The MnSGC helps support “Universe in the Park,” a summer telescope observing program that returned in 2021 after missing Summer 2020 due to concerns over the Covid-19 pandemic. The Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics hosts the star-gazing evenings at Minnesota parks and nature centers in association with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Three Rivers […]
It is uncommon to find field-based teaching in the study of ecology. However, at Bemidji State University, with support from the MN Space Grant, undergraduate students in the Center for Sustainability Studies are given the opportunity to learn material, such as patterns in the growth rings of trees to interpret environmental changes, through hands-on learning. […]
Amy Ott (’21) and Noel Geiger (’22) worked with Dr. Matthew ArchMiller in developing computational tools to support experimental plasma physics. While developing these tools, the students became proficient in Python programming with emphasis placed on specific techniques that are useful for physical modeling. Amy wrote a spectral analysis program that allows the user to […]
At Carleton College, students Freja Olsen and Adam Ickler developed and tested methods for measuring the chemical abundances of nearby low-mass stars using high-resolution spectra from the Habitable Zone Planet Finder. Their techniques, implemented in modular Python programs, have enabled the measurement of atomic absorption lines with improved precision, and are currently being extended to […]
Augsburg’s aerospace club seeks to spark students’ interests in the applications of physics, mathematics, computer science, and more, through real-world challenges, all while having fun doing so. Although currently focused on rocketry, they hope to soon broaden their work and become the Aerospace Engineering and Robotics Organization (AERO), which would encompass a broader range of […]
The High Altitude Ballooning (HAB) Team at St. Catherine University is an all-women’s research team devoted to exploring the stratosphere through a multitude of experiments. This research has been conducted at St. Catherine University since 2009 and the collaborative undergraduate research is presented at conferences throughout the year. These experiments are conducted through weather […]
The Bulldog Rocketry Team from the University of Minnesota – Duluth designed and built a rocket, propelled by a student designed hybrid engine, to fly in the 30,000 ft class at the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC). Their rocket finished second in their category in this international rocketry competition. A link to a 14-minute video […]
Since 2007 the MnSGC at the U of MN – Twin Cities has engaged students in building “near-space-craft” (AKA “payloads”) and using weather balloons to loft them into the stratosphere where the conditions (and the view!) are much like outer space. Student-built payloads carry cameras, microcontroller-logged sensor suites, gps systems, tracking radios, and more. Participants […]
At Bethel University, student Jake Stein worked to build three Taylor-Couette flow apparatuses for their Physics department. The creation of these apparatuses required research and prototyping to be done beforehand in order to best understand the math and science behind these physical devices. After the Taylor-Couette apparatuses have been assembled, future fluid mechanics students and […]
The Thunder Rocketry Club at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College has been building and launching high power rockets for over ten years. Their first experiences were with the First Nations Competition in Wisconsin but, as of late, they have also been attempting the MnSGC Midwest Competition, which is closer to home. The […]