FDSS Track 1: A New Paradigm for Faculty Development in Geospace Science at Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports the creation of a new tenure-track faculty position focused on Sun-Earth connections and space weather research. It offers students at the university exposure to research opportunities and new curricula on this topic. Space weather has numerous societal implications, including hazards to the power grid, aviation, satellites, radio communications, and navigation. However, the number of qualified graduating students in this area is not sufficient to meet the future demand for trained space weather researchers and application providers. This award will thus contribute significantly to addressing the needs for space science and space weather expertise. The new faculty member will focus on interdisciplinary research on solar-terrestrial science and space weather. Multiple departments within the university will collaborate on the faculty search process to ensure that an interdisciplinary expert is hired. The new faculty will be integrated into a major new interdisciplinary space research venture supported by the university, which can accelerate their networking and collaborative opportunities. They will engage many undergraduate students in project-based research that has been demonstrated to have positive impacts on student retention and career trajectory. 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.