Seven Shepherd University students who were recipients of the West Virginia Space Grant Undergraduate Fellowship Program presented their research as part of the 2011 NASA Day. Students who received scholarships from the program were also recognized.

The seven fellowship recipients include Robert Auld, senior computer science and mathematics major; Joanna Baird, senior biology major; Etleva Jackson, senior computer science, networking and security major; Brittani Love, junior chemistry major; Phillip Sinsky, senior chemistry major; Richard Stephens, senior network security major; and Joshua Sullivan, senior computer and information science major.

Fellowships are made possible by the NASA West Virginia Space Grand Consortium and Shepherd’s School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. The grants, which range from $500 to $2,300, are matched by President Suzanne Shipley and her office.

According to Reza Mirdamadi, associate professor of engineering and chair of the department of computer science, mathematics, and engineering and board member of the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium, 30 students applied for the award. Each year, 10 to 15 students are accepted into the program.

Students made their proposals in October 2010 to a committee of faculty members. Awards were given in November and students began their research immediately. Research topics included cryptography, error detection using petri nets and examining the dependence of langmuir monolayer lateral compression modulus.

Mirdamadi said that as part of the stipulations of the award, the students must do meaningful research and present a paper and have the paper published.

Scholarships were given to Brett Shaffer, senior biochemistry major; Michael Skaggs, sophomore computer engineering major; April Tressler, sophomore mathematics major; Jeffrey Carter, junior computer engineering major; Nicholas Drozda, senior computer engineering major; Matt Griffith, junior computer engineering major; Michael Smith, junior computer engineering major; Matt Tark, sophomore computer engineering major; Steave Sanderson, freshman computer engineering major; and John Kessler, junior computer science and mathematics major.