NASA Officials To Visit UA, Discuss New Joint Science And Technology Center

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ­ Officials from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center will visit The University of Alabama campus on Tuesday, Oct. 31, to speak on NASA research and educational programs, and discuss the National Space Science and Technology Center under construction in Huntsville.

The new center is a joint project between Marshall and the Space Science and Technology Alliance ­ a group of six Alabama research universities. Joining UA in the alliance are the University of Alabama in Huntsville, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama A&M University, the University of South Alabama and Auburn University.

Arthur G. Stephenson, director of the Marshall Space Flight Center, will speak in a program beginning at 9:15 a.m. in room 101 of the Bevill Building, followed by Dr. Frank Rose, director of the center’s Science Directorate. This event is open to the campus community and the public.

The program will begin with introductory comments by Dr. Robert Wells, UA’s assistant academic vice president for research, and Dr. Ramana Reddy, ACIPCO Professor in the department of metallurgical and materials engineering at UA and the University’s coordinator for the joint project. Also included will be research presentations by several UA faculty members.

Following the faculty presentations, the visitors will view posters representing various research projects at the University.

Tuesday’s visit will also include a meeting between the NASA representatives and UA President Andrew Sorensen, in addition to tours of campus research facilities

“They will be here to look at the campus, campus research activities, and to visit with the president and his administration,” Reddy said. “We want to let Mr. Stephenson and his scientific team know that The University of Alabama is very actively involved in NASA-related research.”

Stephenson assumed directorship of Marshall in September 1998 after more than 35 years of experience in the space industry. As director of NASA’s lead center for space transportation and microgravity sciences, he manages a broad range of research and development activities for the U.S. space program. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Redlands and is a graduate of the executive program in management at the University of California in Los Angeles.

Rose was named director of the center’s Science Directorate in May 1999, after 35 years of managing research in the physical sciences, including extensive experience in assembling interdisciplinary and interagency teams and in university/industry relationships. The Science Directorate has responsibility for management and in-house research in disciplines such as microgravity materials science, astrophysics, earth sciences, advanced optics, and astrobiology. Rose received his bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Virginia, and his master’s and doctorate in solid state science from Penn State.