South Carolina State University (SCSU)

Year Two Report Summary (2001-2002)

Objective

The South Carolina State University (SCSU) Center for NASA Research and Technology (CNRT) has completed a successful second year under the Institutional Research Award (IRA) NCC 5-534, the Minority Universities Information Network for Research and Education IRA. SCSU has been a NASA CNRT for seven years. CNRTs strategic focus is on NASA's Space Science Enterprise, specifically research, curriculum development and outreach in the field of astrophysics. The CNRT at SCSU supports that part of the NASA mission which ..."will advance and communicate scientific knowledge of the universe..." through their implementation of research, education and outreach in the field of astrophysics.

The CNRT project relates to the Goals and objectives of the Space Science Enterprise, and is at the core of the SCSU's involvement in this field. The SCSU Year 2 activities included four primary objectives, namely:

1. To support and enhance faculty research in astrophysics at SCSU;
   
   
2. To support and enhance student astrophysical research by underrepresented minority students at SCSU and collaborating institutions;
   
   
3. To facilitate education reform in teaching of science and in pre-service teacher preparation at SCSU and collaborating institutions; and
   
   
4. To increase opportunities for minority institutions to participate in NASA and other Federal agency research and education programs.

The following details the activity of the SCSU NRTS project as it relates to research, education, and technology.

Research Activity

The SCSU NRTS participated in sixteen collaborative research activities relative to the NASA Strategic Enterprises, including two peer-reviewed publications, which appeared in the Astronomical Journal, three conferences, four seminars, and other strategy sessions and research presentation activities.

Additionally, the project organized workshops to support writing FAR proposals (13 faculty attendees) and astronomical image processing (8 faculty), as well as two student research workshops (42 student attendees in total). Attendees came from all over the United states including Western Kentucky University and University of North Carolina, to name a few.

SCSU NRTS also organized three student summer institutions held on astrophysical research in 2002 which boasted a total of 17 faculty attendees and 69 students in total. The Summer Institute attendees included, for example, Norfolk State University, Virginia State University, Morgan State University, and Goddard Space Institute.

In 2002, SCSU NRTS submitted 5 proposals in response to NASA research announcements, one of which was declined. The other four, including Hubble Space Telescope Cycle 12 and SC Space Grant are still pending. Also in 2002, SCSU NRTS received the following leveraged funding in support of research related activities: $50,000 from the SCSU Vice President, $10,000 in student stipends and travel from subcontract with Tennessee State University, and $6,100 from SCSU Dean for support of the RCT observatory. An additional $2.5 million is pending from NSF as part of the HBCU-UP proposal as well as $163,000 from NSF as part of the REU proposal and $8,000 from the South Carolina Space Grant Consortium.

The SCSU NRTS facilitated 2 referred publications from D. Walter in 2002 and three from J. Cash and D. Walter are in preparation.

Educational Activity

In order to provide a quality learning and research environment, SCSU NRTS organized and/or participated in a number of educational activities in Year 2. Through assistance by SCSU, Clafin U. submitted a CIPA proposal which was eventually funded by MURED for $300,000. SCSU also provided grant-writing assistance to the NASA NOVA team whose proposal was funded for $28,500.

In 2002, the NRTS project organized a three-day workshop on the solar system for teachers from the Space Science Academy (6 teachers attended) and a one-week teacher course on astronomy and space sciences (10 teachers). The project also organized a demonstration workshop at the SC Science Council (25 teachers) including a one hour talk about the Space Science Academy (7 teachers). Two pre-service teachers were impacted by these, and other, educational activities.

SCSU NRTS impacted a large group of in-service teachers, 92 teachers in total. Forty-two teachers participated in follow-on talks by teachers who participated in the Academy.

In addition to the CIPA proposal submitted by Clafin U., the NRTS submitted a proposal to the STScI IDEAS Program, which was funded for two year in the amount of $39,736, as well as a NASA NOVA proposal that was submitted by SCSU with the help of the CNRT in the amount of $28,500. Additionally, 2 proposals were awarded (total of $7,900) under the South Carolina Space Grant Program.

At SCSU a number of Space Science materials were implemented by NRTS such as the NASA video, The Milky Way Invisible Light for a 1 week teacher workshop as well as five different NASA CDs for teacher workshops lasting 1 week and 3 days. NRTS also developed numerous NASA posters, lithographs, and resource handouts to support the 1 week and 3 day groups.

In addition to Clafin U., Western Kentucky University and 55 K-12 Schools participated in NRTS education oriented collaborations throughout the year. A total of 48 students participated, including 20 K-12 students in the Space Science Academy and 25 4-H students who received computer/internet training at the CNRT computer lab. $2500 was received for supplies and teacher stipends from SCSU NSF-funded teacher support program, Statewide Systemic Initiative- Hub program.

Technology Activity

Throughout 2002, The CNRT Computer & ISDN videoconference lab was leveraged to support numerous NASA, science, and other related activities. To continue its operation, NRTS purchased $20,000 of new network and computer hardware and a new digital camera, as well as new software for the SCSU Planetarium web server. In 2002, CNRT provided the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute in Rosman, North Carolina with radio telescopes and other equipment.

Various computer science, engineering and information systems departments at SCSU participate in the NRTS technology resources including the SCSU Math & Computer Science Department, Engineering Technology Departments (Industrial/Electrical and Civil/Mechanical), as well as the Nuclear Engineering Program. More than 1000 computer science and engineering technology students used the CNRT as walk-ins and/or through classes held in the CNRT lab. During the year, 14 students (11 computer science, 2 engineering technology, and 1 engineering) were funded to participate in these technology efforts.

A total of $10,000 in leveraged funding was received from other NASA awards for network and computer hardware for the CNRT lab.