NASA’s involvement in undergraduate research Edmond W. Wilson, Jr. Professor and Coons Biomedical Sciences Chair, Harding University Introduction Are you looking for a new research area, or are you looking adverse effects of humans living outside the friendly for some new approaches to advance an existing research confines of Earth’s environment. What are the changes in project? If so, the National Aeronautics and Space body chemistry occurring under reduced gravity? What Administration (NASA) may be an excellent organization to types of exercise and diet regimens can help to support life in help you enhance your undergraduate research and elevate it a hostile environment? What types of irreversible changes to a higher level of excellence. NASA is devoted to science can be expected to occur due to extended missions in low and engineering research projects that improve aeronautics gravity? What can be done to minimize the excessive and provide information about the Earth, our solar system, radiation hazard found outside Earth’s atmosphere? Research and the universe as a whole. You might be surprised to know into human health and mobility is actively being carried out that there are very few science or engineering areas that are at the Johnson Space Center. Psychologists are involved not of importance to some mission of NASA. Virtually every in NASA projects to identify the right mix of personality science research area has been (or can be) applied to an existing traits required for extended shuttle missions and future space NASA project. This article will give some information about station missions. Biologists are needed in NASA studies in NASA research areas and how you can use NASA to advance several areas. NASA is very careful to protect and preserve your undergraduate research goals. the ecology of the large diverse land areas occupied by various a NASA facilities. Furthermore, animal studies are employed The Diversity of NASA Research to avoid the use of human subjects. If humans are to make their presence on the Space Station, Moon or Mars an extended one, how can the waste materials produced be You might feel that the areas of research expertise that you recycled to maintain a healthy environment? Studies in have developed have no applicability or relevance to NASA progress at Johnson Space Center, Ames Research Center, and research projects. This is probably not the case. I do not know Kennedy Space Center provide valuable information about the extent of each of the different areas of investigation by how plants can be used to recycle air, liquid and solid wastes NASA, but I discuss below a few with which I am familiar, to from humans. Along these lines, researchers at Ames Research illustrate the all-encompassing breadth of NASA science and Center are studying the effects of stratospheric and tropo- engineering research endeavors. Because chemistry, physics, spheric ozone levels on trees, plants and food crops. Other computer science, mathematics and engineering have obvious scientists are studying the effect of carbon dioxide uptake by good fits with NASA projects, I will concentrate on some trees and plants in an effort to gain a better understanding of less obvious areas of possible collaborations with NASA. For the principles involved in the greenhouse effect. I hope these example, the fields of medicine, kinesiology, psychology, few examples enable you to appreciate the broad range of biochemistry and biology are employed in NASA missions. projects that have potential applicability to a NASA endeavor. You should, therefore, be able to fit your skills and interests into an active area of research being carried out by NASA investigators, no matter what your field of expertise. Tapping Into NASA Research The first two of the areas listed above, medicine and How can you become a part of a NASA project or get help kinesiology, have to do with human factors. There are from NASA researchers? The answer to this question comes significant changes in the biochemistry and physiology of from my own experience and what I have heard others say. In humans when they are exposed to microgravity. If we are to order to work effectively with NASA, you must meet set up a permanent presence on the Space Station, Moon or the researchers working in the area face to face. Although Mars, much research will have to be done to minimize the unsolicited proposals are accepted and funded by NASA, 184 Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly ● June 2000 Arkansas Space Grant Consortium undergraduate researchers and faculty from Harding University at NASA/Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. Robotics expert, Dr. Hans Thomas is showing an instrument he developed that is mounted on a purchased Russian robot. Dr. Thomas is the Computational Sciences Division in the Intelligent Mechanisms Group. most successful collaborations begin by developing a personal the afternoon. More contacts mean that you have a greater relationship with the scientists working on the project. As chance of finding that successful collaboration. Allow plenty collaborations develop, projects are identified and formalized, of time between interviews; most of the time, the hour visits and then proposals are submitted, thus increasing the chance run longer than planned and you might wish you had more of success. How can you meet NASA personnel to begin a time in your schedule. It takes time to find the location of the collaborative effort? If you have no knowledge of anyone, in next contact person, who might be several buildings away. NASA, who works in your research area, a good way to begin Take students with you! This is a wonderful opportunity for is via the internet, starting with the home page for NASA, students to visit and learn first hand from some of the most www.nasa.gov. There you can explore the various NASA intelligent and talented scientists in the world. They too missions and projects, and locate the names and telephone can make valuable contacts, and perhaps gain admission to numbers of project directors and staff scientists. You can find a summer internship or cooperative program. It is also names of people in a research area from publication lists. The appropriate to take professional colleagues with you. They NASA web site includes a directory of all NASA personnel will become excited about what they see and learn, and with their addresses, telephone numbers, etc. A telephone perhaps develop a relationship with NASA themselves. call requesting a brief visit would be the next step. Just as you Finally, carry a camera* and take lots of pictures of interesting are always extremely busy, so too are the NASA people you projects and posters. This will help you remember the things will be calling. Request a brief visit of an hour to find out you saw and learned, and enhance a nice seminar about your what your potential contacts are doing, and to visit their lab. visit at your home institution. Most people are willing to give an hour of their time. Also, NASA scientists seem to like fax transmissions very much. It is not that easy to become part a NASA center! It takes time So, a follow-up fax giving some information about yourself for your newly acquired contacts to arrange for your visit and your students, what your goals are, and what you are through the visitor centers. This process is more difficult interested in, could be very productive. if you or your students are not American citizens.* For this reason, once you have found someone who is willing to Do not be discouraged if some of your prospects are reticent to collaborate with you, you should go through the University have you visit. You may have to call several potential contacts Affairs Office (UAO) for that particular NASA center. This before you find willing hosts. Be courteous but persistent! will relieve your host of the duty of getting you on board. Once you have made your contacts and agreed on dates, try to Furthermore, the University Affairs Office is your key to entry arrange two different interviews in the morning and two in into NASA projects. The UAO can often arrange for general *U.S. Federal Labs involved in space and weapons research have undergone tightened security in the past few years. One should expect more scrutiny of materials brought into the labs, and photography may be prohibited in some areas. Some foreign nationals may be restricted in their participation in some kinds of research projects or may require special clearance. Several organizations and representatives of U.S. academic insti- tutions, including CUR, are working with NASA officials concerning the foreign national problem, which is likely temporary. June 2000 ● Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly 185 Left - The Arkansas Space Grant Consortium undergraduate researchers and faculty from Harding University at NASA/Ames Research Center visit the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville Alabama. Right - The students and faculty also had the opportunity to explore one of the Mars Rover test beds at NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The background is a photograph of the Martian surface. An exact replica of Sojourner and the Mars Lander can is to the left in this photograph. tours of the NASA sites, thus enabling you can to get even NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship more information about various research areas, while having an enjoyable time learning more good science. A phone call Program followed by a fax, listing the names and nationalities of visitors, some brief information about what you hope to A fantastic way to get involved in NASA research is through accomplish or learn, and the names and telephone numbers of the NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowships in Aeronautics the people you have contacted is necessary for effective com- and Space Research.