Graduate students named
NASA/UD space fellows announced

Three graduate students– Glenn C. Gardner, mechanical engineering; Michelle L. Stevenson, geography; and Asif-ud-Doula, physics and astronomy–have received National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Delaware Space Grant Consortium (DESGC) 12-month fellowships.

DESGC was established in 1991 to administer NASA's National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. The Bartol Research Institute at UD, as the lead institution, receives an annual NASA grant for programs supporting space research, education, outreach, student scholarships and special initiative programs. NASA support is matched by member's contributions.??

Since the inception of the DESGC program 10 years ago, UD has had 23 space grant fellows and has awarded 39 fellowships.

Glenn C. Gardner received his bachelor's degree in engineering from UD. His undergraduate research included the design and fabrication of a gravity-balanced planar mechanism intended to help muscular dystrophy patients perform physical therapy exercises independently. His current research involves theoretical and experimental investigations into the acoustic properties of polymeric foam. These materials are used as acoustic treatments in both aircraft and spacecraft. His adviser is Jain Sun, mechanical engineering.

Michelle L. Stevenson received her bachelor's degree in environmental science from the UD. Her current research involves the validation of satellite and blended precipitation estimates for the Amazon Basin with a gridded rain gauge product. Her adviser is Cort Willmott, geography.

Asif-ud-Doula received his bachelor's degree with a double major in physics and mathematics from the City College of New York. He spent one academic year at Oklahoma State University and one year at Florida Institute of Technology before joining UD's graduate program. His current research concerns the magnetic modulation of hot stellar winds. Hot star winds are driven by light, and magnetic field can influence their properties considerably. His adviser is Stanley Owocki, Bartol Research Institute.

–Jerry Rhodes

Photo by Kathy Flickinger