MDSGC supports hands-on learning opportunities and scholarships in higher education, professional development for educators, and public events to engage Marylanders in space science and engineering.
Applications for for Summer 2025 are still open. Each year, student interns are placed at participating MDSGC universities for a paid 10-week internship experience. Visit the 2025 Summer Exchange page to view information about this summer’s projects. The priority application deadline was March 5, 2025. Students may still apply for open positions until the placement process concludes in early May.
The MDSGC Summer Exchange program supports qualified students from participating universities to partake in hands-on summer internships at any of the other participating institutions. Interested students should contact the faculty coordinator (see below) at their home institution. Currently, the participating institutions and faculty coordinators are:
Update: The RockOn application for 2025 has closed. Congratulations to the Maryland teams who were accepted! This page will be updated when information about the 2026 application becomes available.
RockOn, a workshop at Wallops Flight Facility for sounding rocket payload design, is an exciting chance for faculty and students to kickstart payload projects at their home institutions. Participants in the workshop will build a working scientific payload and then see it launch on a real sounding rocket!
MDSGC intends to sponsor one or more teams for each year’s workshop and encourages Maryland students and/or faculty to submit applications for team sponsorship! For 2025, the RockOn application deadline was February 14, 2025. If you are interested for this year or an upcoming year, please visit NASA’s RockOn page to apply and also contact MDSGC to let us know of your interest.
Here is a summary of important information about RockOn 2025:
Application deadline is 02/14/25 – but why wait?
1 faculty mentor from the applicant institution must be willing to attend.
2 students from the applicant institution must be able to commit to attending.
Attending faculty and students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Workshop dates are June 20-27, 2025.
Location is NASA/Wallops, with hotels nearby in Chincoteague, VA.
In order for you to participate, NASA must select your application – it’s not automatic.
MDSGC will pay the workshop registration and travel costs for as many Maryland institutions/participants as possible, subject to the availability of funds.
The 2024 MDSGC Student Research Symposium was held on Friday, August 2, beginning at 8 a.m. EDT. The venue was the Mt. Washington Conference Center in Baltimore, MD. For GPS navigation, aim for “Johns Hopkins At Mt. Washington, Smith Avenue, Baltimore, MD” (link) and park in the nearby visitor parking lot/garage. Here is an image from Google showing the relative locations of parking and the conference venue:
This year’s symposium showcased presentations by student interns and researchers working at sites across Maryland. The cohort of presenters represented diverse institutions, including: Capitol Technology University, Hagerstown Community College, Morgan State University, NASA, Towson University, University of Maryland Baltimore County, University of Maryland College Park, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
The program follows.
2024 MDSGC Student Research Symposium
8:00 a.m.
Registration opens.
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Poster setup and networking. Breakfast provided.
9:00 – 10:20 a.m.
Oral Presentation Session 1.
10:20 – 10:30 a.m.
Group Photos.
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Poster Session.
11:30 – 12:55 p.m.
Oral Presentation Session 2.
12:55 – 2:00 p.m.
Lunch and small group discussion.
Oral Presentation Session 1, 9:00 – 10:20 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
Welcome and Introductory Remarks — Dr. Matt Collinge, MDSGC Deputy Director
9:10 a.m.
Launching Dreams: The Impact of Space Grant on My Career and Future Aspirations — Saimah Siddiqui (UMCP/JHU)
Saimah Siddiqui graduated in May 2024 with bachelor’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Mathematics from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her academic journey was notably shaped by her involvement in the Space Grant program, where she served as the Senior Launch Director for the Balloon Payload Program (BPP). This role provided her with invaluable hands-on experience and technical skills in aerospace technology.
Currently, Saimah is preparing to pursue a Master’s degree in Space Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. With a strong foundation built through her recent education and leadership experiences in the Space Grant program, she is eager to advance her expertise and contribute to the field of space exploration and technological innovation.
9:40 a.m.
Sustainable Lunar Agriculture: Assessing the Impacts of Two Different Types of Lunar Regolith Simulant on Crop Growth — Leon Kelly (Duke/UMES)
The objectives of NASA’s Artemis project are to “Go, Land, Live, and Explore,” representing a comprehensive approach to lunar exploration. “Go” is launching missions to the Moon, “Land” is safely landing astronauts, “Live” is establishing sustainable living conditions, and “Explore” is conducting scientific investigations to expand human presence on the Moon. To achieve “Live,” a lunar settlement must sustain itself to support ongoing exploration. Our project addresses the challenges of sustaining astronauts by examining the growth of food crops on lunar regolith simulants using space-saving technologies such as aeroponics (growing plants without soil, in which the roots are suspended in the air and misted with a nutrient-rich water solution) and farmbot (an open-source farming technology that combines robotics, automation, and software to facilitate precision farming in small-scale agricultural settings) for plant cultivation. In addition, we investigated the effects of two types of lunar regolith simulants: Lunar Highland Simulant 1 (LHS-1) and Mexico Lunar Mare 1 (MLM-1) on the growth of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and kale (Brassica oleracea), utilizing various mixtures of regolith simulants infused with horse manure under controlled conditions of light and water. Our findings revealed that higher concentrations of regolith simulants supported better plant growth that could be attributed to the growing layer of yellowish-green lichen, Rhizocarpon geographicum, a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus and an alga. This study highlights the potential of regolith-based substrates and symbiotic organisms to support crop cultivation in the lunar environment.
During the internship at University of Maryland College Park we created an Articulating Rover as a “body” or testbed for the BIG Ideas project and future projects. The BIG Ideas project is a program where students work with NASA to create innovative and groundbreaking projects. They are currently designing wheels for the Lunar and Martian rover(s), using CAD and testing wheels for traction along with an inflatable devicel, with grousers, to help the rover cover more ground. The Articulating Lunar Rover (Luna) consists of two boxes and rotating joints made of aluminum, 3D printed Models of the BIG Ideas inflatable wheel designs, and a circuit to actuate the wheels. The Arduino Uno is the main part of the circuit which is connected to a joystick (which is tethered to the Rover), and four motors for rotating the wheels. The process of building the project is very rewarding, even though there were some time constraints and limited resources, we gained a lot of experience in programming with an Arduino, and circuitry.
10:00 a.m.
Evaluation of Precipitation Phase Algorithms in Southern New England — Connor Mahone (UMBC/NASA)
Precipitation’s global distribution, anomaly, and extremes are fundamental in nature. There are three sequential questions to determine the precipitation climatology: Is it precipitating? What is the phase of the precipitation? What is the amount of precipitation? The response to these three questions comes with uncertainty. The oceans cover over 70% of Earth’s surface, therefore satellite-based precipitation products are the sole source of global precipitation mapping. NASA’s gauge-adjusted multi-satellite product, IMERG, has been operated and funded by the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission and is the most used precipitation product globally. The poor coverage of ground-based precipitation measurements across the land surface is one of the key reasons for the high demand for external precipitation resources. NOAA’s Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) with high spatial and temporal resolution precipitation mapping using national weather radar and multiple gauge platforms, was adopted by the GPM program as a validation product for satellite-based precipitation estimates from IMERG.
Both IMERG and MRMS have their own precipitation phase algorithms. MRMS’s deterministic algorithm relies on High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) air and wet-bulb temperature forecast, while IMERG’s probabilistic algorithm uses European Reanalysis (ERA5) wet-bulb estimates. This study aims to evaluate these two algorithms utilizing data from a three-winter-long field campaign in Connecticut. The campaign included an All-In-One (AIO) weather station, laser-optical PARSIVEL disdrometer, Precipitation Imaging Package (PIP), and Micro-Rain-Radar (MRR) among other instruments. MRMS and IMERG algorithms utilizing the AIO temperatures are used as references. MRMS and IMERG algorithms utilizing HRRR, ERA5, and NASA’s global modeling and assimilation office (MERRA-2) reanalysis have been evaluated. The phase algorithms of particle size and fall velocity-based PARSIVEL, PIP-derived and MRR-measured Doppler fall speed, and PIP-based bulk and equivalent density provided independent resources for the evaluation of MRMS and IMERG algorithms. The study focused on phase transition events but also included snow events.
10:10 a.m.
Poster Flash Talks
Exploration of Emergent Technologies In Sustainable Lunar Agricultural Engineering — Alena Zheng (UMCP/UMES)
Thermal Analysis of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — Francesca Sciarretta (UMCP/NASA)
NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) — Ismail Shah (Oxon Hill HS)
Diamagnetic Loop Diagnostics in CMFX — Justin James (HCC/UMCP)
Articulated/Segmented Body Lunar Rover with Pivoting Joints — Danny Puwo (UMES/UMCP)
Evaluation of Precipitation Amount Products in Mid-Atlantic and Southern New England — Amalie Rebstock (UMBC/NASA)
Radiative Cooling Properties in Cellulose Materials — Bryan Yang (UMBC/UMES)
New Insulators and Mechanical Supports to Prevent Arcing in CMFX — Ismail Aadan (UMCP)
Design of an Arc Chamber for Plasma Impedance Matching — Makai Martin (UMES/UMBC)
Group Photos, 10:20-10:30 a.m.
Poster Session, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Exploration of Emergent Technologies In Sustainable Lunar Agricultural Engineering — Alena Zheng (UMCP/UMES)
Smart agriculture employs advanced technologies to improve the productivity and quality of crops while simultaneously reducing labor with autonomous systems. FarmBot, an open-source robotic farming device, can be programmed to assist with planting, watering, and weeding. This advanced agricultural machinery has applications extending beyond Earth to potential space agricultural settings. Our project involves a focus on utilizing the watering aspect of the FarmBot to sustain our set-up of growing spinach with two lunar regolith simulant soils of varying concentrations. The spinach (Spinacia oleracea) plants exhibited the best growth, as indicated by the largest leaf widths, in the 75% regolith simulant concentrations for both types of simulants. This is determined to be due to the appearance of crustose lichen (Rhizocarpon geographicum) in these containers. Another avenue of space farming exploration includes aeroponics, a soil-less growing technique where roots are suspended in air and misted with nutrient-rich water. We are using a Tower Garden, a vertical aeroponic growing apparatus, to test the benefits of aeroponics. Both the FarmBot and Tower Garden are vital, accessible tools with the potential to revolutionize the future of farming from Earth to the Moon. (Click image for full size.)
Thermal Analysis of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — Francesca Sciarretta (UMCP/NASA)
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (RST) is a NASA observatory that will be stationed in Lagrange Point 2 (L2) orbit, where it will provide us with a panoramic view of the universe, helping to investigate dark matter and exoplanets. During my internship at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), I worked on RST’s High Gain Antenna System (HGAS) and performed a trade study on the effects of the effective emissivity (ε*) of multilayer insulation on the Ground Station Equipment (GSE). My work regarding HGAS will be compiled into a test report, and my trade study findings will lead to the verification of RST’s GSE heater performance, both of which are crucial to the overall mission. (Click image for full size.)
NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) — Ismail Shah, Emmanuel Castillo, Elda Berhaneyessus, Michael Perez, Lareon Brent III, Hannah Magruder (Oxon Hill HS)
This project focussed on designing and optimizing a vehicle capable of traversing the Moon or Mars terrain, allowing the astronauts to travel further distances before running out of oxygen. The aim was to provide a means of transportation for up to 2 passengers to safely get around on the moon without the assistance of electrical power. The vehicle needed to be omitted from the use of electricity in the case of power failure on the base. One critical flaw during a power outage would be a lack of transportation required for the astronauts to get around the base and solve the electrical issue. Therefore our challenge was to develop a rover capable of transporting two astronauts around the slopes and undulating terrain to navigate to the task sites and complete a mission. This entire project was entered into the NASA HERC competition where the project was tested to determine if the vehicle was successful or not. (Click image for full size.)
Diamagnetic Loop Diagnostics in CMFX — Justin James (HCC/UMCP)
The Centrifugal Mirror Fusion Experiment (CMFX) harnesses azimuthal rotation of plasma through an ExB drift caused by an imposed radial electric field to enhance plasma confinement within a magnetic mirror. The centrifugal forces caused by the rotation of the plasma, also change the total magnetic flux of the mirror. Four Diamagnetic Loops (DML) are wound around the outer wall of the vacuum vessel to measure these flux changes caused by the changing magnetic field. The voltage induced in the DMLs from the changing flux is then numerically integrated to obtain the magnetic flux. The magnetic field derived from the measured flux changes is used to estimate plasma density and assess plasma stability. Integration, filtering, and detrending of this data is necessary to obtain useful signals when high amplitude noise is present. Because of this noise, new DMLs were constructed with an increased number of turns. Each DML contains 4 turns and is constructed from 18 AWG copper wire. Cables are then attached to measure the induced voltage in the loops which is then sent to a digitizer for analysis. RF-shielding foil covers the DML windings to reduce the pick-up of electromagnetic noise. Details of the DMLs, processing algorithms, and sample data are presented.(Click image for full size.)
Articulated/Segmented Body Lunar Rover with Pivoting Joints — Danny Puwo (UMES/UMCP)
During the internship at University of Maryland College Park we created an Articulating Rover as a “body” or testbed for the BIG Ideas project and future projects. The BIG Ideas project is a program where students work with NASA to create innovative and groundbreaking projects. They are currently designing wheels for the Lunar and Martian rover(s), using CAD and testing wheels for traction along with an inflatable devicel, with grousers, to help the rover cover more ground. The Articulating Lunar Rover (Luna) consists of two boxes and rotating joints made of aluminum, 3D printed Models of the BIG Ideas inflatable wheel designs, and a circuit to actuate the wheels. The Arduino Uno is the main part of the circuit which is connected to a joystick (which is tethered to the Rover), and four motors for rotating the wheels. The process of building the project is very rewarding, even though there were some time constraints and limited resources, we gained a lot of experience in programming with an Arduino, and circuitry.(Click image for full size.)
Evaluation of Precipitation Amount Products in Mid-Atlantic and Southern New England — Amalie Rebstock (UMBC/NASA)
Precipitation is a driving force for the water cycle and is one of the key sources of weather extremes. The changing global climate and consequent increase in extreme weather causes life to become more reliant on precipitation. The drought in Maryland is evident, as only 48 mm (1.9”) of rainfall fell during the first 50 days of Summer 2024.This information is based on a gauge report at Baltimore Washington International airport. Unfortunately, most of the global land is not equipped with precipitation measuring devices. This is due to topography, land use coverage, cost, and remoteness. With the addition of global ocean coverage (>70%), precipitation climatology relies on spaceborne precipitation retrievals and model outputs. NASA’s multi-satellite product, IMERG, operated and funded by the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, is widely used in scientific research and operational applications. The NOAA’s Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) product has been widely employed to validate satellite and model precipitation estimates among many other applications.
The GPM ground validation program has been deploying Platforms for In situ Estimation Rainfall Systems (PIERS) at granted institutes across the US. This study uses six PIERS+ sites which include a PARSIVEL disdrometer and tipping bucket gauges. The sites are located in the Mid-Atlantic region with an additional site in Connecticut. Some sites have additional instrumentation, including Pluvio weighing bucket gauge, additional tipping buckets, and additional PARSIVEL disdrometers. The study focuses on event rainfall totals for January to May 2024. The PARSIVEL disdrometer was the reference for the event definition and phase identification, while its rainfall totals compared to the gauges to determine the reference instrument. In addition to MRMS, the performance of the NOAA’s HRRR model, European ERA5 reanalysis, NASA’s MERRA-2 reanalysis were evaluated through comparison to the reference instrument. Future study will be conducted once IMERG data is available.(Click image for full size.)
Radiative Cooling Properties in Cellulose Materials — Bryan Yang (UMBC/UMES)
Radiative cooling properties in certain materials have the potential to reduce the urban heat island effect if applied at scale. An ideal passively cooling material should exhibit properties such that they are simultaneously high in solar reflectance whilst being effective at longwave infrared heat transfer through the atmospheric infrared window. Such properties effectively allow the material to cool passively without consuming electricity. Here, we explore the passive cooling capabilities of various cellulose composites by improving upon an existing experimental setup to determine their cooling power more reliably.(Click image for full size.)
New Insulators and Mechanical Supports to Prevent Arcing in CMFX — Ismail Aadan (UMCP)
The Centrifugal Mirror Fusion Experiment (CMFX) vacuum chamber experiences electric arcing when enough deuterium becomes trapped on surfaces behind the insulator. The effects of arcing on the plasma include lowering the insulating voltage and damage to the limiter electrodes. To minimize the migration of gas behind the insulator, a new insulator design is being implemented. Another improvement to CMFX by this design is the use of machinable ceramic (Macor) for the supports which will provide an electrically neutral material that will provide additional insulation and prevent electric shorting to the ends of the chamber.(Click image for full size.)
Design of an Arc Chamber for Plasma Impedance Matching — Makai Martin (UMES/UMBC)
A device for plasma impedance matching is being designed in the Dusty Plasma Laboratory (DPL) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). The design consists of a high voltage tube modified to allow safe arcing between transmission lines. The distance between wires must be variable to millimeter or better accuracy while maintaining the insulating properties of the high voltage tube. Mechanisms are explored as methods to facilitate the required variable impedance.(Click image for full size.)
Oral Presentation Session 2, 11:30 – 12:55 p.m.
11:30 a.m.
Reconvene in presentation room
11:30 a.m.
Artemis Inspired Robotic Sensory Platforms to Advance Creativity and Engage Students — Anubhav Dixit (UMCP/UMES)
This summer internship project was undertaken at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) under the auspices of synergistic projects titled AIRSPACES (Autonomous Instrumented Robotic Sensory Platforms to Advance Creativity and Engage Students) and DREAM (Developing Robotic Exploration with Agrobots and Moonbots) ongoing at the university funded by Maryland Space Grant and NASA-MSTAR program respectively. Autonomous navigation and artificial intelligence integration with the recently acquired Agilex Limo 4-wheeled multi-modal mobile robot equipped with various navigational sensors including LiDAR and stereo depth camera was the primary focus of the project efforts outlined. Limo works with open-source ROS and the Gazebo simulator allowing access to significant reserves of robotic application development capabilities both in virtual and physical domains providing a rich educational and research platform. A specially designed simulation table was also utilized to simplify the process of testing model applications.
11:40 a.m.
Multiplex Visibility Graphs for Neural Time Series Analysis — Arya Teymourlouei (UMCP)
Understanding the neural mechanisms associated with cognitive functions such as problem solving and decision making is crucial to the development of a human systems integrative architecture for long-term spaceflight missions. Such neural mechanisms are characterized by unique patterns of communication between brain regions. Therefore, we require robust methods for identifying the level of interaction between the neural activity recorded from different cortical locations (as EEG time series signals). While existing approaches do exist, they may not be enough to provide adequate insight. In this research, we evaluate a new method which is based on computing the similarity between graphs formed from the time series themselves (from a notion of visibility between data points). Initial results suggest that our method is an improvement over some existing approaches, but further investigation is required.
11:50 a.m.
NAM to RRAT Converter and Azimuth Limits — Mason Eberle (UMCP/NASA)
Flight Safety Analysts require tools to accurately carry out analysis for launches out of Wallops Flight Facility. Overtime, these tools become outdated. This summer internship focused on updating the old excel tools to interactive MATLAB Apps. These apps increase efficiency and allow more detailed risk-based assessment by Safety Analysts.
12:00 p.m.
CFD Nasal Drug Spray Modeling — Cortez Waller (MSU)
Long-duration space missions can lead to numerous upper airway issues for astronauts, potentially impacting their health and mission performance. Nasal drug sprays offer a promising solution to these problems. This project aims to investigate the suitability of over-the-counter nasal drug sprays for use in space. Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), we will model the droplet transportation of drug sprays under zero gravity conditions to evaluate their effectiveness and behavior in a microgravity environment. Additionally, we will investigate the contributing parameters that can assist in increasing the efficacy of these drug sprays in reaching a target location within the nasal passage. This will allow for an individualized nasal spray delivery system for each astronaut..
12:10 p.m.
Reducing Data and Time Needed to Reconstruct Paths Through Bounding Hulls — Nathan Au (UMBC/UMCP)
Consider autonomous agents in an unknown environment with very limited communication. They must leverage what limited information about the environment they can send to aid in an agent’s objectives. In our project, we explore the use of bounding hulls to reduce the necessary data needed for a sampling-based motion planning algorithm to reconstruct a path in minimal time. We consider three different map types (zig-zag, maze, forest) and the number of vertices in each constructed bounding hull. Our findings indicate that a bounding hull of as low as 4 vertices can significantly reduce the time it takes for another agent to reconstruct a path using RRT*.
12:20 p.m.
Navigating My Naval Academy Internship — Temitayo Adekoya (UMES/USNA)
USNA STEM is an organization that strives to increase the pursuit of STEM-based careers by directly teaching hands-on STEM learning modules to students and teachers alike. I spent my summer observing and helping USNA STEM, learning how hands-on activities can benefit me as a student and an engineer.
Thermal management is crucial for ensuring the dependability and safety of space exploration missions. The extreme temperature fluctuations encountered during rocket launch, reentry, and in the vacuum of space pose significant risks to the lives of astronauts and the proper functioning of onboard equipment. Without proper thermal insulation, with temperatures exceeding 1600°C during atmospheric passage and plummeting to -270°C in space, the structural integrity of spacecraft is severely compromised. This research explores the potential development of an aerogel-based, novel thermally insulated paint designed to offer superior insulation properties. By reducing material weight and volume to effectively mitigate heat transfer, this innovative coating enhances the survivability of spacecraft. Additionally, the potential applications of this technology extend beyond aerospace, presenting a promising solution to global thermal challenges across various industries.
12:40 p.m.
Design and Optimization of a Liquid Propellant Rocket Nose Cone — Mahki Wimbish (MSU)
This study, conducted at Morgan State University, aims to analyze various nose cones with different lengths, shapes, and materials to determine which variation meets certain apogee, aerodynamic, and structural conditions. These conditions were calculated, modeled, and simulated to exhibit positive behavior during liftoff. The research was supported by the Base 11 award to build a Liquid Propellant Rocket (LPR) in 2020. Before analyzing the cones, familiarity with the software used throughout the study was essential to accurately interpret the results. The software includes OnShape, OpenRocket, and Autodesk Inventor. Initially, OnShape was used to plan the 3D modeling of the cone after gathering the dimensions from simulations. OpenRocket was then used to determine the necessary length, shape, material, and average apogee value by running various simulations with different nose cone configurations. After modeling and simulating the optimal cone variation, an experiment was conducted using Inventor due to its ability to do pressure analysis. The results from this experiment suggest that analyzing various nose cones with different parameters allows for accurate anticipation of rocket deployment, stability, and the ability to reduce aerodynamic drag and control airflow. This study will demonstrate these findings.
12:50 p.m.
Concluding Remarks
Lunch and small group discussions, 12:55 – 2:00 p.m.
MDSGC offers our sincere congratulations to our student presenters, a huge thanks to our internship mentors, collaborators, and supporting staff, and our hope that all attendees enjoyed and learned from these presentations!
The regular application period for Academic Year 2025-2026 scholarships will open on April 14, 2025, with the application deadline on May 14, 2025. After that, any student may still submit an off-cycle application for consideration if funding becomes available. For information about the program and to apply, visit the MDSGC Scholarships page.
Image of 2017 solar eclipse. Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls.
On Monday, April 8th, 2024, the Moon crossed in front of the Sun as seen from much of North America, giving millions of Americans another chance to experience a solar eclipse. Like in October 2023 and August 2017, Maryland experienced a partial solar eclipse. During a partial eclipse the Sun is never fully blocked by the Moon. This means that it is never safe to look directly at a partial eclipse without special eye protection — regular sunglasses are not okay! Please see below for more information on safe observing practices.
From Maryland, the beginning of Monday’s eclipse (aka “first contact”) was be at approximately 2:05 p.m. according to timeanddate.com, depending slightly on the viewer’s location. Maximum eclipse depth of approximately 90% coverage occurred at 3:21 p.m. and the show was all over at around 4:30 p.m.
For eclipse watchers in the Baltimore area, a couple of opportunities to come out (or stay in) and see the spectacle were:
Eclipse safety: It is very important not to look at the partial eclipse directly unless you have appropriate eye protection such as special eclipse glasses (NOT regular sunglasses) from a reputable manufacturer. Courtesy of NASA, here is a summary of information about eclipse safety. Key takeaways: either use special eclipse glasses or use an indirect viewing method, such as a projected image from a pinhole camera.
While Maryland experienced only a partial eclipse, a swath of the USA stretching from Texas to New England briefly fell into darkness as the Moon fully covered the Sun, creating the fateful (and amazing) condition known as a total eclipse. The image below shows the approximate locations where this occurred; for more detail see NASA’s Where & When.
Map of continental USA showing the path of totality for the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse. Credit: NASA.
The 2023 MDSGC Student Research Symposium was held on Monday, July 31, beginning at 8 a.m. EDT. The venue was the Mt. Washington Conference Center in Baltimore, MD. For GPS navigation, aim for “Johns Hopkins At Mt. Washington, Smith Avenue, Baltimore, MD” (link) and park in the nearby visitor parking lot/garage. Here is an image from Google showing the relative locations of parking and the conference venue:
This year’s symposium showcased presentations by student interns and researchers working at sites across Maryland. The cohort of presenters represent diverse institutions, including: Capitol Technology University, Hagerstown Community College, Johns Hopkins University, Morgan State University, NASA, Towson University, University of Maryland Baltimore County, University of Maryland College Park, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore. We congratulate our students on a successful summer and look forward to seeing more of their work in the future!
The program follows.
2023 MDSGC Student Research Symposium Program
8:00 a.m.
Registration opens.
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Poster setup and networking. Coffee, tea and pastries provided.
9:00 – 10:50 a.m.
Presentation Session 1.
10:50 – 11:10 a.m.
Group Photos.
11:10 – 12:00 p.m.
Poster Session.
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch.
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Presentation Session 2.
Session 1, 9:00 – 10:50 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
Welcome and Introductory Remarks — Dr. Matt Collinge, MDSGC Deputy Director
9:10 a.m.
Harnessing the Sun: Solar Array Deployment and Solar Cell Simulation — Sheridan Reginato (HCC/CTU)
The focus of this project lies on developing a satellite simulation to train spaceflight operation students attending Capitol Tech University, closely emulating real-life scenarios. The simulation replicates a segment of satellite EO-1, where solar array wings are controlled by the SA Drive and SA Deployment. Operating as an interconnected network, the system comprises multiple languages in Galaxy. Initiating one command sets off a cascade of interrelated procedures, utilizing database mnemonics to establish a continuous information exchange loop that is systematically updated on the display page. Throughout orbital cycles, testing involves tackling challenges related to debugging and error configuration. The simulation’s success grants invaluable hands-on experience in satellite operations, significantly advancing our comprehension of solar array behavior and energy management in space.
9:20 a.m.
AIRSPACES — Mason Morgan (MSU/UMES)
Mobile robotics is used in a variety of applications in our present age. NASA uses mobile robots for space science and earth science related observations and data collection. I worked on using two mobile robotic platforms during my summer internship at University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), Sphero RVR and Sphero BOLT, and learned to program them using Scratch and Python to follow predefined trajectories while collecting data from sensors that are integrated with the robots. I also installed a soft gripper which was activated using an Arduino Nano-based Programmable Air module on the RVR. Effective communication was established between the RVR and the Programmable Air module to carry out simple pick and place operations. I also programmed the BOLT to follow the Sphero RVR as it moved on a circular trajectory using a infrared red signal.
9:30 a.m.
Motors and Propeller Project — Zoé Denito (CTU/USNA)
During the internship at the US Naval Academy, while participating as a teaching assistant in the “SHYP” (Summer Heroes Youth program) and “Set Sail” programs, the concepts learned from creating a sea perch for marine engine propulsion, with the inspiration of the amphibious helicopter and the sea plane were applied. The project consists of two parts: a device for floating, and a part for flying. The two small prototypes were made with playful materials that could be found at home and/or bought online. For the circuitry, the Arduino Uno was connected to the servo motors, which were programmed using Python, and rotate the propellers for thrust. The sea perch kit used to build the floating device has three motors, a preprogrammed controller, a 12-volt battery, a tether for connecting the controller to the motors, and a charger. Overall, even though the teaching programs kept me busy, I had a fun time experimenting with simple materials and getting hands-on experience with propellers and motors.
9:40 a.m.
Golden Opportunities — Parker Wilson (UMES/USNA)
“Get a summer job”, his parents told him. This left me looking for a wide variety of ways to spend my summer. Little did I know this wouldn’t be a summer to forget. Not long after searching for a job to occupy my time, I found two amazing programs offered by the Maryland Space Grant Consortium. This was my golden ticket to an eventful summer that had a deeper meaning to me and my career goals. This led me to be working in two separate summer programs, I had the opportunity to introduce middle schoolers to STEM projects and create a data retrieving unit for a sounding rocket payload.
9:50 a.m.
Assembling & Testing of Avionics System of MSU Liquid Propellant Rocket — Joseph Whitaker (CTU/MSU)
During my time at Morgan State University I worked on assembling the avionics system and testing various components like my thermocouples, pressure transducer, and pi-camera. I tested the thermocouples by using hot and cold water and I also tested my pressure transducers by pushing air through it using a compressor. I used python to give me readings from the different tests I ran on each component.
10:00 a.m.
Racing Kilobots — Ayomikun Fadina (CTU/UMCP)
Miniature robots apparently still have their uses even in this day and age. These days whenever you think of an autonomous robotic helper we expect them to be somewhat large in size and capable of doing a lot of tasks simultaneously. Though like every great innovation starting in the minor leagues can lead a major impact. Kilobots for example are one of those miniature robots. They have their limits but the experience of experimentation can lead to grand developments.
10:10 a.m.
DAC Single Bonded Tab Testing — Kemi Atkinson (UMCP/NASA)
The project with the Roman Space Telescope’s Deployable Aperture Cover focused on bonded tabs to a non flight collar boom using Non Destructive Inspection.
Analyses of XRD spectra are standard in materials characterization and help resolve structural and phase information. We aim to create a workflow that models XRD spectra in the open-source aflow++ framework and generate a publicly accessible bank of XRD data to enable rapid identification of material compounds.
10:30 a.m.
An Offline, Passive Brain-Computer Interface Model Relevant to the NASA Artemis Mission — Arya Teymourlouei (UMCP)
A passive brain-computer interface (BCI) is a system which collects brain dynamics to assess the mental workload of an individual while they are performing a task. Such systems can be used to support human health, safety, and cognitive-motor performance while conducting long-term space habitation in future Artemis missions. However, passive BCI requires an accurate method for the classification of mental workload using a short duration segment of brain activity. Therefore, we seek to develop a computational model for the offline classification of three different states of workload. An electroencephalography (EEG) device is used to assess the mental workload of participants completing a complex action sequence to solve a puzzle with a teammate. The collected EEG data was preprocessed and segmented into 10-second components. Features were extracted by transforming the EEG signal into a complex network by means of the visibility graph (VG) algorithm. Then, the VGs of multiple EEG channels were assembled into a multiplex temporal network (MTN). The structural properties of the MTNs were measured and fed to six different supervised-learning classifiers. Additional features were also computed with the spectral power of six frequency ranges. Classification of mental workload was performed individually for each subject’s data. Results show that a support vector machine classifier achieved a 98% mean testing accuracy when tasked with the prediction of mental workload using 10 seconds of EEG data. All other classifiers studied achieved at least a 92% mean testing accuracy in classification. The results suggest that the computational model presented here has the potential to enable the use of pBCI technology in future Artemis missions.
10:40 a.m.
Poster Flash Talks
Baryonic Tully Fisher Relation for Galaxies with Supernova Distances — Shannon Markward, Aaron Torster (Towson)
ALPHA Observatory Campaign 7 Data Analysis — Meredith Embrey (UMCP/CTU)
Preliminary Trials With GoPiGo3 and LIMO Robots in Virtual and Physical Realm — Andrew Duck, Urjit Chakraborty, Lucas Marschoun (UMES)
Group Photos, 10:50-11:10 a.m.
Poster Session, 11:10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Baryonic Tully Fisher Relation for Galaxies with Supernova Distances — Shannon Markward, Aaron Torster (Towson University)
The Baryonic Tully-Fisher Relation (BTFR) is an empirical correlation between the baryonic mass of a spiral galaxy and its rotational velocity. As the equation for baryonic mass is dependent on the luminosity of a galaxy, it is also true to state that it is an empirical correlation between distance and the mass of the galaxy. By using the BTFR, we avoid using so-called “standard candles,” such as Type Ia supernovae or Cepheid variable stars, which are limited to use in relatively nearby galaxies. The BTFR provides an alternate approach for measuring distance that is then applicable to a much larger sample. We present an update on the data collection and analysis pipeline for an ongoing project of the Undergraduate ALFALFA Team (UAT), for which the primary science objective is to generate a well-defined BTFR. We used the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) to observe and measure the HI 21-cm emission line profiles of 200 galaxies in our observing sample with accurately known distances from the Democratic Samples of Supernovae (Stahl et al. 2021). Here, we will focus on the observing sample and show: (1) progress to date on obtaining the HI 21-cm measurements; (2) preliminary outcomes of our newly developed analysis tools; and (3) statistical analysis of sample signal-to-noise, including non-detections. (Click image for full size.)
ALPHA Observatory Campaign 7 Data Analysis — Meredith Embrey (UMCP/CTU)
The ALPHA Observatory Campaign 7 analyzed 1 Terabyte of data from ALPHA’s first run not just focused on asteroids but also variable stars and exoplanets. The images of all objects are run through multiple scripts to determine the eligibility to be submitted. Asteroids are checked for quality and accuracy, while exoplanet and variable star data are also graphed into a light curve to determine the transit period. This is ALPHA’s first run observing exoplanets, and even observed a pending exoplanet. (Click image for full size.)
Preliminary Trials with GoPiGo3 and LIMO Robots in Virtual and Physical Realm — Andrew Duck (UMBC/UMES), Urjit Chakraborty (UMES), Lucas Marschoun (UMES)
This poster outlines the summer project work carried out by student volunteers and a UMES undergraduate related to the LIMO, GoPiGo3 and Moorebot Scout, mobile robotic platforms, in both online virtual environments and the real world. The preliminary efforts were devoted to line following applications using PID controls on the GoPiGo3 and basic AI integration in coordination with the Moorebot Scout. The project team also explored the use of Lidar technology and programming in python with both the GoPiGo3 and the LIMO robots. (Click image for full size.)
Lunch, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Session 2, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
Reconvene in presentation room
1:05 p.m.
Smart Farming Experiential Learning Projects — Arya Das (UMBC/UMES)
This summer at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore under the guidance of my mentors, I explored how agriculture and technology can be integrated to optimize the cultivation of food and collect data. Inspired by developments in research on the viability of different environments in space for growing food, we designed an experiment to test the viability of growing microgreens and kale on the surface of the moon using a simulant of lunar regolith, and we used sensors equipped to a Raspberry Pi microcontroller to measure data about the different treatments we set up. I also explored programming a 3-axis Cartesian robot (FarmBot) to seed, photograph, and irrigate on a raised bed of peanut plants using both manually written code and primitive AI coding capabilities introduced recently in the software. I also got exposed to working with an autonomous ground robot equipped with a Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (NPK) sensor that is under development in the UMES laboratory with a team of students. I assisted the graduate student in the lab on getting the NPK sensor calibrated properly and logging the data at respective waypoints of an autonomous mission map.
1:15 p.m.
Circuit Simulations of Plasma Discharges in CMFX — Justin James (HCC/UMBC/UMCP)
The Centrifugal Mirror Fusion Experiment (CMFX) aims to harness the potential of azimuthal rotation to enhance plasma confinement within a magnetic mirror. The rotation is imposed by applying a high voltage from a capacitor bank to a central electrode, creating a radial electric field that helps stabilize and heat the plasma. Understanding the interactions between the plasma, the capacitor bank, and other external circuit elements is challenging. This work simulates the created plasma as a capacitor in parallel with a resistor. However, the values of these elements were not immediately known. The entire electrical circuit was entered into the LTspice simulation software to find these values. The parameter values of the circuit elements were varied systematically until the simulated plasma current and voltage, measured in the experiment, were qualitatively and quantitatively similar. The results are being compared with theoretical predictions of plasma capacitance and resistance. They are an essential tool for the design of a scaled centrifugal mirror as a fusion energy reactor. Details of the circuit, simulations, and methodology are presented.
This work is supported by ARPA-E Grant No. DE-AR0001270, and by NASA Grant No. 80NSSC20M0049 as part of the Maryland Space Grant Consortium program.
1:25 p.m.
Summer 2023 at the Space Systems Laboratory — Samuel Obiorah (MSU/UMCP)
Abstract TBA.
1:35 p.m.
Stress Indicators of the Urban Watershed Using Satellite Images — Ben Walrath (CTU/MSU)
This project investigates how land use influences water quality in the urban environment—specifically, Herring Run. I examined data for the watershed spanning 28 years,looking for patterns and change over time.I based my analysis on water quality observations recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Maryland Department of the Environment.For context, I also included precipitation data from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Following methods published by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, I analyzed satellite imagery in Q-GIS™, which I downloaded from the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium. To gain field experience, I collected water quality observations from multiple locations along Herring Run on two separate visits, using a HANNAH™ portable meter. Finally, I drafted a report and created a presentation summarizing my research.
1:45 p.m.
Design Analysis and Virtual Reality (VR) Integrations of MSU’s Liquid Propellant Rocket — Alejandro Tovar (UMCP/MSU)
The presentation will describe the process of nose design for the rocket, going over best nose cone shapes and a quick demonstration of early 2D CFD (computational fluid dynamics) software results on an early nose cone design. There will be a brief overview of my time at NASA RockOn. It will then go over the design and partial completion of the propulsion tanks for the rocket, with a final look of how a virtual reality headset was used to view the nearly final design in VR.
1:55 p.m.
Concluding Remarks
MDSGC offers our sincere congratulations to our student presenters, a huge thanks to our internship mentors, collaborators, and supporting staff, and our hope that all attendees enjoyed and learned from these presentations!
