Terps in Space

• Program name: Terps in Space
• Funding: $277K
• Website: terpsinspace.umd.edu
• Duration: 2016 - 2022
• My involvement: 2016 - 2022

Terps in Space was an undergraduate program where student teams desgined their own experiments to test the role of microgravity (conditions at the International Space Station) on a system of their choice. Team then wrote proposals and one of them was selected to fly their experiment to the ISS.

Some of my key contributions:

• Founded the program (as a community of the SSEP) by securing initial and sustained Maryland Space Grant Consortium funding
• Designed and executed experiential program, recruiting and supporting ~5 teams of 2-5 undergraduate students (and their respective graduate student/faculty mentors) each semester
• Grew program from running it solo to directing a 3-member team by increasing yearly raised funds
• Expanded impact by establishing collaboration with local high schools to involve their students as program participants
• Co-designed and co-taught 6-module lecture series on microgravity experiment design and proposal writing
• Co-developed, co-implemented, and co-analyzed assessment surveys, leading to program improvements

Associated grants:

• Online Higher Ed Spaceflight Experiments Mentoring Program for Undergraduate and High School Students (PI)
• Implementation Plan for Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) Mission 16 to the International Space Station (PI)