Arkansas Space Grant Consortium - News - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

From Connection to Opportunity: Spencer Knight Finds His Path at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Fri, 01 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000

When Spencer Knight first chose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, his decision was grounded in practicality. The Donaghey Scholars Program offered him a path to graduate debt-free, an opportunity that allowed him to focus fully on his future.

What he found went far beyond financial support.

Knight, a double major in electrical and computer engineering, and physics, said he initially struggled to connect socially after arriving on campus.. Living in the residence halls, especially his time in North Hall, became a turning point. Surrounded by peers and immersed in new experiences, he gradually grew into someone confident, curious, and eager to engage with others.

“��Vlog��ý Little Rock fostered an environment where I was able to learn to engage with my community,” Knight said. “Through that, I was able to find a great number of opportunities.”

That growth proved transformative. Through connections he built on campus, Knight secured internships, including a NASA internship through the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium experience that helped define his career path.

Rather than pointing to a single breakthrough moment, Knight credits his success to steady, incremental growth.

“My growth comes in small steps,” he said. “A lot of small things have clicked over time.”

A key influence throughout that journey was the Donaghey Scholars community. Being surrounded by driven, like-minded students helped normalize ambition and reinforced his own goals.

“It’s a struggle to aim high when you feel like you’re the only one on that path,” Knight said. “But when your closest friends are passionate about their fields, it feels almost natural.”

Knight also found hands-on learning to be essential. Lab-based and project-focused courses gave him the ability to engage deeply with material and strengthen his academic foundation. Combined with internships earned through campus connections, these experiences prepared him for life beyond graduation.

Outside the classroom, Knight believes his greatest impact came through supporting others.

“College has been the toughest time of my life filled with adversity, and I know I’m not alone in that,” he said. “Being there for others…when done consistently over time can have a profound impact.”

Like many students, Knight faced challenges, especially staying motivated with coursework. But being surrounded by peers working through the same struggles made a difference.

“Struggling can be tough, but it’s a lot easier when you’re doing it with others,” he said.

Through study abroad experiences and conversations with a diverse campus community, Knight broadened his perspective and strengthened his sense of purpose. Now, as he prepares to graduate, he sees the future as wide open.

“Graduating means I finally have the freedom to find my path in the world,” he said. “And that is extremely exciting.”

As he graduates, Knight plans to pursue a career in engineering, building on the hands-on experience, technical skills, and professional network he developed at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.

His advice to future Trojans reflects the mindset that guided his own journey: stay open, step outside your comfort zone, and invest in personal growth.

“When you do those things,” he said, “you’ll find yourself in places and situations you would never expect, and that’s where life-changing opportunities happen.”

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��Vlog��ý Little Rock Graduate Student Gains Out-of-This-World Experience at NASA

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Hannah Jones, a graduate student in mechanical engineering at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, spent her summer interning at in Mississippi, gaining hands-on experience that brought her closer to her dream of a career in aerospace engineering.

Jones, a Benton native who is set to graduate in May 2027, worked in the Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate as a systems safety intern. Her primary role involved reviewing risk management processes and conducting a gap analysis to ensure Stennis Space Center’s documentation aligned with updated agency-wide requirements.

“The report I created ended up being 31 pages long, detailing updates and processes for risk management at Stennis Space Center,” Jones said. “My favorite part was interviewing representatives from each organization and seeing how they each handle different types of risks, from rocket propulsion testing to audits.”

Beyond her project, Jones toured historic facilities, including the Apollo-era B-complex test stands, and the Michoud Assembly Center, where they assemble large pieces of rockets and is also a popular site for movie filming.

She also visited the Marshall Space Flight Center, where she met astronaut Charlie Duke, the 10^th man on the moon, and toured the International Space Station payload operations center. She even witnessed a live RS-25 rocket engine test for the Artemis mission that will return Americans to the moon.

“The RS-25 rocket engine is what will take us back to the moon as part of the Artemis mission,” Jones said. “The test was so loud and strong that you could feel it. It was one of the coolest experiences ever.”

For Jones, interning at NASA was the realization of a childhood dream.

“In middle school, I used to read NASA articles during lunch,” she said. “It was always a dream to work here, an end goal for my future career. Now it feels less like an end goal and more like a steppingstone toward what’s next in the aerospace industry.”

Jones secured the internship through the ’s Workforce Development Award, which supports Arkansas students pursuing aerospace-related opportunities. She hopes for the chance to intern with NASA again in the future.

Back at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Jones continues her research with Dr. Shweta Dabetwar, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, in the Materials Intelligence and Prognostics Laboratory, where she studies damage detection in composite materials using artificial intelligence. She is also involved in the Aerospace Club, where she leads STEM outreach activities, from model rocketry to the mobile planetarium, and Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society.

“This internship gave me a whole new perspective on risk management and safety in engineering,” Jones said. “It’s exciting to think about how these experiences will prepare me for the future.”

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��Vlog��ý Little Rock Senior Explores AI and Space Technology in NASA Internship

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Spencer Knight, a senior double majoring in electrical and computer engineering and physics at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, spent his summer exploring the future of space exploration as a computer research and development intern at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

Knight, a native of Little Rock and member of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, worked in NASA’s Technology, Innovation, and Research Office (TIRO), where he researched applications for large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT.

His research focused on creating a searchable database of decades-old, scanned files. He also researched technologies that, long term, will give astronauts a way to access knowledge about tools and systems when live communication with Earth isn’t possible, like during missions to Mars.

“Communications with Mars can take a minimum of , so astronauts going to Mars wouldn’t be able to have live chats with NASA,” Knight said. “The idea is to use AI to create a system that can handle databases of knowledge about specific tools that astronauts will handle when they are traveling far away from Earth. This system will make it easier for the astronauts to quickly search through all of this information.”

Beyond the lab, Knight’s experience included witnessing rocket engine tests, touring NASA facilities, and even visiting one of the International Space Station’s control rooms at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. But the highlight, he said, was the community he found among his fellow NASA interns.

“There were 12 of us, and we became like a family,” Knight said. “We still text regularly. That bond, along with seeing an engine test up close, which is like experiencing an earthquake, made the summer unforgettable.”

For Knight, the internship also sparked a new academic passion. A programmer since age eight, he had previously avoided working with AI but found his work at NASA to be transformative.

“This was my first deep dive into AI, and now I’m looking for ways to continue researching it here at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” he said. “It’s an exciting field, especially with how it intersects with the aerospace industry.”

Knight credits Dr. Constance Meadors of the for helping him get this internship as well as his mentors inTIRO, Dr. Schmalzel and Dr. Krell, for helping him seize the opportunity to learn so much over the summer. Working at NASA was the fulfillment of a childhood dream for Knight.

“My dad is the biggest space nerd I know,” Knight said. “He taught me the names of the planets when I was three. My grandpa was an engineer, and I’ve always known I wanted to be an engineer,” Knight said. “Working for such a historical agency is a massive privilege, and I am happy to have done that this summer. With the recent boom in space technology and a new age of space exploration ahead of us, I do want to go into the aerospace industry.”

Knight, who also serves as vice president of the Aerospace Club at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, will graduate in May 2026 and plans to pursue a career in the aerospace industry or attend graduate school.

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��Vlog��ý Little Rock Senior Jack Seabaugh Builds Stellar Career with Fourth NASA Internship

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Jack Seabaugh, a senior majoring in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has chartered an impressive course toward a career with NASA.

The North Little Rock native has completed his fourth NASA internship across three space centers, a milestone that should position him well for a future in the aerospace industry.

“I never thought working at NASA was something realizable in my life,” Seabaugh said. “But the more I learned, the more I realized I wanted to be part of the incredible work they’re doing.”

Seabaugh’s journey began in summer 2023 when he secured his first internship at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, funded by the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium. He joined a team working on the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) to develop a prototype capable of recovering oxygen from carbon dioxide using cyanobacteria. The purpose of the project was to create more oxygen for astronauts living on the International Space Station. His role involved building the electronics and programming microcontrollers to monitor and control the system.

That hands-on experience ignited his passion for NASA’s mission and opened doors to new opportunities.

In summer 2024, Seabaugh interned at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, where he was part of the Mechatronics & Robotics branch designing the electrical system for a modular rover prototype. His work included designing power systems, data transmission processes, and algorithms to control the rover’s movements.

Those internships led Seabaugh to the NASA Pathways Program, which provides current students with paid work experience and recent graduates with a dynamic career development program at the beginning of their careers. He began his first Pathways rotation in fall 2024 at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, where he designed printed circuit boards for the Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor (SWIM)—a project aimed at detecting harmful organic compounds in drinking water aboard the International Space Station.

Now in his second Pathways rotation, Seabaugh is working in the Johnson Space Center Audio Lab, the only lab of its kind at NASA. His work focuses on improving speech intelligibility in space, enhancing astronaut communication through better audio processing and microphone design.

“NASA puts a lot of emphasis on developing a skill set that can apply to almost anything in your field,” Seabaugh said. “Even though all my projects have been different, they’ve each helped me grow as an engineer and as a person.”

Jack Seabaugh

Seabaugh is on track to graduate in December and hopes to secure a full-time position at Johnson Space Center. If not, he plans to pursue a career in embedded systems, the engineering discipline he discovered through his NASA work.

His path to NASA wasn’t easy. He applied for dozens of internships before receiving his first offer.

“I sent out over 60 applications before I got a yes,” Seabaugh said. “I wouldn’t be here without the . It’s how I funded my first NASA internship, and the fact that it’s based at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is a huge advantage for students.”

Beyond the classroom, Seabaugh has helped grow a space-focused student culture at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. He founded the Aerospace Club in January 2023 and served as its first president, helping students pursue aerospace research and outreach opportunities.

“I’ve been fortunate to tour some amazing places during my internships—like the Neutral Buoyancy Lab at Johnson Space Center and the world’s largest clean room at Goddard,” he said. “I even watched Artemis II astronauts training underwater and saw them building the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope.”

Seabaugh encourages other students to pursue opportunities fearlessly.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out to people, even if you think they won’t respond,” he said. “Be persistent, be patient, and work on personal projects that show what you’re capable of. The opportunities are out there, and places like ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and the Space Grant Consortium are here to help you find them.”

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Arkansas Space Grant Consortium Awarded $800,000 Grant to Advance NASA Workforce Development and STEM Education

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 13:05:00 +0000

The (ASGC), headquartered at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been awarded an $800,000 grant by NASA to support workforce development, STEM education, and aerospace research throughout the state.

The funding is part of NASA’s national Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, which will provide up to $870,000 annually to each of 52 institutions across the U.S., including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, over the next four years. Administered through NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, the program is designed to build a highly skilled workforce equipped to advance NASA’s mission and strengthen the country’s aerospace sector.

“This is our prime award and the foundation of our efforts to develop the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators in Arkansas,” said Dr. Constance Meadors, director of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium. “It allows us to fund student internships, student and faculty-led research, and educational outreach across all corners of the state.”

The ASGC supports 18 colleges and universities through a variety of programs, including grants, student internships, and collaborative research projects aligned with NASA’s mission directorates. In 2025 alone, 10 Arkansas students will participate in internships at NASA centers, nine of which were funded by a previous grant.

“Being a NASA intern is an amazing opportunity that has launched my engineering, teamwork, and communication skills in ways I could have never imagined,” said Jack Seabaugh, a ��Vlog��ý Little Rock senior who is completing his third summer internship at NASA. “My internships at this organization have exposed me to so many incredible learning and professional development opportunities, as well as introducing me to the engineering discipline I now hope to spend my future career in. I never would have acquired this skillset, hands-on experience, and set of interests if it were not for the internship opportunities I’ve had at NASA.”

Initiatives supported by the award include hands-on opportunities in aerospace technologies like high-altitude ballooning, Arkansas CubeSat development, autonomous vehicle competitions, and competitive rocket programs. The consortium also offers student research awards, STEM-based outreach, and its new SOUL (Students Observing and Understanding in the Lab) initiative, which mentors emerging student researchers in NASA-related projects.

“We design programs that capitalize on Arkansas’s strengths while preparing students for high-demand aerospace and technology careers,” Meadors said. “We want to ensure our students have the training, experience, and confidence to lead in space and science-related fields.”

One of the new initiatives supported by this year’s grant is the portable planetarium program. Originally housed at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, portable planetariums will be available at affiliate campuses across the state, including Southern Arkansas University, Henderson State University, the University of Central Arkansas, and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, starting in the 2025-26 academic year.

A traveling portable planetarium grew in popularity leading up to the total solar eclipse in 2024. During the 2024-25 school year, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students who were members of the Aerospace Club undertook training that allowed them to take the planetarium out to schools, libraries, and community organizations. The initiative allows broader access to space science education and outreach for schools and communities in every region of Arkansas.

“After the success of the portable planetarium in 2024, this has given us a great way to expand the program,” Meadors said. “The idea is to have portable planetariums all across the state so we can refer schools and community members to our affiliate partner campus with the nearest planetarium. We were able to partner with the Aerospace Club at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and it’s been a great experience for us and the students. I’ve been fortunate to have students who have been great leaders.”

Additionally, the ASGC is preparing to launch its first NASA ASTRO Camp program in Arkansas this fall. The camp will provide faculty and students with comprehensive materials—from lesson plans to outreach supplies—designed to immerse young learners in space exploration, STEM topics, and authentic NASA experiences.

“We’re excited to continue and expand the work of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium,” Meadors said. “This grant will help us reach more students and communities, and we remain committed to serving every corner of the state.”

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Hannah Jones Explores the Future of Aerospace Engineering Through Research and Leadership

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Hannah Jones, a senior mechanical engineering major from Benton, has spent her time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock immersed in research, leadership, and hands-on experiences that has prepared her for a future in aerospace engineering.

From conducting artificial intelligence research to leading the Aerospace Club, her journey has been defined by exploration and discovery. Drawn by its strong mechanical engineering program and its proximity to home, Jones chose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock after being selected for the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program.

In her junior year, Jones discovered a passion for research and began working with Dr. Shweta Dabetwar, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, on damage classification using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Their work focuses on identifying damage in wind turbine blades and composite materials. Jones has already presented their research at the Materials Research Society Symposium at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and the International Mechanical Engineering Conference and Exposition in Portland.

“Dr. Dabewar has been an incredible mentor,” Jones said. “She not only taught me in the classroom but also guided me through the research process, from conducting studies to presenting at conferences and making professional connections.”

Her academic experience extended beyond the classroom and lab. She took her education overseas, participating in a study abroad program in Ireland, where she worked with Silverback Staffing, an engineering staffing company. Her internship there involved creating a report on how engineering operates in the U.S. for Irish companies. The experience gave her insight into international engineering practices while allowing her to explore Dublin’s museums and culture.

Closer to home, she interned with Southwest Power Pool, gaining industry experience that complemented her research and leadership activities. As a founding member of the Aerospace Club, Jones played a pivotal role in its growth, serving as vice president and now president.

The club helps to spread a love for astronomy and space science across central Arkansas and engages in model rocketry projects, PICO ballooning—launching balloons that travel across the globe—and STEM education outreach through a mobile planetarium provided by the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium.

“We’re working on creating educational materials for Arkansas teachers and students,” Jones said. “It’s exciting to bring STEM activities into classrooms and inspire the next generation.”

Beyond the Aerospace Club, Jones has been involved in Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, where she served as social chair and helped organize events like this year’s Pi Day STEM Student Organization Fair. She’s also been a part of the Academic Registered Student Organization Banquet Committee, which highlights student organization achievements.

As she prepares to graduate on May 17, Jones is looking ahead to the next phase of her academic career. She will remain at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, continuing her research with Dabewar. Her long-term goal is to earn a Ph.D. and work in the aerospace industry, with a particular interest in NASA.

“I feel like this isn’t really the end, but just the next step,” Jones said. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock has given me so many opportunities, and I’m excited to keep building on them.”

Jones will be taking an important step in launching her NASA career this summer, where she will be working as a facility system safety intern at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center.

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Meadors Named Director of Arkansas Space Grant Consortium

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 13:03:25 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is happy to announce Dr. Constance Meadors as the new director of the (ASGC) and NASA Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program.

Meadors has taken over for Dr. Keith Hudson, who is still serving the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium in a director emeritus role. Meadors’ new role comes with some historic significance as she is the first African American and first female space grant director for the state of Arkansas as well as the first African American female space grant director in the United States.

“I am only the third director since the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium began in 1991,” she said. “I think it’s a wonderful opportunity. My NASA experience started here at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock conducting hybrid rocket research as a graduate student. Immediately upon entering the program, I was identified as the recipient of a NASA fellowship. That was the first time I became involved in NASA, and it was beyond anything I imagined as a young African American female from a small town. It feels like I have come full circle in coming back to the place where it all started.”

ASGC partners with 17 four-year universities and colleges across Arkansas, dedicated to advancing space science education, research, and public outreach. The ASGC recently partnered with six higher education institutions in Arkansas to provide funding and solar eclipse glasses for free STEM festivals where the public could watch the solar eclipse and learn about STEM activities in Arkansas. ASGC employees spent April 8 at Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, where NASA scientists, partnering researchers, and citizen scientists spent the day conducting research experiments for the total solar eclipse.

“This was ground zero for NASA research in Arkansas,” Meadors said. “We had research teams launching balloons, and we completed several workshops, including one workshop where we taught citizen scientists how to use their phones to collect data during the eclipse. We had scientists join us from Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and North and South Carolina.”

Meadors joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2023 as the associate director of ASGC, and she brings a diverse wealth of space research and NASA experience. In the Office of STEM Engagement, she served as the first Minority Serving Institution (MSI) STEM Engagement Liaison-Faculty Fellow for NASA Intergovernmental Personnel Assignees (IPA). The NASA EPSCoR advisory council was established and led by her.

She played a key role in developing the inaugural solicitation for the Predominantly Black Institution (PBI)/Historically Black College or University (HBCU) Minority University Research Education Program (MUREP), known as the Diversity Equity Accessibility Priority for Research and Education (DEAP). She created the MUREP Kennedy Space Center Courageous Conversations Series and hosted NASA’s first Juneteenth Celebration in 2021.

Her academic experiences include K-12, community college, private, and public institutions. She has served as associate dean of arts and sciences, dean of applied science technology, chair of electronics, director of electronics engineering technology, and held many STEM teaching positions.

Meadors earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Grambling State University as well as a Master of Science in Applied Science with a focus on instrumentation and a Ph.D. in Applied Science Engineering Science and Systems from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. She holds the distinction of being the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in Engineering Science and Systems from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and the first African American and female to teach mechanical engineering at Harding University.

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Arkansas Space Grant Consortium Helps Arkansans Experience Great North American Solar Eclipse

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 13:00:26 +0000

The , based at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has made it its mission to help tens of thousands of people experience the wonder of the Great North American Solar Eclipse on April 8.

With the solar eclipse’s path of totality covering 53 counties in Arkansas, Dr. Constance Meadors, interim director of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium (ASGC), said the organization is doing everything possible to provide Arkansans with diverse viewing opportunities, educational and family activities, and free solar eclipse glasses to enjoy the day.

ASGC partners with 17 four-year universities and colleges across Arkansas, dedicated to advancing space science education, research, and public outreach. The ASGC is partnering with colleges and universities across the state, including ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, who will be holding public events for the community to enjoy the solar eclipse.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we will be able to tell our grandchildren about, and it’s one of the greatest things that NASA will be involved in that people will get to see and experience,” Meadors said.

To help with the solar eclipse celebrations, ASGC provided grants of approximately $50,000 and donated around 30,000 pairs of solar eclipse glasses to six higher education institutions in Arkansas so that everyone will have a chance to experience the solar eclipse safely. Additionally, ASGC provided the Arkansas STEM Coalition with about 160,000 pairs of solar eclipse glasses to share with the public.

“I just want everyone within the state of Arkansas to find a place to join and participate in the solar eclipse,” Meadors said. “Don’t let the lack of glasses stop you. If they get to any of these locations, they should have access to free solar eclipse glasses.”

Some of the other solar eclipse activities that ASGC is participating in includes:

Sharing a tactile Braille book, “Getting a Feel for the Eclipse,” with Arkansans. The book provides people who are blind and visually impaired with a means to experience the total solar eclipse through their fingertips.
Training seven college students as NASA Partnered Eclipse Ambassadors who are conducting educational activities related to the solar eclipse throughout Arkansas.
Partnering with ��Vlog��ýMS Pathways Academy to complete eclipse safety and education activities with Arkansas students.

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Join ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for a Spectacular Solar Eclipse Celebration on April 8

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 17:12:08 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock invites students, employees, alumni, and the community to a to witness the April 8 total solar eclipse together.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock welcomes the public community to campus to experience this rare event. The event will take place from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday, April 8, with activities both inside and outside of the Jack Stephens Center.

“If we don’t observe the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, we won’t have another chance in Arkansas for the next 21 years,” said Dr. Gregory Guisbiers, associate professor of physics and astronomy at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “That is why I encourage everyone to see the eclipse in April. For many of us, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

Little Rock lies within the eclipse path of totality, and is expected to experience two minutes and 29 seconds of totality from 1:51-1:54 p.m., with the partial eclipse taking place from 12:33-3:11 p.m.

The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Physical Sciences will hold guided observation sessions with solar telescopes from Celestron, transmitting the eclipse in great detail on large screens for everyone to enjoy. Additionally, there will be 50 telescopes with Solar Safe technology for children to observe the eclipse safely, and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will be handing out 30,000 pairs of complementary eclipse glasses provided by the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium.

Alaina Levine, author of “Networking for Nerds,” will be giving a guest lecture, “Don’t Eclipse your Future in STEM: Create Your Unicorn Career!” at 10 a.m. in the Jack Stephens Center. For over 20 years, Levine has been helping emerging and established leaders build meaningful careers. Following the lecture, there will be a book signing, and Levine will meet with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students, faculty, and staff to give them advice on how to boost their careers.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock will also have an inflatable planetarium, a Foucault’s pendulum, Cavendish’s balance, gravity well, meteorites on display, and children’s activities, such as manufacturing pinhole viewing boxes, face painting, and bounce houses, available to help all family members enjoy their day at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Water stations and food vendors including Black China, Eat My Catfish, Léa-Léa’s Gourmet Dogs, Potbelly, Sodexo, and Ques All Smoked will be available.

Throughout the day, different ��Vlog��ý Little Rock departments and centers will provide unique insights on the event through their presentations and activities. Some of these include a solar eclipse photo booth, eclipse history, Renaissance poetry, how to mathematically predict a solar eclipse, and the sun in Norse mythology.

“The eclipse event at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is a prime example of how different academic fields can come together to explore and learn,” Provost Ann Bain said. “We’re grateful to everyone participating in this event, as their unique academic perspectives enrich the learning experience for all. We’re excited to offer this unique learning opportunity for our students and the wider community.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock will have two LightSound devices that will enable individuals with visual impairments to experience the solar eclipse through sound. The devices are provided by the LightSound Project at Harvard University, who are distributing these devices for use at universities, schools, and nonprofits across the country during the solar eclipse on April 8.

Power Technology, as experts in lasers and the science of light for more than 55 years, will provide laser demonstrations, using the instruments they normally use to measure lasers to display real-time changes in both the brightness and spectrum of the sun during the solar eclipse.

The solar eclipse celebration is funded by the Donaghey Foundation, Arkansas Space Grant Consortium, and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

For more information on the solar eclipse event, visit .

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Women to Watch at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: Dr. Constance Meadors

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 13:11:07 +0000

In celebration of Women’s History Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is profiling women in leadership positions who are making a difference at the university and in the community.

The next Woman to Watch at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock of 2024 is Dr. Constance Meadors, interim director of the .

Tell us about yourself and your background.

I am a native of Winnfield, Louisiana, where I grew up tinkering and participating in science fairs. This sparked my interest and passion in STEM. I obtained a B.S. in physics from Grambling State University. While at Grambling, I became involved in undergraduate research and loved it. This solidified my interest in STEM and my quest for future STEM degrees. I received a NASA fellowship and a master’s and doctorate degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (��Vlog��ý Little Rock). This is where I was introduced to NASA research and conducted hybrid rocket and micro device research at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Consequently, becoming the proverbial “rocket scientist.”

I became obsessed and fell in love with all things NASA. My passion for STEM has led me to challenge minorities’ perception in STEM. When I speak of minorities, I don’t just mean me as an African American female, a double minority. I mean all minorities which includes socioeconomic and geographical demographics as well. The latter often coexists with limiting factors to obtaining STEM careers. I’ve at times been frustrated and questioned my place in this environment. I wrote a poem, “Am I the Exception or Am I the Rule?” I presented this poem at a NASA conference. It was well received and served as encouragement and motivation for myself and other marginalized persons with STEM dreams. Subsequently, I was motivated to start the #ChangetheRule Campaign. I have worked tirelessly to change the rules and standards that define how minorities are viewed in STEM while also working to move the STEM needle forward.

My STEM passion has taken me to many milestones – intentionally and consequential. I was the first in my family to receive a bachelor’s degree. I was the first African American to graduate from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with degrees in applied science, instrumentation, and systems engineering. I was the first female to teach mechanical engineering at Harding University. I was the first to serve on an Intergovernmental Personnel Assignment in NASA’s OSTEM MUREP pilot program. Now, I am the first female and African American space grant director not only in Arkansas, but in the country.

What is your current position and professional duties at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock?

I am the director of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium and NASA EPSCoR Programs. I oversee and direct the operations and budget for the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium, which is composed of 17 colleges and universities in Arkansas that are affiliate campuses.

What brought you to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock?

My reason for being at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is threefold. After being an instructor, a director, and a dean at many diverse institutions, this is an opportunity to return “home.” This is an opportunity to serve as a statewide motivator for STEM education and careers in the Natural State while changing the rules and perceptions that are preventing STEM education and careers. It is an honor and privilege, with NASA being the premier science agency in the world, to lead the largest NASA-funded entity in the state of Arkansas. We will be able to continue to improve the state’s STEM score by impacting and improving efforts both in K-12 and higher education.

What are some of the exciting projects that you are working on at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock?

I just hosted the USDA Path to Prosperity meeting in January that included over 300 participants and six federal/state agencies. I am currently coordinating NASA Solar Eclipse efforts for Arkansas. Also, we are launching a planetarium program to have an inflatable planetarium in every region of the state. I am establishing partnerships and collaborations within and outside the state. I plan to unveil a few upcoming citizen science projects this summer.

What woman has inspired you the most and why?

I have a picture of a scared, unsure little girl, me, hiding behind my grandmother. I was born to a teenage mother and spent my early years at my grandmother’s home. Though she had very little education, she did everything with pride and respect. She would wake up every morning and open her curtains to let in the sunlight and face the day with intentionality and determination. Unknowingly, I soaked up these traits like a sponge.

My mother, though she began her adult life with a tremendous challenge, worked tirelessly to improve her circumstances. She cleaned houses and offices and eventually worked in a saw mill, sometimes all night, providing for me. Simultaneously, she pushed me to do well in school and began taking various classes herself. When I started college, my mother started as well. I graduated before her, but she eventually became a special education teacher, retiring last year. So, I would have to say my grandmother and mother were my most inspiring influences.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

No one or no rule defines you and your success. Don’t let the world tell you what you can or can’t achieve. You too are here to change the rules. Sometimes your place in history is to follow the rules, address the rules, and sometimes change the rules. It is your job to know your role and make a difference.

Name something about yourself that most people would be surprised to learn.

Most people would probably be surprised to know that I repeated first grade, because I wasn’t reading at the required level. This is a demonstration of how your past does not dictate your future.

What is your favorite quote and why?

“No weapons formed against you shall prosper.” In this world we are challenged daily by obstacles seen and unseen, but we must know that if we stay on the course we can and will achieve our destiny.

The post Women to Watch at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: Dr. Constance Meadors appeared first on News.

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