An Engineering Challenge: CanSat Competition
The UNH CanSat team is made up of electrical and mechanical engineering seniors interested in space-related engineering. This year, they're building a WildCatSat. The team designs, builds, and tests a satellite the size of a soda can, then goes on to compete against other university teams in the annual CanSat competition.
The CanSat program is organized by the American Astronautical Society (AAS) and the American Institute fo Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Its goal is to offer students a hands-on experience in managing and implementing a complex engineering project. NH Space Grant supported the team in building their CanSat and in attending the CanSat competition.
GIS Day
GIS day is part of the National
Geographic Society's promotion of the science of geography, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and the celebration of achievements in this
field.
NH Space Grant consortium hosted its ninth annual GIS Day at the UNH Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space. The guests: over 175 high school students and teachers and more than 150 community members. Featured attractions: a cartographic exhibit of National Park Service maps, UNESCO World Heritage Site maps, and historic park maps; a tour of the GIS and remote sensing lab; information on career and educational opportunities in geo-spatial science. GIS Day is a program of the Univ. of NH and the NH Space Grant.
IGARSS Student Education and Outreach
NH Space Grant funded a group of Gilmanton High School students' attendance and participation in the 2008 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium held in Boston, MA.
Their focus was the presentation of their findings in studying health of white pine as a part of the NH Forest Watch Program. They found a welcome audience asking questions and encouraging their return to future IGARSS conferences.
Forest Watch
Founded by NH Space Grant, Forest Watch partners UNH scientists with middle/high school students in collecting data on the health of northern white
pine. Over 100 New England
schools select a sampling plot of white pine and use
field
and satellite data to monitor the effects of ozone pollution.
Student data are then compared
to tropospheric ozone data collected from state and Environmental
Protection Agency.
Each year Forest Watch presents an outstanding service award, named in memory Gary Lauten, former colleague and coordinator of Forest Watch. This year's award went to Robert Schongalla, teacher at the Sant Bani School in Sanbornton, NH.
Project Smart
SMART (Science and Mathematics Achievement through Research Training)
is a four-week UNH summer program
for 10th and 11th grade high school students. Using educational resources
of the university, the program challenges talented students to conduct actual
research while introducing them to current science topics.
Typical focus areas: chemistry, biotechnology, space science, marine and environmental sciences. Students begin with math and computer classes focused on research skills, and then participate in field work and hands-on research. SMART was developed at UNH and is a program of UNH and NH Space Grant.
NH
Seacoast FIRST Robotics Competition Team
The FIRST
Robotics Competition pairs high school students and technical
professionals in a problem-solving environment focused on a predetermined engineering and design project. It's
competitive, challenging, and alot of fun.The competition is international in scope, and typically includes nearly 1000 teams.
Each team finds sponsors to fund their introductory kit, any additional materials necessary to build their robot. NH Space Grant sponsors robotics teams: St. Thomas Aquinas, mentored by UNH's College of Engineering and Physical Sciences; and Manchester Central High School, mentored by BAE Systems North America.
Astronomy Bowl
New Hampshire high school students competed in New Hampshire's second annual "Astronomy Bowl" at the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium. Students answered questions about constellations, planets, stars, and objects projected in the planetarium theater. Astronaut Jay Buckey was on hand to present awards to winners Samantha Ryan, Timothy Gurshin, Jr., and Cass Mellen. NH Space Grant Asst. Director Toni Galvin was one of the event judges.