ASTRO Lab Welcomes 3 McNair Scholars

As part of the McNair Scholars Research Program, the Astronautics and Robotic Laboratory would like to welcome three McNair scholars for summer research. Congratulations to Kevin Alvarado who has been working with ASTRO Lab over the last year on optimal asteroid redirection strategies and resource mapping, and welcome Martin Lopez Jr. and Vy Huynh! Martin and Vy will be working on space robotics and orbital mechanics research projects over the summer.

About the McNair Scholars Research Program

First-generation college students from low-income backgrounds or students from underrepresented groups interested in performing research in science or engineering may be able to become a McNair Scholar.

Ronald E. McNair was among the USS Challenger Space Shuttle's seven-member crew that met with tragedy and death in January 1986. As a tribute to his lifelong achievements, Congress and the McNair family formed the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program to assist young people in not only following McNair's path, but in taking the initiative to blaze trails of their own.

The Chosen Few
Throughout the United States, approximately 180 schools have been chosen by Congress to host a Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Program. Only colleges and universities that have an outstanding record of research are considered for the Federal TRIO Grant, which provides operating monies. Participating in the program allows students firsthand experience in cutting-edge, graduate-level research at a nationally recognized facility. Faculty members who partake as mentors are equally dedicated to their teaching and their research.

The prestige of being a Clarkson McNair Scholar is shared by only 20 students each year. Clarkson, as a McNair Program host, stands among U.C. Berkley, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Purdue, Texas A.&M., and Howard University, to name a few. Clarkson's research for McNair Scholars focuses on engineering or science; other schools offer a variety of options.

Read more about the program on the Clarkson University website.