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Tuskegee University joins research partnership
Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Ala., one of the nation's top, predominantly minority research institutions, has joined an alliance of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and university scientists to explore the secrets of space science, Earth's weather, propulsion and more. Tuskegee University is now a member of the National Space Science and Technology Center in Huntsville, Ala.
Photo: Art Stephenson, left, and Robert Sackheim, center, of the Marshall Center, tour Tuskegee University, with Dr. Legand L. Burge, right, of Tuskegee. (NASA/MSFC)
Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Ala., one of the nation’s top, predominantly minority research institutions, has joined an alliance of NASA and university scientists to explore the secrets of space science, Earth’s weather, propulsion and more.
Tuskegee University is now a member of the National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) in Huntsville, Ala., a partnership that includes NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, federal agencies, industry and the Alabama Space Science and Technology Alliance — a group of seven Alabama universities.
“Through the NSSTC, some of the world’s best scientists and engineers share ideas and facilities,” said Art Stephenson, director of the Marshall Center. “The addition of Tuskegee University brings even more talent, resources and diversity to this research endeavor.”
“NASA Day” at Tuskegee University on April 26 marked the conclusion of a process that began in late 2001, when Tuskegee joined the space alliance. Highlights of the NASA event included campus laboratory tours, career discussions and visits with students by NASA officials and Tuskegee alumni who now contribute to the nation’s space program through their work at NASA’s Marshall Center.
Founded by Booker T. Washington in 1881, Tuskegee University is consistently among the top 10 Historically Black College and Universities in federally financed research and development expenditures.
“Tuskegee University is one of the nation’s top producers of African-American aerospace science engineers,” said Charles Scales, director of the Marshall Center’s Equal Opportunity Office, who led the NASA Day event. “It’s also a national leader in African-American engineering graduates in chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering. This level of engineering expertise will be a great asset to the NSSTC.”
Tuskegee University offers a Ph.D. program in Materials Science and Engineering, which aims at substantially increasing the number of African American Ph.D.s. The Center for Advanced Materials at Tuskegee University, which received a considerable amount of support through several research and training grants from NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center, houses the Ph.D. program.
It is anticipated that Tuskegee University will graduate more African American Ph.D. candidates in Materials Science and Engineering than any institution in the nation.
Dr. Shaik Jeelani, vice president for research and sponsored programs at Tuskegee University, said the NSSTC partnership offers exciting opportunities for Tuskegee faculty and students as well. “Through the NSSTC partnership, Tuskegee researchers and students will have another avenue for conducting real-world research and collaborating with other people who have dedicated their careers to science and engineering,” he said.
Tuskegee University’s president, Dr. Benjamin F. Payton, who chairs the President’s Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, expressed his gratitude to the NASA team for inviting Tuskegee University to join NSSTC. “This partnership will help T.U. move to a new level of excellence in Engineering education,“ president Payton said.
In addition to Tuskegee University members of the Alabama Space Science and Technology Alliance include the University of Alabama in Huntsville; Alabama A&M University in Huntsville; Auburn University in Auburn; the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa; the University of Alabama at Birmingham; and the University of South Alabama in Mobile.
The NSSTC’s primary research areas include space science, Earth sciences, materials science, biotechnology, propulsion, information technology and optics.
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