey Alston, North Carolina A&T State University

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Graduate – Ph.D., Astrophysics

Author(s): Duncan Maclean

Exploring the Black Hole Mass Gap with C12(α,γ)O16 and Interpolation

In massive stars, numerous nuclear reactions occur to produce energy while creating and destroying the heavy chemical elements of our universe. One of these reactions, the C12(α,γ)O16 reaction, controls the ratio of carbon to oxygen produced during a star’s helium burning process, as well as the nuclear energy available when this central helium is depleted. Small variations in this reaction can therefore alter a massive star’s evolution, as well as the black holes produced when these stars die. Near the end of their lives, very massive stars can contract unstably due to pair-production, a process wherein energetic photons interact with atomic nuclei to produce electron-positron pairs. This instability leads to catastrophic pulsations, which–if the star is massive enough–can destroy it entirely in a “pair-instability supernova,” or “PISN.” No black hole is left behind after such an explosion, producing a so-called “mass gap” where single black holes may not form. However the exact boundaries of the mass gap remain elusive.

To explore this problem, we use the open-source stellar evolution code “MESA” to evolve massive stars while varying the C12(α,γ)O16 reaction. We model these stars post-helium burning and resolve the shocks and mass loss produced by oxygen ignition. We then assess the onset of core collapse, pulsations, and pair-instability supernovae. Employing the “COSMIC-METISSE” population synthesis framework, we generate and evolve populations of dual compact objects. Using our data, I will discuss how C12(α,γ)O16 affects the mass function of black holes and the intrinsic distribution of binary black holes in the universe.

Mentor: Carl Rodriguez, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2024-2025 NC Sea/Space Graduate Research Fellow

East Carolina University

Graduate – Ph.D., Integrated Coastal Sciences

Author(s): Megan Geesin

Assessing the coastal protection properties of oyster breakwaters using UAS-SfM

Coastal erosion is increasing due to coastal development and consequences of climate change. Waterfront property owners often install hardened shorelines, such as bulkheads, to protect their property from erosion and damage. However, hardened shorelines can negatively impact nearshore ecosystems by creating a barrier between terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Alternatively, nature-based coastal protection approaches that employ oyster breakwaters to reduce erosion can provide ecosystem services, such as wave energy dissipation and habitat for residents and transient fauna. Breakwater substrate and design options have rapidly expanded in the last decade, yet our understanding of how these approaches influence ecosystems and intertidal morphology is limited. To address this knowledge gap, we monitored three sites with varying environmental conditions during the summers of 2022, 2023, and 2024. These sites included: 1) newly constructed oyster breakwaters using QuickReefTM, a novel concrete-centric material, 2) oyster-shell bags, and 3) reference locations with no oyster breakwaters. Rigorous field and data processing and analysis workflows were designed around a combination of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) to capture aerial imagery, structure-from-motion photogrammetry to create Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), object-based image analysis to identify habitat features such as the marsh boundary, and DEM of difference approach to identify areas of erosion and accretion. Vegetation line migration was analyzed with the Digital Shoreline Change Analysis (DSAS). Wave gauges were used to quantify the wave environment and wave attenuation capacity of the oyster breakwaters. Results will demonstrate the effectiveness of oyster breakwaters to provide coastal protection.

Mentor: Rachel Gittman, East Carolina University

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Intern

North Carolina State University

Undergraduate – Senior, Aerospace Engineering, Political Science

Author(s): L. Brooke Turner

Thermal Analysis for Picometer-Level Metrology

The Mini-MUST chamber is the first in a series of ultra-stable vacuum chambers designed to test critical components of Habitable Worlds Observatory’s optical systems at the picometer level. The test chambers ensure that control of roughly ten picometers over ten minutes can be passively maintained so that the observatory’s internal processing can correct for any changes in the movement of the telescope or star system. The Mini-MUST chamber will be designed to test the stability of the optics by mimicking the space environment. With Habitable Worlds’ requirements, temperature control must be possible down to the milli-Kelvin, plus or minus 0.0001 degrees. It consists of three main layers: an outer vacuum chamber and two thermal shrouds. 

The research consisted of a sizing exercise to determine the temperature change the inner chamber would experience at capacity temperatures. This quantified the amount of power the TCU and heaters would require. The three layers are defined by their materials, thicknesses, and external coatings. The properties of the vacuum chamber, outer cold shroud, and inner warm shroud were imported into Thermal Desktop onto a mesh of the overall chamber design. A steady-state model was produced to demonstrate how the heat flowed between the surfaces as it reached equilibrium. The analysis utilized the modeled thermal data to answer vital questions about the picometer-level control required for designing the Mini-MUST.

Mentor: Breann Sitarski, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

Duke University

Graduate – Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Author(s): Morgan Heckman

Patterning of Bacteria-Mediated Deposition of Biomaterials Using Light

Understanding the relationships between resting membrane potential, metabolic activity, and cell growth is the central question of the field of bacterial electrophysiology. Using resting membrane potential to control cell growth would have important applications in biomaterials, bioreactors, and other industrial applications of bacteria. Perhaps most exciting, regulating bacterial growth can be used to pattern biomaterials generated by bacteria. Blue light (480 nm, 60 s exposure) has been shown to slow the growth of B. subtilis cells without damaging cells. We show that this exposure to blue light also leads to hyperpolarization, where the membrane potential of exposed cells becomes more negative. We measured this hyperpolarization with tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester, a Nernstian dye that reports on the resting membrane potential of cells. The extent of hyperpolarization scales with exposure duration. Time to return to baseline membrane potential levels also scales with exposure. We measured esterase activity as an indicator of metabolic activity using calcein-AM. We see an increase in esterase activity that corresponds with the extent of hyperpolarization. This increase in esterase activity persists on the scale of hours. Ion indicator dyes were also used to track levels of cations within cells during exposure to blue light. Levels of unbound magnesium increase in response to blue light, which could be tied to intracellular dysfunction. Current work is focused on using light to control growth as a tool to pattern biomaterials, as well as understanding the relationship between hyperpolarization, metabolic activity, and growth in response to blue light.

Mentor: Christine Payne, Duke University

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

North Carolina State University

Graduate – Ph.D., Applied Mathematics

Author(s): Patrick Haughey

Statistical Analysis of Performance of the Optimization-based SAR Autofocus

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has been the imaging resource of choice for decades due to its all-weather capabilities and capacity to produce high resolution images and to penetrate densely textured environments like jungles and urban environments. However, for orbital satellites emitting long-wavelength signals, the Earth’s ionosphere introduces significant phase perturbations due to free electrons, causing image distortions and blurring. 

This study builds on previous work that developed an autofocus algorithm to mitigate ionospheric effects and enhance SAR image quality. We analyze the performance and sensitivity of this algorithm, which employs a gradient-based optimizer applied to a contrast-enhancing cost function. 

Using entirely synthetic computer simulations, we evaluate the algorithm under varying perturbation factors, including ionospheric turbulence magnitude, average clutter reflectivity, and background noise levels. The effectiveness of the autofocus method is assessed through three key image quality metrics: normalized cross-correlation (NCC), integrated side lobe ratio (ISLR), and peak desynchronization (PD), which measures the average displacement in image peaks. 

Our results demonstrate that the autofocus algorithm significantly improves image quality and closely approximates the “true” image, as determined by perfect compensation of ionospheric distortions. While the algorithm performs well under most conditions, scenarios with high levels of clutter present the greatest challenge.

 Mentor: Semyon Tsynkov, North Carolina State University

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Graduate – Ph.D., Astrophysics

Author(s): Brian Cook

A New Star-by-Star Approach to Modeling Globular Clusters and its Applications to Galactic Archaeology

Globular clusters (GCs), containing up to millions of densely packed stars and nearly as old as the Universe itself, are a tremendously inspiring class of astronomical objects. GCs also contain information critical to our understanding of, among other things, the processes that govern how galaxies evolve over time. Galactic archaeologists parse observational data, and their efforts are complemented by computer simulations that test our understanding of the relevant physical laws. Efforts of this kind reveal the existence of dark matter, a mysterious component of the Universe that provides the potential wells needed to form galaxies. Modelling GCs, of which there are about 150 in the Milky Way, requires finding solutions to the famously intensive N-body problem using computers. Researchers have developed an assortment of approximations and algorithms suited for different research problems in this area. The Chapel Hill Cluster (CHC) code, developed by our research team over the last two years, relaxes certain assumptions made by previous models such that we can better understand how GCs interact with their host galaxy. Galaxies exert tidal forces on their satellites (similar to how the Moon affects our oceans). These tides cause these satellites to either lose stars or be completely destroyed. The leftover debris from these events remain, and this fossil record is the key to understanding the history of the Milky Way. One type of debris, the stellar stream, can reveal previously hidden properties of dark matter. In this talk, I will be presenting the preliminary results produced by CHC as they relate to producing stellar stream models in the Milky Way, as well as our plans for using this code in future work.

Mentor: Carl Rodriguez, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

NASA Kennedy Space Center Intern

Lenoir-Rhyne University/The University of Alabama at Birmingham 

Graduate – Masters, Physics

Author(s): Caleb M Knight 

NASA KSC PAC Report Dashboard

My internship title is Future System Intern, and my project is creating a dashboard for NASA that allows for quick access and viewing of the status of a partner analysis cycle report or PAC report. The ability to provide quick access to the status of the PAC report allows management to make faster decisions about high-level project planning and timelines. This dashboard removes the complexity of having management scroll through a lengthy Excel, word, or PDF file. Management can observe specific data through the dashboard by clicking on the status of the specific area of the PAC report which would then redirect them to a page with data and data analysis. 

As I started my internship, I needed to understand the PAC report and set out to review, understand, and take notes. This process allowed me to understand the report in greater detail and prepared me for the steps in creating the dashboard. To create the dashboard, I used the Windows software PowerBi. PowerBi allows for interactive report generation and data analysis and is an effective communication tool for trends and data highlights. Learning PowerBi was a tedious but fruitful process. I learned via many YouTube tutorials and experimenting through trial and error. Through this learning process, I created the basics of the dashboard needed for the report. Although this report will likely require revisions as NASA further works with this partner, the work I and others have done sets the dashboard in motion to be used as an effective and efficient communication tool for high-level project planning.

Mentor: Chad Brown, NASA Kennedy Space Center

2024-2025 Graduate Research Fellow

Duke University

Graduate – Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering

Author(s): Samantha K. Holmes

Atomic force microscopy mapping of MoS2 field effect transistors under electrical biasing

To achieve NASA’s goals of expanding space exploration and experimentation capabilities, there is a need to improve electronics compatible with the low pressure and high radiation environments found in space. One material of particular interest to both the space and semiconductor industries are the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Some TMDs have shown resilience to radiation under specific conditions which is promising to the space industry. Furthermore, the TMD molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has well characterized electrical behavior, which allows for optimization of problems that plague field-effect transistors (FETs), such as local heating and high contact resistance. Thus, this work seeks to characterize the local heating in channel regions of MoS2 FETs. In order to successfully characterize the heating in MoS2 FETs during operation, we fabricate devices with channel lengths greater than 100 nm to allow for imaging with an AFM tip, followed by wire bonding into a ceramic package. After wire bonding, the chip package is placed into a custom PCB designed to electrically interrogate individual transistors on a handheld platform. This allows electrical testing of the devices while simultaneously using an atomic force microscope (AFM) to map the channel. While mapping with a standard AFM tip validates the system’s functionality, using a scanning thermal AFM tip allows for local heat mapping while the devices are under electrical biasing. We expect that the most heat will be generated at the metal-semiconductor contact region, thus supporting the need to further optimize these contacts in future work. By understanding the local heating behavior in FETs, it is possible to simultaneously benefit both the semiconductor and space industries moving forward.

Mentor: Aaron D. Franklin, Duke University

2024-2025 NC Sea/Space Graduate Research Fellow

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Graduate – Masters, Ecology

Author(s): Peggy Mullin

Using remote sensing to measure water quality and detect SAV and marsh habitat in Currituck Sound

In North Carolina (NC), there is a pressing need to understand and quantify dynamics of both salt marshes and communities of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), vital habitats increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change. Water quality decline threatens SAV, as these species depend on sufficient water quality for survival. The concurrent presence and absence of SAV and marsh habitat is of interest in Currituck Sound, an oligohaline NC estuary that holds significant ecological and economic value and has exhibited a marked decline in both marsh and SAV area in recent years (Audubon NC, 2021). Recent advances in remote sensing offer an opportunity to explore associated trends in water quality and marsh/SAV presence or absence using both traditional ground-based methods and innovative remote sensing methods using both satellites and drones. This work has three aims: to investigate remote sensing measurement of CDOM, to investigate remote sensing identification of SAV presence/absence, and to quantify a relationship between SAV presence/absence and oligohaline marsh habitat change. By investigating these methods and relationships, this work will inform future management of coastal habitat on large spatial and temporal scales, while providing insights into the habitat dynamics of oligohaline environments.

Mentor: Susan Cohen, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill