2013 Convention - (Page 92)

TRAILBLAZERS Star Trek Inspires NSBE Space Project By Christianna Taylor, Ph.D., Tricorder Project Lead, NSBE Space Special Interest Group At left NSBE Tricorder Team members inspect component hardware. longtime supporter of the Space SIG, Walker has spoken at the group’s 2006 African Americans in Space miniconference and 2010 Aerospace Systems Conference, and hosted student outreach at the AMAN Center during the 2012 Aerospace Systems Conference. The NSBE tricorders will play a role in the Space SIG’s larger project, which is a return to the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in the Utah desert. The Space SIG expects to send a six-person NSBE crew on a twoweek expedition to the station in 2014 or 2015, using the tricorders as one of the science experiments. The tricorders can be used to record environmental data as the crew performs Extra Vehicular Activities (EVAs) from the Mars habitat. The GPS signals in the othing is more iconic than the sight of Lt. tricorder can be used Cmdr. Geordi La Forge of Star Trek: The Next to cache tag samples Generation operating a tricorder during surface and locate the science missions. Whether he was determining oxygen experiments from previcontent, analyzing wind patterns or detecting biological ous EVAs. In addition, life, the chief engineer of the starship Enterprise invarithe Space SIG hopes to ably relied upon the ever-present tricorder as he discovcreate standard enviered new planets and civilizations throughout the galaxy. ronmental monitoring The NSBE Space Special Interest Group (SIG) respondprotocols that provide ed to the charm of the tricorder when they took on their better prediction capanewest project: creating remote sensor handheld devices bilities for science field for environmental measurements. This project was the experiments performed brainchild of the Space SIG 2012 Leadership Retreat during the expedition. held in Las Vegas, Nev., where the Space SIG particiData from the tricordpants expressed a desire to get more hands-on building ers can be transmitted experience. Tricorders were suggested from the open Above Conducting electrical testing of tricorder in real time to NSBE source design space called the Tricorder Project, and the sensors collegiate and Jr. chapproject was funded with revenue generated by the NSBE ters around the world Aerospace Systems Conference. The design is based upon who are remotely monitoring the expedition, allowing them to another environmental sensor suite developed by Peter Jansen, conduct analyses similar to those of science teams on Earth Ph.D. and packaged in his tricorder Mark 2 design. This design during space missions. Participating chapters may even be able combines 12 different electromagnetic, atmospheric and spatial to use the sensor data to recommend mission direction to the sensors to give a complete environmental picture. research station crew for subsequent EVAs, bringing NSBE Space SIG members are building six tricorders in the Los members even closer to the space experience. Angeles area at the AMAN International Center. The AMAN Several other experiments are also under development for Center is operated by Hal Walker, a scientist and African the NSBE MDRS expedition, including robotic teleoperations, American who led the Apollo 11 laser range-finding experihabitable volume assessments, and human factors evaluations. ment to measure the distance from the Earth to the Moon. Additional experiment proposals may be submitted to the His historic experiment is now on permanent exhibit at Space SIG. ■ the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. A n 92 • CAREER ENGINEER • convention 2013 • www.nsbe.org http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2013 Convention

2013 Convention
Contents
Your 4.0…Guaranteed!
My Academic Comeback
THE PROGRAMS ZONE
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Inga Brathwaite: Empowered at Toyota
Jerome Brown: Stoking the Engines at Aerojet
Christina Barker: On Track at PGW
Leveling Up
SEEK 2013 Update!
Back to Indiana
NSBE Calendar
Honoring Our Past, Driving Our Community Forward
Passing the Golden Torch
The Professional’s Perspective
Trailblazers
Petroleum Engineering Digs Deep for Talent
Employer Profiles
Celebrating Academic Excellence
Advertisers Index

2013 Convention