UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAM IN ASTROPHYSICS (URPA)

The URPA program at SCSU provides undergraduates who have some prior experience with space science research the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge space science research at premier astrophysical facilities throughout the US.

URPA funded and facilitated student internships during three summers from 2001 through 2003 at the following institutions:

• Goddard Space Flight Center
• Lawrence Livermore National Lab
• Kitt Peak National Observatory
• Planetary Science Institute
• John Hopkins Applied Physics Lab.
  
• University of South Carolina

While at these institutions the URPA students have been engaged in the:

• Analysis of STIS spectra of Eta Carinae
• Analysis of STIS spectra of quasars
• Photometry of a globular cluster
• Classifying light curves from MACHO
• Development of cryogenic CCDs
• Study of solar prominence motions
• Search for asteroids, KBOs
• MESSENGER spacecraft
  

 

Summary of URPA Students 2001-2003

A total of 10 students participated

5 students are now enrolled in graduate programs

1 in atmospheric science at Howard University
1 in physics at the University of North Carolina
1 in physics at Clemson University
1 in material science at Norfolk State University
1 in mathematics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

1 student returned to previous employment at NASA GISS

2 students are employed outside of the space science field

2 students’ whereabouts are unknown

Student home institutions included South Carolina State University, Elizabeth City State University, Hunter College, University of the Virgin Islands, Norfolk State University, and State University of California at Northridge.

Presentations at:

• AAS meeting January 2003
• National NASA PAIR meeting
• NASA/NSF/TSU Student Research Symposium
• South Carolina Academy of Science
• Student Research Day at Local Institutions
  

 

Student Publications:

• Kucera, et. al., 2003, Solar Physics, 212, 81

 

Highlights from the first three years of the program include:

2001

2002

2003

 

• Lawrence Livermore National Lab (scroll to middle of page)
• Search for new asteroids: Arizona Daily Star article and NSF article.
• Messenger Project

Funded by NASA's Office of Space Science under NAG 5-10145 and NASA's Minority University Space Interdisciplinary Network (MU-SPIN) under NCC 5-534

 

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