REU Site: An Interdisciplinary CubeSat Research and STEM Education Platform at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTChattSat)

University Of Tennessee Chattanooga, Chattanooga TN

Investigators

Abstract

This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site: An Interdisciplinary CubeSat Research and STEM Education Platform at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTChattSat) is focused on addressing challenges faced by the use of commercial electronics in space systems. The REU Site will provide 10 undergraduate students per summer the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors and graduate students in state-of-the-art laboratories in the key areas of power, communications, electronics, and electromechanical systems designed for operation in space environments. The use of small satellite systems by government and commercial organizations for science discovery, commercial endeavors, and securing the national defense is rapidly increasing. This REU Site will provide a diverse group of students an opportunity to conduct research on important emerging problems related to the space sciences as well as unique professional development opportunities, preparing students for future careers as engineers in the field of space systems, an area of critical need for the workforce of the future. The CubeSat small satellite standard platform will be used for the purposes of (1) enabling undergraduate students to conduct research of important emerging problems related to the space sciences and (2) encouraging continued study and practice in STEM fields. This theme provides undergraduate students with an opportunity to be directly involved in ongoing research in technically relevant fields under the supervision of research mentors and provides students the opportunity to contribute to an interdisciplinary effort of researching reliable small satellite systems. The program will enhance students' foundations of science, mathematics, and engineering and introduce students to practical engineering under the tight design constraints imposed by small satellite spacecraft. Immediate impacts of the research activities include: (1) an enhanced understanding of the dominant mechanisms in the radiation and reliability responses of disruptive semiconductor technologies, (2) mitigation techniques for radiation-resilient space systems, and (3) development of guidelines for the design of low-cost, quick turn science payloads. Student recruitment and selection will target under-represented groups from higher education institutions that offer few research opportunities. The leadership team brings a diverse group of participating faculty that are committed to sharing research results with new generations of students, K-12 teachers, and the general public. This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.