Exolith Lab Archives | �鶹ԭ�� News

�鶹ԭ�� Grad’s Mission to Build Pipeline of Young Innovators

Jenna Marina Lee — Mon, 18 May 2026 13:34:13 +0000

Some of the nation’s most promising scientists can be found in Will Furiosi ’13 ’14MAT’s Oviedo High School classroom.

Spend five minutes talking to Ankan Das, Angela Calvo-Chumbimuni and Moitri Santra about their research innovations in robotics, mental health and agriculture, and one truth becomes quite clear: These teens are the real deal.

From left to right: Angela Calvo-Chumbimuni, Ankan Das and Moitri Santra have racked up numerous awards with their research projects, including the top three finishes at Seminole County’s regional science fair. (Photo by Daniel Schipper)

Backed by �鶹ԭ�� associate professors Ellen Kang (physics and NanoScience Technology Center) and Candice Bridge ’07�ʳ����(chemistry) and researcher Max Kuehn ’22 (Exolith Lab), the Oviedo High trio recently earned recognition as the top three projects at Seminole County’s regional science fair.

With Oviedo’s proximity to main campus, the collaboration highlights ��’s steadfast commitment to supporting STEM education across Central Florida.

They went on to represent the county admirably at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, where they took home several prizes against more than 1,700 high schoolers from around the globe.

Most notably, Santra took home first place and $6,000 in the Plant Sciences category and received the EU Contest for Young Scientists Award. She will represent Regeneron ISEF at the EU Contest for Young Scientists to be held this September in Kiel, Germany.

“Working in Dr. Kang’s lab played pretty big role in choosing materials science and engineering as my major for college because I was exposed to just how many different things someone can do in the area I work with, nanotechnology,” says Santra, a senior bound for Stanford who has worked with Kang since she was a freshman. “The lab provided a lot of resources — not just the instruments, but also mentorship, advice and support.”

A Will to Succeed

The hallway leading to Furiosi’s classroom is decorated with rows of blue, red, white, green, yellow and pink paper accomplishment ribbons. More ribbons, pennants and certificates adorn his walls, along with eight Science and Engineering Fair of Florida best-in-fair grand award senior division trophies — more than any other high school in the state.

During his own primary education, Furiosi attended eight schools over 12 years. As a seventh-grader at Stone Magnet Middle School in Brevard County, he was initially prohibited from participating in science fair because officials couldn’t verify Furiosi was capable of the coursework from his transfer transcripts. He would later go on to earn Order of Pegasus as a Burnett Honors Scholar majoring in biomedical sciences before earning his master’s degree in teacher education.

Every day, he saw a wall of ribbons, much like the ones in his classroom now. And every day he would tell himself, “I want to be one of those kids.”

That experience fundamentally shaped how the �鶹ԭ�� grad runs his program today.

“What keeps me motivated is knowing that I have the opportunity to get people to be really prepared, informed citizens who are good thinkers, and who, when faced with a problem, smile and tackle it instead of running away,” Furosi says.

Will Furiosi ’13 ’14MAT became a teacher through the College of Community Innovation and Education’s Resident Teacher Professional Preparation Program, which was created in response to the growing need for skilled workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. (Photo by Daniel Schipper)

Infusing Life into Science

Furiosi began teaching at Oviedo High School in 2013 as he pursued his accelerated master’s degree, made possible by the College of Community Innovation and Education’s Resident Teacher Professional Preparation Program. The program, funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant, was created in response to the growing need for skilled workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Four years later, he took over the school’s science fair program and was determined to breathe new life into it, which at the time involved just four kids.

He cold called students in his AP Biology and Honors Chemistry��courses, begging anyone who had shown a glimmer of interest during class to sign up so they wouldn’t have to fold the program.

Today, he’s at 46 students, with some, like Calvo-Chumbimuni, interested in joining the program as soon as they arrive at Oviedo High.

“My seventh grade science fair teacher knew Mr. Furiosi and spoke highly of him,” says Calvo-Chumbimuni, who earned fourth place ISEF’s biochemistry category this year. “When I came to Oviedo High and met him, I immediately understood why. The research program stood out to me as a valuable opportunity.”

Furiosi fosters a safe space to fail, learn and grow from the research. There are no barriers to entry; no project deemed too insignificant. And he stresses the merits of high-quality mentorship, like the ones Das, Santra, and Calvo-Chumbimuni formed with �鶹ԭ�� faculty and STEM labs.

Some of his students have earned thousands of dollars in prizes — one alone pulled in $70,000 and is now studying at the University of Glasgow — at prestigious competitions sponsored by some of the tech industry’s biggest names, including Regeneron and Lockheed Martin, a �鶹ԭ�� Pegasus Partner.

His alums have gone on to top research institutions including Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Stanford, and of course, �鶹ԭ��. One of those Knights is aerospace engineering grad Daniel Dyson ’21 ’22MS ’25PhD, who studied in Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Subith Vasu’s lab and now works for Relativity Space at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, America’s largest rocket propulsion test site.

“Mr. Furiosi really pushes you toward excellence,” says Das, a sophomore building a tensegrity robot with shape memory alloys that he tested at ��’s Exolith Lab.

Supporting Excellence

An award-winning researcher who has been supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, Kang is not easily impressed. Still, Santra made an immediate impression as an eighth grader when she first popped up Kang’s inbox, asking if she could present her idea on a nanoparticle treatment for citrus greening disease in Florida.

“I could clearly see that she had a firm understanding of the material and just thought, ‘Wow, she is really a force.’ I actually wanted to have my undergrad students see her presentation because of how professional she was, even at that young age,” Kang says. “She has this creativity, passion, persistence and resilience — all the key elements that you need as a successful STEM field researcher.”

Similarly, Bridge immediately noticed Calvo-Chumbimuni’s persistence and go-getter attitude when she initially connected with her two years ago. Driven by her interest in the intersection of neuroscience, psychology and analytical chemistry, Calvo-Chumbimuni pitched her idea to develop an electrochemical sensor and biosensor to improve diagnostic methods for mental health disorders.

“I’ve always appreciated her sense of humanity,” Bridge says. “I thought, ‘If you can foster someone who has this sort of compassion already, there are infinite possibilities for what they can do to benefit the community.’ ”

From left to right: �鶹ԭ�� Associate Professor of Chemistry Candice Bridge ’07PhD, Associate Professor of Physics Ellen Kang and Exolith Lab engineer Max Kuehn ’22��guided the Oviedo High students in their research, highlighting ��’s steadfast commitment to supporting STEM education across Central Florida.

The two have been dedicated, active participants in their labs, regularly conducting research multiple days per week during the school year and, at times, daily over the summer.

The faculty and their doctoral students have mentored the high schoolers through instrumentation methods, analyzing data, the literature review process and their presentations.

Both presented continuations of their projects at ISEF — Calvo-Chumbimuni for her second-straight year, Santra for her third — while Das made his first time at the competition memorable with his fourth-place finish in the engineering technology: statics and dynamics category.

Kuehn, who is an engineer at , is accustomed to working with a variety of researchers and scientists who test their experiments and equipment at the Highland Regolith Test Bin. He says he was quickly intrigued by Das’ project, a lightweight and nimble robot that can expand, contract and move through electric current.

Das wanted to test the robot in lunar regolith — simulated moon dirt — because he envisions the tech behind his robot one day being utilized in lunar missions or search and rescue efforts in unstable environments.

“Max noticed that sometimes the motion was a little slow, so he gave some suggestions,” Das says. “Working in the lunar regolith chamber was a very insightful and eye-opening experience. I know I’m still in high school, but I’ve learned I want to do research for as long as I can because I really find this interesting.”

Which, at the end of the day, has been Furiosi’s mission all along.

“Research is not just in science. It is in all disciplines. There’s a lot of cool things that need to be discovered in all fields,” he says. “��’s expertise has been so invaluable in preparing my students for the future. A lot of these kids have wonderful ideas, and I really hope we can continue growing more professional support for them in any capacity.”

Passion, Persistence & Opportunity at �鶹ԭ�� Lead to Grad’s Space Career

Jenna Marina Lee — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:08:56 +0000

Nov. 13, 2025, 3:55 p.m.��Jillian Gloria ’22��stands on a balcony at Blue Origin headquarters in Cape Canaveral, Florida, her eyes fixed on the horizon at Launch Complex 36 — the very launchpad her grandfather helped construct as a NASA engineer in the 1960s.

Engines ignite. Gloria’s breath catches as she wills the rocket to climb. Then she hears those crucial words: “Liftoff detected. New Glenn has cleared the tower.”

The Blue Origin rocket scientist has just witnessed the launch of her first NASA mission. It’s a goal the Orlando native has dreamed about since childhood; one marked by visions of the space shuttle soaring upward as she commuted to school and the roar of sonic booms when it returned to Earth’s atmosphere.

What makes this milestone even more rewarding is the determination, the hard work and the relentless tenacity it took her to get here.

“Your dreams are possible,” Gloria says. “All you need is passion and persistence. As long as you keep going, you can do anything in this world. You’re always going to end up where you’re meant to be.”

Jillian Gloria ’22 and her Blue Origin teammates celebrate the first-time landing of the New Glenn rocket. (Photo provided by Jillian Gloria)

“You’ll Never Graduate”

Gloria’s college journey began outside of Florida despite the numerous space-related research and partnerships available in her backyard at �鶹ԭ��. Like many of her peers, she thought she had to branch out from her hometown to gain the most out of her college experience.

She realized quickly she had made a mistake.

Not long after arriving at the University in Texas at Arlington, an academic advisor told her she would never graduate with an engineering degree if she started her academic career in algebra. She would need an additional 1.5 years of math and science classes alone before she could set foot in an engineering class.

Rather than catch up on the mathematics education and credits she needed to pursue engineering, he advised she’d be better off going after “something more realistic for her current path like a business degree.”

“As an impressionable 18-19 year old, you listen to your adviser, right?” she says. “I just remember dropping the business class a few weeks in because I thought, ‘This is not what I want to do, and I don’t care how long it takes me, I’m going to do get an engineering degree.’ ”

Since graduating from �鶹ԭ�� in 2022, Gloria launched over a dozen successful missions across three launch-vehicle programs. (Photo provided by Jillian Gloria)

Opportunity Comes Calling

She course-corrected and enrolled in the program at Valencia College. Valencia provided her the academic resources and tutoring she needed to overcome her initial struggles in math and science.

In 2018 ahead of transferring to �鶹ԭ��, she applied to the Central Florida Physics Research Exchange Program, a former initiative for undergraduate students to participate in a 10-week funded research project over the summer with ��’s physics department.

She remembers doubting her chances of acceptance. After all, she was an aspiring aerospace engineer, not a true physics major. But the program came with the promise of $5,000, and for someone who was working her way through school, what did she have to lose?

As part of her application, she wrote a compelling letter to Professor of Physics William Kaden about his space weathering effects research for NASA and how much she’d love the chance to work in his lab.

The letter worked. Kaden would go on to become Gloria’s mentor throughout her 2.5 years at �鶹ԭ�� and kickstarted her hand in research that yielded projects on finding water on the moon, collaborations with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), work with ��’s and a co-authorship on a NASA-funded paper published in 2021 in the��Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology.

“The world of research at �鶹ԭ�� really provided me the actual work experience and opportunities to turn me into an engineer and a candidate that these companies sought after.” — Jillian Gloria ’22, Blue Origin engineer

“The world of research at �鶹ԭ�� really provided me the actual work experience and opportunities to turn me into an engineer and a candidate that these companies sought after,” says Gloria, who keeps her senior-year textbook Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion, Second Edition on her office desk. “I worked with industry hardware, a vacuum chamber that’s worth hundreds of thousands of dollars at NASA, flew a payload on a Masten Space Systems Xodiac rocket to track rocket plumes during launch and landing on the moon. I was a published author before I graduated. It all was such an amazing opportunity. That was the first time when I felt like I was actually doing the work I had dreamed about. The things I was exposed to at �鶹ԭ�� really ��just opened my eyes onto what’s available out there in terms of my career.”

While she was a student, Jillian Gloria ’22 was heavily involved in research, which led to a co-authorship on a NASA-funded paper published in 2021.

Building a Road to Space

Since graduating in 2022, Gloria launched over a dozen successful missions across three launch-vehicle programs (Atlas V, Delta Heavy, Vulcan Centaur) at United Launch Alliance as a propulsion systems test engineer.

In January 2025, she joined the Blue Origin team as an integrated vehicle test engineer, specializing in the integration, testing, refurbishment, and optimization of complex fluid and pneumatic systems for her fourth launch vehicle, New Glenn.

In other words, she validates the build of the rocket, ensuring its integrity and functionality through every build stage before launch.

She is energized every day by the opportunities available to her to grow and learn within the company, who in addition to their rocket program is also developing a lunar lander and space station.

“This work matters. It’s the future.” — Jillian Gloria

“We’re all working together for the benefit of Earth, and you feel it every day you go to work at Blue Origin,” she says. “This work matters. It’s the future, it’s the next generation launch vehicle, and it just plays a hand in Blue’s mission statement that we want to build a road to space.”

Every milestone they hit — like the recent successful launch and first-time landing of the New Glenn rocket that ferried NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft to begin their journey to Mars — helps get them closer to that goal.

While current generations may not see it, she knows the work she is doing at Blue Origin is developing the infrastructure for future generations who will one day consistently travel to and live on other celestial bodies.

“The stars are the final frontier. It calls to us,” Gloria says. “You can’t really explain it, but when you look up at the sky, it kind of touches your soul. It just makes me feel more connected to something that’s so far away and so beautiful. It’s everything.”

�鶹ԭ�� First-Generation Student Is Finding Her Place in Space

Juzanne Martin | Photos by Antoine Hart — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 14:14:59 +0000

Born from the challenge of the Space Race, �鶹ԭ�� was created to transform imagination into innovation and prepare people to launch humanity beyond its limits. Today, we are still are a place where our people’s curiosity drives discovery, bold questions shape the future and exploration advances life on Earth.

Founded to reach the moon, we’re already on our way to the next frontier. Built for liftoff, America’s Space University celebrates �鶹ԭ�� Space Week Nov. 3-7.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Boldly Forge the Future of Space

Kaaliyah McGaughy still remembers the excitement that filled the room as she looked in awe at historic spacecrafts adorning the ceiling of an exhibit in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Most of her fifth-grade classmates saw a cool museum. McGaughy saw her future.

Ten years, one inspiring high school physics class and countless hours spent researching the path of an aerospace engineer later, McGaughy is contributing to space exploration as a third-year physics student at America’s Space University, just 35 miles west of where her dreams first took flight.

Today, as the university celebrates �鶹ԭ�� Space Week and First-Generation Student Awareness Week, her story serves as a strong example of the determination and daring spirit of Knights to boldly forge the way forward.

Here are a few things to know about the aspiring physicist:

She Chose �鶹ԭ�� Because of Its Strength in Engineering and Technology

SpaceU’s renowned engineering programs sealed the deal for McGaughy, who set her sights on studying aerospace engineering when she came to �鶹ԭ�� in 2021. For three years, she poured herself into the major — designing, testing and tinkering her way through classes that brought her closer to the world of aerospace that first sparked her imagination as a kid.

“When I came to �鶹ԭ�� during a campus visit in high school and I saw the engineering department — all of the works and creations they had in there — that really sold me,” McGaughy says. “I thought, ‘They’re doing amazing work here. They’re doing everything to make sure that space research, or any research and engineering, is continuously being done.’ I loved that.”

Her Journey of Discovery Isn’t Limited to the Stars

“I do a lot of what I do for my family. They sacrificed a lot to get me here today, and without them, I wouldn’t be here at all.”

As a proud first-generation college student, McGaughy is breaking ground closer to home, too — carving her own path through higher education and becoming a role model for her younger sister and family.

“I want to continuously make them happy and proud of me,” says McGaughy, who has received a first-generation scholarship to support her studies.

Ask her what she defines a first-generation student as, and she doesn’t hesitate: trailblazer. And she’s in the good company of thousands of them. At �鶹ԭ��, McGaughy’s surrounded by a vibrant community of ambitious leaders, bold thinkers and brilliant pioneers at a university that dares to invent the future.

Kaaliyah McGaughy standing in front of the �鶹ԭ�� Exolith Lab’s Lunar Highland Regolith Test Bin.

She Helped Build the �鶹ԭ�� Exolith Lab’s Regolith Bin

In Summer 2022, during her sophomore year, McGaughy landed a 12-week internship at ��’s Exolith Lab — a premier facility for space hardware testing with simulated moon, Martian and asteroid dirt, known as regolith, used in spaceflight research and development.

“We built a lot of things by hand. It was a very student-friendly environment, and a really good foundation for space-related studies.”

One of those hand-built projects was the world’s largest simulated lunar surface, housed within the lab’s Lunar Highland Regolith Test Bin (the regolith bin). Impressive in size — measuring 33 feet by 33 feet and filled with 240,000 pounds of simulant soil — it’s even bigger in potential, providing scientists at NASA and other space companies a realistic testbed for experiments and technologies like lunar rovers.

McGaughy’s fingerprints are literally part of the bin’s foundation. She contributed to the sketches and helped build the base by hand as one of only a handful of students involved in bringing the impressive project to life. The experience and her studies led her to a part-time senior lab engineer role, which provided her an opportunity to design and build an automated lift system for robots to enter the regolith bin for qualifying round of 2025 NASA Lunabotics Challenge.

She Recently Took a Leap and Changed Her Major to Align with Her Research Goals

As McGaughy grew as an engineering student, she found herself drawn to another path. Space wasn’t just a mystery to be admired — it was a place she wanted to understand.

“I wanted to do more of the research, learn about space and do more experimental things with that instead of more hands-on things with engineering.”

With support from faculty members like Pegasus Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences Daniel Britt, who founded the Exolith Lab, she switched her major from aerospace engineering to physics on the astronomy track.

Looking back, the future physicist knows the switch was the right call as she is now a research intern at the Exolith Lab.

“I’m glad I made the decision,” McGaughy says. “I still have engineering under my belt. I love it. I’d still do it in a heartbeat. But physics was just another avenue I wanted to explore.”

She Is Proud to Be Part of the SpaceU Community

If McGaughy’s journey shows anything, it’s that curiosity and determination can take you far — and at �鶹ԭ��, that same drive is everywhere.

�鶹ԭ�� Space Week, Nov. 3-7, puts that energy on full display, celebrating all the ways Knight Nation boldly pushes space forward — from advancing space research to supporting Florida’s expanding space economy to preparing the next generation of talent.

“To have something so significant dedicated to what you’re extremely interested in and passionate about — having that represented feels amazing,” she says. “It makes you feel connected. It makes you feel like you have a community.”

3 �鶹ԭ�� Students Honored with the 2024 Astronaut Scholarship

Paige Mulac — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 15:00:53 +0000

Established in 1984 by the surviving Mercury 7 astronauts, the Astronaut Scholarship aims to inspire university students to pursue scientific excellence and maintain the United States’ leadership in technology and innovation. The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) scholarships are awarded to outstanding students in STEM fields. According to the ASF, Astronaut Scholars are recognized for their “intelligence, ambition, self-motivation, high ethical standards, persistence, tenacity, adaptability, and a passion for science, exploration and innovation.”

Over its 40-year history, the ASF has awarded scholarships totaling over $9 million to more than 850 students. This year, 71 undergraduate students from 48 U.S. colleges and universities were named Astronaut Scholars, including three exceptional leaders from �鶹ԭ��.

Abigail Glover

To Abigail Glover, a Burnett Honors Scholar and mechanical engineering student at �鶹ԭ��, earning a prestigious award like the Astronaut Scholarship represents far more than just financial support. For her, it’s entry into a network of ambitious individuals sharing her passion for space, engineering and scientific discovery. Glover describes the Astronaut community as “a family of like-minded individuals who will always support you.”

Much of Glover’s research has focused on planetary science. Some of her undergraduate research initiatives include studying the influence of humidity on simulated lunar highlands regolith properties and terra mechanics. Currently, her Honors Undergraduate Thesis is on “Quantifying the Performance of the SPARTA Toolkit for use in Planetary Regolith Characterization Missions.”

Glover is a project manager with the Regolith Interactions for the Development of Extraterrestrial Rovers (RIDER) program at ��’s , where she coordinates with industry experts and leads a team focused on enhancing technologies for lunar regolith and rover wheel interaction. She has also worked with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems — assisting the Human Systems Integration team in preparing for Artemis II. Beyond her professional experiences, she founded the Lake-Sumter State College Astronomical Society in 2016. She also served as the social media and marketing chair for the �鶹ԭ�� chapter of the American Society for Mechanical Engineers and is the creative chair for Students for the Exploration and Development of Space at �鶹ԭ��.

Glover came to STEM from a background in art and theater, which initially left her feeling like an outsider in the world of engineering and research. In her first semester, she had difficulty adjusting to the demanding load of her STEM classes. With some encouragement from her mother, she returned to �鶹ԭ�� for her second semester with renewed determination.

“It has been a long journey of discovering my capabilities and limits, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she says.

Glover’s courage in asking questions and seeking new opportunities has been a powerful force in her development. A conversation with a professor led her to ��’s Exolith Lab, and a class interview connected her to the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars program, which set off a chain of experiences she says “opened doors to opportunities I would never have thought possible.” Glover has received multiple scholarships and awards throughout her academic career such as the Office of Undergraduate Research Grant, the Pell Grant, and the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

Looking ahead, Glover hopes to contribute to long-term lunar habitation. She envisions herself continuing with lunar regolith research and building systems for sustainable human presence beyond Earth’s atmosphere. However, Glover’s past experiences have inspired her to remain adaptable, confident that “life has a funny way of working out.”

Charlotte Moore

With a passion for astronomy and a double major in and physics, Burnett Honors Scholar Charlotte Moore sees research as a way to learn more about the universe. Her research journey began in her first year and has transformed her academic experience, allowing her to build meaningful relationships and discover the collaborative spirit of the STEM community.

With her sights set on a doctoral degree in astronomy, Moore plans to focus on galaxy mergers, especially in tidal features at higher redshifts. “Once I finish my Ph.D., I hope to work at a university or other research institution to continue my research,” she says. Currently, Moore is an undergraduate student researcher with Eric Bell from the University of Michigan working on the time constraints of the merger of Centaurus A from the Stellar Halo. She is also an undergraduate researcher with Theodora Karalidi, associate professor of physics at �鶹ԭ��, working on the impact of optical thickness on the polarization of the light of Jupiter.

Despite her accomplishments, Moore candidly acknowledges the challenge of imposter syndrome.

“There are very few moments where I haven’t had doubts about what I’m doing,” she says.

However, by immersing herself in new topics and projects, she has cultivated a sense of belonging in astronomy. Her hard work was marked by her first official publication, a moment that reinforced that she could make waves in the field of astronomy.

Moore credits her success to the incredible mentors she has encountered along her journey.

“Dr. Karalidi has always pushed me to pursue outside opportunities that will help me towards my goal of graduate school,” she says.

Additionally, she has benefited from the experiences of peers who have previously received the Astronaut Scholarship, utilizing their insights as she navigated her application process.

Beyond her academic pursuits, Moore is committed to helping others find their footing in research. As the secretary of the Society of Physics Students, she mentors fellow students, sharing her knowledge and experiences to guide them. Additionally, Moore has received multiple honors and awards, such as the Order of Pegasus in 2024, the Knights Achievement Scholarship, and the Allyn M. Stearman Scholarship. Moore embodies the academic excellence, commitment to community, and passion for discovery that the Astronaut Scholarship seeks to promote.

Luis Santori

As a second-time recipient of the Astronaut Scholarship Luis Santori, a Burnett Honors Scholar and mathematics major, also appreciates the opportunities the ASF community will offer for his growth as a researcher.

“The doors that the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation opens will be crucial to my career,” he says.

For Santori, the ASF community provides opportunities to collaborate, learn and grow as a researcher.

Santori is an undergraduate research assistant involved in multiple projects, including two with Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Adrienne Dove, associate professors in �鶹ԭ��’s Department of Physics, focusing on lunar craters and lunar regolith. He describes his mentors — Hanna, Dove, and Professor Eduardo Teixeira from the �鶹ԭ�� Department of Mathematics — as instrumental in his growth and development as a researcher.

Santori’s research journey has been transformative for both his academic and personal development.

“Research has fostered personal growth by keeping me curious and introducing me to subjects beyond my curriculum,” he says.

His research experiences have improved his communication skills, something that will be a necessity for him as he continues to promote his work.

Santori has also had to deal with the challenges that come with imposter syndrome, common in research where the uncertainty of discovery can lead to self-doubt. However, he reflects that by recognizing that it’s not productive to compare his path to the path of others, he has moved beyond this challenge. He also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a good work-life balance in sustaining a research career. His ability to work through these challenges and his dedication to his academic career have earned him the Allyn M. Stearman Research Fellowship, the Summer@ICERM 2023 Fellowship, and the 2024 NASA Exploration Science Forum Student Travel Grant.

Looking ahead, Santori plans to apply to doctoral programs in applied mathematics and planetary science, aiming to contribute to advancements in these fields. He is considering a career in academia, national labs or industry. With his passion and resilience, Santori is ready to make meaningful contributions to planetary science and mathematics as he continues on his academic journey as an Astronaut Scholar.

Those interested in the Astronaut Scholarship and other opportunities should reach out to the Office of Prestigious Awards at��OPA@ucf.edu.

��’s 27 Best Photos of 2024

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 15:00:27 +0000

Here’s a look at some of the most unforgettable photos of the year.

(Jan. 5 | Photo by Antoine Hart)

Electrical engineering doctoral student Ganesh Marasini tests real-life grid control operations in ��’s — a training ground for rising engineers to collaborate, learn and help reimagine the energy grid of the future.

(Jan. 10 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

Hundreds of fans celebrated �鶹ԭ�� men’s basketball’s upset win over No. 3 Kansas at Addition Financial Arena.

(Jan. 12 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

�鶹ԭ�� broke ground on the transformational Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion at Lake Nona, which is anticipated to open in 2025-26. The new 90,000 square-foot home of the College of Nursing will help �鶹ԭ�� graduate more highly qualified, compassionate nurses for the future.

(Jan. 31 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

A student practices with a manikin hand at ��’s state-of-the-art in the College of Nursing, which is equipped with advanced medical devices and technology to train nursing students for clinical practice.

(March 15 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

Since kicking off the outdoor season with a top 10 national ranking, the �鶹ԭ�� women’s track and field team has clocked some of the world’s fastest times this year.

(April 6 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

During the 10th anniversary of �鶹ԭ�� Celebrates the Arts — a��multi-day festival honoring creative expressions — artists competed in Creative Clash, a live art event where they raced against the clock to create large-format artwork with markers in front of spectators at Seneff Arts Plaza.

(May 4 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

A graduate walks across the stage during a Spring 2024 commencement ceremony that took place in Addition Financial Arena.

(May 30 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

Three students dove into their studies while hanging out in their dorm room at the .

(Aug. 2 | Photo by Jordan Smith)

A Summer 2024 graduate beams with pride, holding his diploma as he walks across the commencement stage.

(Aug. 30 | Photo by Nick Leyva ’15)

Knightro shows off a �鶹ԭ�� specialty license plate while filming a new at Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy’s Studio 500. To Knight Your Ride, click here.

(Sept. 6 | Photo by Antoine Hart)

�鶹ԭ�� students are conducting groundbreaking research at labs, paving the way for the future of space exploration and innovation.

(Sept. 7 | Photo by Mark Godin)

Two fighter aircrafts flew over FBC Mortgage Stadium during the pregame ceremony for the Family Weekend football game, where the Knights defeated the Sam Houston State University Bearkats, 45-14.

(Sept. 7 | Photo by Mark Godin)

Running back RJ Harvey crossed into the end zone for a touchdown during the Knight’s second home game of the season against Sam Houston.

(Sept. 17 | Photo by Nick Leyva ’15)

A student guides TapeMeasure, ��’s semiautonomous dog-like robot, up the steps of the John C. Hitt Library, demonstrating its advanced navigation capabilities for innovative research by students and faculty.

(Sept. 17 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

A member of �鶹ԭ�� Air Force ROTC Detachment 159 salutes while being filmed on campus for , showcasing �鶹ԭ�� as a place for those who dare to invent the future.

(Sept. 19 | Photo by Nick Leyva ’15)

Annika Emmett, a health sciences student, and Limbitless Solutions intern and past bionic arm recipient, tries on a bionic arm, showcasing its advanced technology that empowers children with limb differences.

(Sept. 24 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

This year, �鶹ԭ�� Downtown, in partnership with Valencia College, celebrates five years of educational excellence. The campus has welcomed more than 7,000 students and awarded 10,300 degrees since opening in 2019.

(Sept. 25 | Photo by Nick Leyva ’15)

Two space scientists operate a rover on the world’s largest simulated lunar surface, located in ��’s Exolith Lab. The lab’s Lunar Highland Regolith Test Bin was developed in partnership with the Florida Space Institute to support space exploration research.

(Sept. 28 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

Before the �鶹ԭ�� Knights took on the Colorado Buffaloes, two cheerleaders interacted with a young �鶹ԭ�� fan during Knight Walk at IOA Plaza, the lively pregame tradition where fans, the marching band, and the cheer and dance teams rally together to welcome the football team before kickoff.

(Oct. 12 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

��’s cheer team amped up the crowd as the Knights took on the University of Cincinnati Bearcats at FBC Mortgage Stadium.

(Oct. 24 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

Rapper NLE Choppa performed at Concert Knight presented by �鶹ԭ�� Homecoming at Addition Financial Arena.

(Oct. 25 | Photo by Paige Wilson ’17)

The cheer team hyped up the crowd with a high-energy stunt routine before students charged into the Reflecting Pond to catch homecoming rubber ducks at Spirit Splash.

(Oct. 25 | Photo by Paige Wilson ’17)

Knightro surfed over a crowd of students at Spirit Splash, ��’s biggest homecoming tradition.

(Oct. 25 | Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

During Spirit Splash, Knightro even secured a cowboy-themed rubber duck, celebrating this year’s theme: Cowboys vs. Aliens.

(Nov. 1 | Photo by Mark Godin)

Knightro posed with a constellation-themed SpaceU cape in front of a giant moon backdrop at ��’s 2024 SpaceU Luncheon, honoring the university’s ties to space exploration and innovation.

(Nov. 8 | Photo by Nick Leyva ’15)

�鶹ԭ�� President Alexander N. Cartwright stands next to rocket engines while touring facilities during a visit to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

�鶹ԭ�� Fuels America’s Space Program with Innovative Education, Medicine and Tech

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 19:15:48 +0000

As America’s Space University, the �鶹ԭ�� continues to drive advancements in space technology, medicine and workforce development, preparing students to lead in the evolving space industry. This commitment to the space sector will be celebrated at �鶹ԭ�� football’s annual Space Game on Saturday, Nov. 2, as the Knights take on the University of Arizona Wildcats, honoring ��’s roots in supporting the U.S. space program.

Founded in 1963 with the mission to provide talent for Central Florida and the growing U.S. space program, the university’s extensive involvement in space research and education not only drives innovations in space technology but also prepares the next generation of leaders in the field.

With more than 40 active NASA projects totaling more than $67 million in funding, �鶹ԭ�� continues to push the frontiers of space research, and its contributions promise to help shape the future of humanity’s presence in the cosmos.

��’s cutting-edge areas of space expertise include:

Space Medicine

��’s College of Medicine is pioneering new frontiers in aerospace medicine, positioning itself as a leader in space health research and education. Spearheaded by initiatives to create an interdisciplinary curriculum, �鶹ԭ�� is integrating expertise from engineering, medicine and nursing to address the unique health challenges of space exploration.

The college is building on existing research in space health, including innovative studies on the effects of microgravity on bone health, which could lead to improved protection for astronauts. Collaborations across disciplines, such as testing therapeutics for radiation protection and developing antimicrobial solutions for space station environments, highlight ��’s commitment to advancing astronaut health and shaping the future of space medicine.

Space Propulsion and Power

�鶹ԭ�� is advancing space propulsion with groundbreaking research that could make space travel more efficient and viable for future missions. Researchers are developing innovative hypersonic propulsion systems, such as rotating detonation rocket engines, which harness high-speed detonations to increase propulsion efficiency and reduce fuel consumption — an advancement that could significantly lower costs and emissions associated with space travel, creating new commercial opportunities in the industry. �鶹ԭ�� is taking its hypersonics research even further with its recently launched Center of Excellence in Hypersonic and Space Propulsion — the HyperSpace Center.

Additionally, �鶹ԭ�� teams are exploring novel power systems for spacecraft venturing far from the sun, where solar energy becomes impractical. With funding from NASA, researchers are creating storable chemical heat sources capable of providing essential heat and power in extreme environments, from the icy surfaces of distant moons to the intense heat of Venus.

A conceptual hypersonic aircraft is pictured. Background image credit: NASA. Aircraft and composite image credit: Daniel Rosato, �鶹ԭ��.

Space Technology and Engineering

�鶹ԭ�� is forging the future of space technology with innovations that push the boundaries of lunar and deep space exploration. Through advancements in lunar resource utilization, �鶹ԭ�� has developed methods to efficiently extract ice from lunar soil so that it can be transformed into vital resources like water and rocket fuel, while new techniques for processing lunar soil drastically reduce construction costs for infrastructure such as landing pads.

�鶹ԭ�� researchers are also pioneering 3D-printed bricks made from lunar regolith that withstand extreme space conditions, setting the foundation for resilient off-world habitats. Lunar regolith is the loose dust, rocks and materials that cover the moon’s surface.

��’s Exolith Lab, part of the , continues to lead in space hardware testing, advancing resource extraction and lunar construction technologies. Meanwhile, FSI’s CubeSat program is opening new doors in space exploration with compact, affordable satellites that give students and researchers access to microgravity and beyond.

Illustration of NASA astronauts on the lunar South Pole. Credit: NASA

Space Commercialization

�鶹ԭ��’s new space commercialization program — led by , College of Business professor of practice and associate provost for space commercialization and strategy — positions the university as a leader in space-related business education.

Autry will guide the college’s efforts to deliver Executive and MBA programs in space commercialization, driving curriculum development and establishing space-focused programs that equip students to lead in the growing commercial space industry.

In addition to the space commercialization��program, Autry will be working with external stakeholders, including NASA, the U.S. Space Force and commercial firms like Blue Origin, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, to develop opportunities to advance mutual interests in space.

This includes working with Kennedy Space Center to lead a State University System partnership with the state of Florida to develop the necessary talent to maintain and expand Florida’s leadership in space exploration and commercialization.

Autry will also be leading ��’s effort to develop and execute a roadmap for the university’s SpaceU brand through targeted investments in talent and facilities.

Space Domain Awareness

�鶹ԭ�� is advancing space domain awareness research to protect critical assets in orbit by developing sophisticated algorithms for tracking and predicting the movement of objects such as satellites and asteroids, so they don’t collide with spacecraft. Under the guidance of aerospace engineering expert Tarek Elgohary, �鶹ԭ�� researchers are creating a computational framework to rapidly and accurately track space objects in real time. This initiative is backed by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research Dynamic Data and Information Process Program.

�鶹ԭ�� is also addressing the growing issue of orbital debris through a NASA-funded study that includes researchers from ��’s FSI and . This project seeks to increase public awareness and support for managing space debris, a hazard to satellites and potential space tourism ventures.

Simulation of orbital debris around Earth demonstrating the object population in the geosynchronous region.
Credits: NASA ODPO

Workforce Development

�鶹ԭ�� is propelling students toward dynamic careers in the space industry with hands-on programs and sought-after internship opportunities. Through the new engineering graduate certificate in electronic parts engineering, developed in collaboration with NASA, students are gaining essential skills in testing and evaluating space-ready electronic components — a key advantage for aspiring space professionals.

Additionally, �鶹ԭ�� students can benefit from hands-on internships at Kennedy Space Center, where they gain real-world experience in various fields, from engineering to project management.

At the , students gain direct experience in microgravity research and robotics. The center embodies ��’s commitment to democratizing space access, offering pathways for students from all backgrounds to participate in and contribute to the growing space industry.

FSI’s CubeSat program further immerses students in satellite design and operation, offering direct involvement in active space missions.

Cubesat constructed at �鶹ԭ��’s Florida Space Institute (Photo by Antoine Hart)

Planetary Science

�鶹ԭ��’s planetary science program is driving breakthroughs in space exploration with projects spanning the moon, Mars and beyond. The NASA-funded Lunar-VISE mission, led by �鶹ԭ��, will explore the Gruithuisen domes on the far side of the moon to understand their volcanic origins, potentially unlocking insights crucial for future space exploration.

Complementing this, �鶹ԭ�� researchers are contributing to NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer mission, which will map water ice deposits on the moon — an essential resource for sustained stays in space. On another front, �鶹ԭ�� scientists are studying dust behavior in microgravity through experiments that flew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, potentially leading to strategies for mitigating lunar dust, a challenge for electronics and equipment on future missions.

Expanding its reach beyond the moon, ��’s planetary science research involves asteroid studies, including the high-profile OSIRIS-REx mission to asteroid Bennu and examining seismic wave propagation in simulated asteroid materials to understand asteroid evolution and early planetary formation. �鶹ԭ�� is also home to the , a node of NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, which facilitates NASA’s exploration of deep space by focusing its goals at the intersection of surface science and surface exploration of rocky, atmosphereless bodies.

Additionally, �鶹ԭ�� researchers are studying trans-Neptunian objects and using the James Webb Space Telescope to explore the solar system’s outer reaches, analyzing ancient ices to uncover clues about the solar system’s history, while also investigating exoplanets to advance our understanding of other planets and to search for life beyond Earth.

In parallel, �鶹ԭ�� researchers are also advancing bold ideas for terraforming Mars through nanoparticle dispersion to create warming effect, making the Red Planet potentially more habitable.

�鶹ԭ�� researchers have also contributed their expertise to multiple high-profile NASA missions, including Cassini, Mars Pathfinder, Mars Curiosity, and New Horizons.

Lunar-VISE landing site. Credit: NASA / Arizona State University / LROC Team

Advancing Astrophotonics, History and Policy

��’s space research spans pioneering astrophotonics technology, studies in space history and critical analyses in space policy, each offering unique insights into the universe. The within CREOL, the College of Optics and Photonics, is pushing the boundaries of photonics and astronomy, using tools like photonic lanterns, fiber optics, and hyperspectral imaging to detect cosmic phenomena and address profound questions about dark energy.

Meanwhile, delves into space history, exploring the cultural and scientific impacts of milestones like the Apollo missions and the Space Shuttle program, helping illuminate humanity’s journey into space.

The contributes to this comprehensive approach with its broad studies of space policy, both domestically and internationally, including examining military space policy and rising space powers. The work involves studying space law, international agreements, and policy frameworks that guide space activities, which is essential for addressing the governance and strategic planning needed for space exploration and utilization.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop the mobile launcher at Launch 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Image credit: NASA/Steve Seipel

Pioneering Tomorrow’s Space Exploration

�鶹ԭ�� is pushing the frontiers of space research and education, tackling today’s challenges while preparing for the demands of future space missions. As the new space race continues, ��’s forward-thinking approach will continue to drive progress, inspire new possibilities and expand humanity’s reach into the universe.

Robot Rovers on the “Moon”: Lunabotics Challenge Preps Students for Space Careers

Margot Winick — Thu, 09 May 2024 15:10:59 +0000

More than 40 college teams from across the U.S. designing and building autonomous vehicles will soon find out if they are capable of navigating and conducting missions on a simulated lunar surface resembling the moon.

The robot rovers won’t be going into space — but they will face the next best challenge: to build a berm structure which would be useful to NASA’s Artemis program for navigating during lunar landings and launches, shading cryogenic propellant tank farms, providing radiation protection around a nuclear power plant and other mission-critical uses.

NASA created the Lunabotics Challenge in support of the Artemis program. ��’s Florida Space Institute and its Exolith Lab will host the first round, sponsored by Caterpillar Inc., on May 11-14. The top 10 teams will advance to the demonstrations phase of the competition at the Kennedy Space Center May 15-17.

At �鶹ԭ��, students will be testing and showcasing their rovers in the same regolith bin that NASA, the European Space Agency and many companies use to evaluate and improve new equipment and technologies before launching them into space. Leaders in key industries that are important to Florida’s and the region’s workforce will serve as judges.

“Lunabotics gives students from throughout the United States an unrivaled opportunity to apply their knowledge of robotics and space to NASA’s design and construction processes,” says Winston Schoenfeld, �鶹ԭ�� interim vice president for research. “The future of our space and many other high-tech industries depends on preparing a talented workforce that can innovate and work in highly collaborative team environments.”

Each team of college students has spent months designing and building a robot rover to NASA specifications that, during this challenge, will autonomously navigate a lunar-simulated arena and excavate regolith. They will compete two teams at a time per round, being given a set amount of time to collect regolith from the construction zone and dump it into a berm zone. Teams will be judged on a variety of factors, chiefly, the size of the berm they are able to build up in the regolith material with the rover.

The top 10 teams then travel to Kennedy Space Center for the culminating event, to demonstrate the operation of their functional tele-operated or autonomous robot to complete the lunar construction tasks. Students benefit from participating and having their work evaluated by NASA and private sector engineers, technicians and educators. NASA benefits by assessing student designs and data the same way it does for its own designs, encouraging innovation in student designs and identifying clever solutions to the many challenges inherent in future Artemis missions.

“NASA’s Artemis program is our plan to return humanity to the surface of the moon in a way that is sustainable over the long term.�� And the task of robotically building berm structures will be important for preparation and support of crewed lunar missions.�� These competing teams are not only building critical engineering skills that will assist their future careers, but they are literally helping NASA prepare for our future Artemis missions,” says NASA Software Developer & In-Situ Resource Specialization (ISRU) Researcher Kurt Leucht.

Founded to help fuel talent for the nearby space industry, �鶹ԭ�� continues to build its reputation as SpaceU. NASA, with more than 50 years of research support from �鶹ԭ��, has advanced its Artemis program with the goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the moon and preparing for missions to Mars. Prominent �鶹ԭ�� space researchers are actively engaged in multiple collaborations with NASA — particularly within the Artemis program — and 29% of Kennedy Space Center employees are �鶹ԭ�� alums.

“Students are taking on a challenge that also faces all of our top space agencies and companies — how can we design and build an autonomous vehicle that can reliably perform tasks on the surface of the moon?” says Julie Brisset, interim director of ��’s Florida Space Institute. “The hands-on experience is invaluable for students and will help set them up for success on their campuses and in their future careers.”

Soil simulants used in the Lunabotics Challenge at �鶹ԭ�� are created from crushed minerals. Once produced by ��’s Exolith Lab, this regolith is now manufactured by a successful spinoff company, Space Resource Technologies. Other sponsors include Allen & Company, Lunar Outpost, Riegl USA and Venturi Astrolab.

��’s Lunabotics Challenge 2024 Team members include Cielo Torres, Zachary Weisiger, Gavin Fitzgerald, Jacob LIorca, Thomas Jaycard and Lee Marshall, who serves as captain. Not pictured: Samantha Simmons, Alfredo Nazario, Connor Smith, Caden Brock. (Photo by Antoine Hart)

As for the �鶹ԭ�� Team, comprised of nine mechanical engineering and computer science students, learning how to work together as a team was as worthwhile an output as the lunar robot itself.

“Our ‘move fast and break things’ mindset has led to lots of creativity flowing to solve problems that came up with the design,” says Lee Marshall, who serves as team lead for �鶹ԭ��.

Their biggest challenge was creating a custom mechanical solution from scratch for the controls, according to Marshall. For the robot rover, materials came from 3D printers, an Xbox Connect being used as a camera and depth sensor, and other materials found in the Robotics Club lab.

“From observing the team, you can see their dedication, innate drive and determination to make it through the qualifying event,” says Crystal Maraj, faculty advisor for the �鶹ԭ�� Robotics Club and an assistant professor with the Institute for Simulation and Training. “It takes a lot of time and effort, and I applaud these students for their success to iterate the design and utility of the robot for competition.”

Members of the public will be able to watch the competition rounds of the Lunabotics Challenge on the Florida Space Institute’s YouTube Channel. The Lunabotics .

Reaching Further for the Stars

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 18:21:18 +0000

Since its founding in 1963, �鶹ԭ�� has had close ties to the space industry. In the early 1990s, �鶹ԭ�� professors would go to Kennedy Space Center to teach graduate programs to NASA employees. When NASA’s budgets were cut, �鶹ԭ�� proposed to NASA to research nondestructive testing methods so the agency wouldn’t have to destroy rocket engines and shuttle tiles, saving money. By the 1980s, it was estimated that �鶹ԭ�� graduates comprised at least 30% of the workforce of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and its partners, according to Ray Lugo ’79, an aerospace engineering alum and Center for the Advancement of Science in Space chief operating officer.

As the university grew in enrollment over the decades, so did the programs around the campus, as well as the campus itself. Space research was part of the expansion. While �鶹ԭ�� had done research and served as a talent pipeline for the space industry, the administration wanted to extend its reach even further. In August 2002, Humberto Campins, Pegasus Professor in the Department of Physics, joined the university as provost research professor of physics and astronomy and head of the Planetary and Space Science Group. Campins joined the university with an extensive research background in asteroids, comets and small planetary bodies. While at the University of Arizona from 1998 to 2002, he was part of a team that submitted a proposal that became the OSIRIS REx mission,��the first U.S. mission to collect a sample from an asteroid.

Campins would be tasked with developing the planetary sciences program, though it took a few times to get him to join �鶹ԭ��. As Florida Space Grant Consortium director from 1994 to 1998, Campins got to know former professor and department chair Brian Tonner. Tonner pitched the opportunity to Campins, but he had started his job as the program officer at the Research Corporation and as research faculty at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory of the University of Arizona in Tucson. However, Campins would get a final offer that would lead to him considering moving to Orlando.

“I liked my job in Tucson, and I turned them down, and then that turned into another invitation and another,” Campins says. “I had another invitation to attend a workshop on physics pedagogy. I attended a workshop that turned into a third offer that was good enough that I said, ‘You know what? I might want to take a chance.’”

Lifting Off

Campins’ first two hires brought extensive planetary science research behind them. In 2003, Dan Britt joined �鶹ԭ�� as a professor of astronomy and planetary sciences, having worked on the Mars Pathfinder mission and done large-scale asteroid research. In 2005, Yan Fernandez was hired as an assistant professor in physics, having studied comets and asteroids for 11 years prior.

The following year, two hires would expand the physics department and ��’s space research goals as Joshua Colwell and Joe Harrington were hired as assistant professors. Colwell came to the university having worked on the NASA Cassini mission since some of its earliest planning stages in 1990 and was part of the design and observation planning for the Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph, or UVIS, on the multi-instrument spacecraft. In 2019, Colwell and Richard Jerousek ’06 ’09MS ’18PhD, a former student of Colwell and current physics department lecturer, used UVIS data recorded by Cassini to measure and describe the structure of Saturn’s largest innermost ring, the C Ring.

Harrington led the Spitzer Exoplanet Target of Opportunity Program, which measured exoplanet eclipses and transits with the Spitzer Space Telescope. He was also part of the development of the Bayesian Atmospheric Radiative Transfer, an open-source, reproducible research code for inferring the properties of exoplanet atmospheres, for which he won the 2011 College of Sciences Excellence in Research Award.

Britt, Colwell and Harrington are now Pegasus Professors, with Colwell as physics department chair and Harrington associate vice president for research.

Raising the Profile

As with many start-ups, there were early challenges in developing the planetary sciences program. However, with help from the administration, such as Tonner, M.J. Soileau, CREOL’s founding director, and Michael Johnson, then-dean of the College of Sciences and current provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, the program was able to grow over time. The research also helped increase the university’s profile, which helped administrative support.

The 2010s saw ��’s space research evolve through their partnerships with various institutions. In 2012, the Florida Space Institute (FSI) was re-chartered to allow for an extensive research portfolio. That same year, FSI was also relocated from near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to the Central Florida Research Park in Orlando, closer to �鶹ԭ�� and its research efforts. FSI also managed the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, the largest fully operational radio telescope on the planet, leading to enhanced planetary research and discoveries such as a��moon orbiting a near-Earth asteroid. Recently, Noemi Pinilla-Alonso an associate scientist at FSI, was part of a team studying the��size and composition of Dinkinesh, an asteroid NASA’s Lucy mission visited this month. Britt is part of the science team for the mission.

A year after FSI was re-chartered, ��’s Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science (CLASS) launched via a $6 million NASA grant in 2013. CLASS facilitated one of ��’s key space contributions: The Exolith Lab. The lab develops and produces Martian, lunar and asteroid regolith simulants and works with NASA in addition to conducting its own research, led by Britt, Zoe Landsman ’11 ’17PhD and Anna Metke.

��’s Martian formula is based on the chemical signature of the soils on Mars collected by the Curiosity rover, allowing researchers to have a more accurate simulant for the many research uses, such as plant growth, vehicle testing, processing and more.

“It’s really important to have a good handle of the mineralogy of the stuff you’re going to be working with because that really dictates the chemistry and the physical properties of the surface you’re going to be working on,” Britt says.

Research Now and Beyond

Recent studies are pushing ��’s understanding of space even further. In 2020, Kareem Ahmed, an assistant professor in ��’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and his team developed a��new rocket propulsion system, leading more power to be generated from the rocket, traveling further while using less fuel and burning cleaner. In 2021, aerospace engineering Associate Professor Tarek Elgohary, along with his research students, used analytical and computational methods and machine learning to ensure��spacecraft don’t collide with each other or space junk. The research is supported by the Federal Aviation Administration and Lockheed Martin Space.

Last year, Associate Professor Ranajay Ghosh and his team discovered a way to turn��lunar regolith into 3D-printed bricks that could be used during space colonization. Using lunar regolith from the Exolith Lab, the bricks were made by 3D printing and binder jet technology (BJT), an additive manufacturing method that forces out a liquid binding agent (in this case, saltwater) onto a bed of powder.

Future space research will see Professors Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Adrienne Dove lead a robotics mission studying the��moon’s Gruithuisen Domes, a previously unexplored area. Launching in 2026, the researchers will examine the domes’ makeup and how dust interacts with the spacecraft and a rover. The $35 million mission will help inform future robotic and human exploration of the moon and may also help researchers better understand Earth’s history and other planets in the solar system.

For Donaldson Hanna, the range of planetary science research within the physics department drew her to �鶹ԭ��. She saw intriguing ways she could collaborate with people on various research possibilities.

“Just seeing how committed to space science and space exploration the university itself is, it’s certainly nice and fun to be in an environment where what you’re doing is celebrated and is exciting,” Donaldson Hanna says.

While �鶹ԭ�� has worked with the space industry since its inception, the work done in the early 2000s helped take the university’s space research closer to the stars. From bringing in new faculty to help shape emerging departments to administrative decisions that would provide an immersive environment for space research, this period began a new era that saw Knight researchers Charge On to further understand our universe.

From Outer Space to Garden Space

Robert Stephens — Fri, 05 May 2023 16:51:54 +0000

Literally speaking, the moon is 238,000 miles from every schoolyard in the United States. Mars is an average of 140 million miles away. Figuratively, however, slices of the moon and Mars are landing in classrooms across the country. They arrive inside an 11-inch by ��8-inch box. When students open the box, they pull out ph strips and an 11-pound bag of lab-made moon dust or Mars dust. There’s also a list of guidelines for the Plant the Moon and Plant Mars Challenge.

“For a student in kindergarten through high school, this has to be one of the coolest projects they’ll ever do,” says industrial engineering major Konrad Krol, who also serves as the operations director for , maker of the extraterrestrial “soils.”

Plant the Moon and Plant Mars Challenges are outgrowths of a partnership between Exolith and researchers at NASA and �鶹ԭ��. The soils in each kit are technically “simulated regoliths” — replicates of the materials you’d find on the surfaces of the moon and Mars. They can be rooted back to samples NASA has collected over the years from the real moon and data collected from the real Mars. Researchers use the samples and data to identify mineral compositions on extraterrestrial bodies (the moon, Mars, Mercury, and asteroids). They then determine which minerals here on Earth most closely mirror the real thing. Exolith uses those findings to create recipes for the simulants.

“What we make is as close to the real thing that you can find,” says Krol. “I’m still amazed every time I put my hands in it.”

Two years ago, the teams at �鶹ԭ�� and NASA decided it would be a good idea to allow curious K-12 students to put their hands in it, too. The Plant the Moon and Plant Mars Challenges bring to mind scenes from the movies Apollo 13 andThe Martian: You have 10 weeks to take what you find in the box and grow a whole-plant meal, as if you’re a hungry astronaut trying to live off the fat of another planet.

As science projects go, how do you top that? The kit alone is a wonder of sorts.

Konrad Krol holds a sample of a simulate soil and rocks used to help create it while inside the �鶹ԭ�� Exolith Lab (Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)

“We have to find the minerals for the recipe,” Krol says. “We source them from remote regions in Greenland, Germany, Canada, and the U.S.”

So, when students open that 11-pound bag and stuff their hands inside, they might not be pulling out particles directly from the moon or Mars. But it’s still rare. And again, thanks to decades of research, it’s close to authentic.

The participants find out real fast that nurturing a plant in space is just as the name of the contest suggests: a challenge. There are no organics on the moon. No worms. No bugs. No rose petals or coffee grounds. Students can add their own ingredients to the soil that arrives in the kit, but in the process they gain an appreciation for the goal behind decades of research: sustaining life in space.

“The students don’t need a deep science background or an interest in engineering to do this,” Krol says. “We’ve seen the challenge ignite a passion.”

The passion is spreading. For the first Plant the Moon and Plant Mars Challenges in 2021, Exolith sent out kits to 40 student teams, mostly based in Florida. For the most recent Spring 2023 challenges, Exolith sent kits to 800 teams comprised of 20,000 participants from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

“This kind of work excites me every day,” says Kathleen Loftin ’89 ’00MS ’09Phd. As the center chief technologist at Kennedy Space Center, she leads a team of researchers discovering how to sustain life by growing food away from Earth. “For the space program to continue to push boundaries, we need people from all backgrounds involved.”

NASA calls today’s students “the Artemis generation.” They’ll be needed for expertise in business, psychology, marketing, humanities and technology — who knows, maybe for interplanetary agriculture, too.

“There should be no barriers,” Krol says. “We want anyone who’s curious, intelligent, or creative to have access to this challenge.”

“There should be no barriers. We want anyone who’s curious, intelligent, or creative to have access to this challenge.” — Konrad Krol, operations director for ��’s Exolith Lab

Grants from NASA have helped get the soils into schools where the $400 kit isn’t in the budget. Just as important are the video lessons from NASA experts who share knowledge that has taken several lifetimes to collect.

It’s working. The projects are improving. Some of the student-made labs look like professional plant-growth labs. Students have figured out how to grow broccoli, kale, butterbeans and buckwheat. Some can’t get anything but sticks to pop out of their versions of the moon and Mars.

“That’s OK,” Krol says. “Their findings about ‘what not to do’ are valuable, too.”

They could win Best in Show in the category of Evaluation of Results. A team with a thriving little garden could win for Best Plant Growth. A creative idea might be in the running for Innovation, and a well-documented project for Experimental Design.

“I remember some of my school science projects,” says Krol. “They were nothing compared to this. Imagine what these kids will be talking about.”

For my science project … I grew mung beans on the moon. Do you want to hear about it?