/cspar/news-and-events 2025-06-09T01:41:06-05:00 UAH webmaster@uah.edu Joomla! - Open Source Content Management 2025-04-01T08:17:28-05:00 2025-04-01T08:17:28-05:00 /cspar/news-and-events/19368-uah-development-sweap-instruments-helps-parker-solar-probe-win-2024-collier-trophy Russ Nelson

<p><img src="/" alt="Dr. Gary Zank, director of the UAH Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR), holding a model of the Parker Solar Probe and SWEAP instrument suite created by Blake Parker"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>The Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) instrument suite developed by researchers at The Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH) and the Marshall Space Flight Center for NASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP) has helped the PSP earn the coveted 2024 Robert J. Collier Trophy.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="/" alt="Dr. Gary Zank, director of the UAH Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR), holding a model of the Parker Solar Probe and SWEAP instrument suite created by Blake Parker"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>The Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) instrument suite developed by researchers at The Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH) and the Marshall Space Flight Center for NASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP) has helped the PSP earn the coveted 2024 Robert J. Collier Trophy.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text --> 2025-02-04T08:17:28-06:00 2025-02-04T08:17:28-06:00 /cspar/news-and-events/19255-uah-researcher-says-interaction-of-kinetic-waves-and-suprathermal-particles-could-be-key-to-unlocking-biggest-mystery-in-heliophysics Russ Nelson

<p><img src="/" alt="Conceptual rendering shows NASA&#039;s Parker Solar Probe about to enter the solar corona, the outermost layer of plasma, or ionized gas"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Speakers at the inaugural Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Breakfast, presented by ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH), offered messages of economic innovation, growth and cooperation to the capacity audience.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="/" alt="Conceptual rendering shows NASA&#039;s Parker Solar Probe about to enter the solar corona, the outermost layer of plasma, or ionized gas"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Speakers at the inaugural Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Breakfast, presented by ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH), offered messages of economic innovation, growth and cooperation to the capacity audience.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text --> 2024-11-13T08:17:28-06:00 2024-11-13T08:17:28-06:00 /cspar/news-and-events/19094-uah-plasma-researcher-follows-up-first-of-its-kind-study-of-alfven-waves-groundbreaking-of-solar-corona-heating Russ Nelson

<p><img src="/" alt="AlfvĂ©n waves"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Syed Ayaz, a researcher at ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH), has published a paper in Scientific Reports that builds on an earlier first-of-its-kind study that examined kinetic AlfvĂ©n waves.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="/" alt="AlfvĂ©n waves"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Syed Ayaz, a researcher at ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH), has published a paper in Scientific Reports that builds on an earlier first-of-its-kind study that examined kinetic AlfvĂ©n waves.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text --> 2024-11-05T08:17:28-06:00 2024-11-05T08:17:28-06:00 /cspar/news-and-events/19074-national-space-club-taps-uah-eminent-scholar-dr-gary-zank-to-receive-2024-distinguished-science-award Russ Nelson

<p><img src="/" alt="Dr. Gary Zank, director of the UAH Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR)."></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>The National Space Club (NSC), Huntsville Chapter, has selected Dr. Gary Zank at ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH) to receive the 2024 Distinguished Science Award.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="/" alt="Dr. Gary Zank, director of the UAH Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR)."></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>The National Space Club (NSC), Huntsville Chapter, has selected Dr. Gary Zank at ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH) to receive the 2024 Distinguished Science Award.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text --> 2024-10-25T08:17:28-05:00 2024-10-25T08:17:28-05:00 /cspar/news-and-events/19054-new-huntsville-conference-will-explore-opportunities-in-plasma-science-and-engineering Jim Steele

<p><img src="/" alt="AIAPC"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>The first Annual International Alabama Plasma Physics Conference (AIAPC), which is directly connected to statewide efforts to establish plasma science and engineering (PSE) as a major Alabama industry, is coming to Huntsville Oct. 28-30.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="/" alt="AIAPC"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>The first Annual International Alabama Plasma Physics Conference (AIAPC), which is directly connected to statewide efforts to establish plasma science and engineering (PSE) as a major Alabama industry, is coming to Huntsville Oct. 28-30.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text --> 2024-10-18T08:17:28-05:00 2024-10-18T08:17:28-05:00 /cspar/news-and-events/19019-ftpp-program-led-by-uah-receives-innovator-award-for-program-of-the-year-from-256today Jim Steele

<p><img src="/" alt="Dr. Gary Zank, FTPP principal investigator and director of the UAH Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Future Technologies &amp; enabling Plasma Processes (FTPP), a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant program led by ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, has been awarded Program of the Year as part of the 2024 256Today.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="/" alt="Dr. Gary Zank, FTPP principal investigator and director of the UAH Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Future Technologies &amp; enabling Plasma Processes (FTPP), a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant program led by ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, has been awarded Program of the Year as part of the 2024 256Today.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text --> 2024-09-18T07:53:07-05:00 2024-09-18T07:53:07-05:00 /cspar/news-and-events/18934-uah-researcher-wins-608k-shine-grant-to-study-joule-heating-in-the-sun-s-atmosphere-for-clues-to-the-biggest-mystery-in-heliophysics Russ Nelson

<p><img src="/" alt="Dr. Mehmet Sarp Yalim, a research scientist 1 in the UAH Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR). "></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Dr. Mehmet Sarp Yalim, a research scientist in the Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) at ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, has won a $608,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) Solar, Heliospheric, and INterplanetary Environment (SHINE) grant to study a process known as Joule, or Cowling, heating.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="/" alt="Dr. Mehmet Sarp Yalim, a research scientist 1 in the UAH Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR). "></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Dr. Mehmet Sarp Yalim, a research scientist in the Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) at ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, has won a $608,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) Solar, Heliospheric, and INterplanetary Environment (SHINE) grant to study a process known as Joule, or Cowling, heating.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text --> 2024-09-12T07:53:07-05:00 2024-09-12T07:53:07-05:00 /cspar/news-and-events/18923-cspar-gains-two-scale-models-of-spacecraft-crucial-to-its-work-courtesy-of-uah-alumnus Jim Steele

<p><img src="/" alt="Former ÂÜŔňµşapp student and model maker (right) Blake Parker presents models of the Voyager and Interstellar Boundary Explorer spacecraft to (left) Dr. Gary Zank, director of the Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Two scale models of spacecraft that provide research data to ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH) Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) have joined a Parker Solar Probe model on prominent display at CSPAR offices in Cramer Research Hall, thanks to a UAH alumnus who caught the modeling bug at age 4.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="/" alt="Former ÂÜŔňµşapp student and model maker (right) Blake Parker presents models of the Voyager and Interstellar Boundary Explorer spacecraft to (left) Dr. Gary Zank, director of the Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Two scale models of spacecraft that provide research data to ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH) Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) have joined a Parker Solar Probe model on prominent display at CSPAR offices in Cramer Research Hall, thanks to a UAH alumnus who caught the modeling bug at age 4.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text --> 2024-09-12T12:30:38-05:00 2024-09-12T12:30:38-05:00 /cspar/news-and-events/18922-exclusive-former-uah-student-returns-for-inspirational-donation

<p><img src="//images/research/cspar/whnt_sept24_new.png" alt="" width="1440" height="810" loading="lazy"></p><p>HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (<a href="http://whnt.com/" data-type="link" data-id="WHNT.com">WHNT</a>) — Blake Parker, a NASA engineer returned Wednesday to the campus where his space exploration dreams began to provide a special gift for UAH’s Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR).</p> <p><img src="/images/research/cspar/cropped-voyager_and_ibex_models.png" alt="voyager and ibex models" class="left-66 left-50"></p> <p>The 2013 UAH graduate hand-made two spacecraft models with just a few materials, one being the Interstellar Boundary Explorer or IBEX and the Voyager which provided scientists with vital knowledge about our solar system.</p> <p>Parker’s donation is much more than research products that’ll be put on display for students. It’s more about showing them they too can dream big while aiming for the stars in an inspirational node by someone who started in the same CSPAR program current ÂÜŔňµşapp students are participating in.</p> <p>“It’s great having an actual physical representation of the thing you’re working on and being able to get the idea like what does this thing actually look like,” Parker said. “It’ll give them an idea of what they’re working toward and being like this is that instrument and where it’s related to the others on the actual spacecraft itself.”</p> <p>UAH’s CSPAR program Director Gary Zank says it means the world to see former students like Parker coming back to show students they too are able.</p> <p>“The time, the effort that he spends building these kind of spacecrafts he probably does realize it but for students and even for people like me who spent their lifetime working on these kinds of missions, having something tangible to attach your hat to your mental vision is tremendously beneficial,” Zank said. “I’d like to thank Blake for making all of that possible with these models.”</p> <p>Life as an engineer has provided Parker with a platform to live out his dream and now he’s showing others they too can have a career in space exploration that has no limits.</p> <p>“It feels really great just getting to show where the possibilities can go, it’s possible if you work hard enough, then you can make it,” Parker told News 19.</p> <p>Parker’s scale model spacecraft joins another model spacecraft he donated in 2020 that’s now on display at UAH’s Cramer Research Hall.</p> <p><em>Article: Courtesy of <a href="https://whnt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WHNT</a>.</em></p> <p><a href="https://whnt.com/news/huntsville/exclusive-former-uah-student-returns-for-inspirational-donation/" target="_blank">Read the full story on WHNT News</a> </p> <p><a href="https://redir1.whnt.com/nxs-video-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" target="_blank">Watch the WHNT video</a>.</p>

<p><img src="//images/research/cspar/whnt_sept24_new.png" alt="" width="1440" height="810" loading="lazy"></p><p>HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (<a href="http://whnt.com/" data-type="link" data-id="WHNT.com">WHNT</a>) — Blake Parker, a NASA engineer returned Wednesday to the campus where his space exploration dreams began to provide a special gift for UAH’s Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR).</p> <p><img src="/images/research/cspar/cropped-voyager_and_ibex_models.png" alt="voyager and ibex models" class="left-66 left-50"></p> <p>The 2013 UAH graduate hand-made two spacecraft models with just a few materials, one being the Interstellar Boundary Explorer or IBEX and the Voyager which provided scientists with vital knowledge about our solar system.</p> <p>Parker’s donation is much more than research products that’ll be put on display for students. It’s more about showing them they too can dream big while aiming for the stars in an inspirational node by someone who started in the same CSPAR program current ÂÜŔňµşapp students are participating in.</p> <p>“It’s great having an actual physical representation of the thing you’re working on and being able to get the idea like what does this thing actually look like,” Parker said. “It’ll give them an idea of what they’re working toward and being like this is that instrument and where it’s related to the others on the actual spacecraft itself.”</p> <p>UAH’s CSPAR program Director Gary Zank says it means the world to see former students like Parker coming back to show students they too are able.</p> <p>“The time, the effort that he spends building these kind of spacecrafts he probably does realize it but for students and even for people like me who spent their lifetime working on these kinds of missions, having something tangible to attach your hat to your mental vision is tremendously beneficial,” Zank said. “I’d like to thank Blake for making all of that possible with these models.”</p> <p>Life as an engineer has provided Parker with a platform to live out his dream and now he’s showing others they too can have a career in space exploration that has no limits.</p> <p>“It feels really great just getting to show where the possibilities can go, it’s possible if you work hard enough, then you can make it,” Parker told News 19.</p> <p>Parker’s scale model spacecraft joins another model spacecraft he donated in 2020 that’s now on display at UAH’s Cramer Research Hall.</p> <p><em>Article: Courtesy of <a href="https://whnt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WHNT</a>.</em></p> <p><a href="https://whnt.com/news/huntsville/exclusive-former-uah-student-returns-for-inspirational-donation/" target="_blank">Read the full story on WHNT News</a> </p> <p><a href="https://redir1.whnt.com/nxs-video-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" target="_blank">Watch the WHNT video</a>.</p> 2024-08-30T07:53:07-05:00 2024-08-30T07:53:07-05:00 /cspar/news-and-events/18894-uah-researcher-wins-nasa-finesst-scholarship-to-study-connection-between-solar-wind-turbulence-and-energetic-particles Russ Nelson

<p><img src="/" alt="NASA’s Parker Solar Probe entered the solar atmosphere."></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Ashok Silwal, a doctoral candidate and graduate research assistant at ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, has been chosen to receive a NASA Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) scholarship to study stream interaction regions (SIRs) in the heliosphere.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="/" alt="NASA’s Parker Solar Probe entered the solar atmosphere."></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Ashok Silwal, a doctoral candidate and graduate research assistant at ÂÜŔňµşapp (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, has been chosen to receive a NASA Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) scholarship to study stream interaction regions (SIRs) in the heliosphere.</p> <!-- // END Intro Text -->