NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium (CTSGC) is pleased to announce the recipients of its Fall 2025 Call for Proposals.
Award recipients include 6 faculty members and 12 undergraduate/graduate students, and are from 9 NASA CTSGC academic affiliate member institutions. Below are the names of all recipients of the Undergraduate/Graduate Grants, Scholarships, and Faculty Grants.
Congratulations to the Fall 2025 CT Space Grant award recipients!
Our next call for applications will begin 3/2/2026.
Faculty Awards
Curriculum Development Grant
Solaleh Miar
University of Hartford
Integrating Machine Learning into Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering Course
This project will redesign a Biomaterials course by integrating seven machine learning (ML)–based modules that provide students hands-on experience in applying, training, and evaluating existing ML models. Students will select algorithms suited to their datasets and objectives, experiment with model architectures, and assess performance using defined evaluation metrics. The modules connect core biomaterials topics such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, implant design, and biosensors to ML workflows that predict properties of biocompatible materials relevant to human health and spaceflight. The curriculum aligns with NASA’s priorities in space biosciences and health by emphasizing transparency, reliability, and reproducibility in model development.
Faculty Project Grant
Paul Riccio
Fairfield University
Mechanobiology of Beta-Cells in Microgravity: Ground-based Modeling of Membrane Tension as a Driver of Impaired Insulin Secretion
Prolonged exposure to microgravity alters insulin secretion and increases insulin resistance, exacerbating muscle loss and posing major challenges to astronaut health. This Faculty Project Grant will develop a ground-based platform to investigate the cellular mechanisms of impaired insulin release. We will engineer MIN6 beta-cells to express a membrane tension biosensor for real-time measurement of mechanobiological changes. Using engineered substrates that mimic cytoskeletal collapse under microgravity versus normal tension, we will assess the effects of altered membrane mechanics on insulin secretion and function. This work supports NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate and informs strategies to counter diabetogenic effects of long-duration spaceflight.
Faculty STEM Education Programming Grant
Sharon B Gusky
CT State – Northwestern
Exploring Antibiotic Producing Bacteria in Space: an afterschool high school program at CT State CC Northwestern
Exploring Antibiotic Producing Bacteria in Space: an afterschool high school program at CT State CC Northwestern isa science education project aimed at introducing high school students to the work and research of NASA while exploring the effects of microgravity on antibiotic producing bacteria. Students will learn about NASA and Space programs and research through videos and readings and by interacting with a student in Harvard’s Astrophysics’ program. They will participate in a scientific discovery project where they isolate antibiotic producing bacteria from soil, grow the bacteria in normal gravity and simulated microgravity conditions, test the bacteria to see if it produces antibiotics in both conditions and then characterize and sequence the bacteria for identification. This program is designed to introduce students to microbial techniques while exploring the effects of simulated microgravity on bacterial cultures. Students will learn about scientific exploration in space, experimental procedures and design, and will gain confidence in performing laboratory skills.
Faculty Travel Grant
Joshua Andres Grajales
Wesleyan University
Investigating Stellar Evolution: Dynamical Mass Measurements for Gas Bearing Debris Disk Host Stars
“To infer the masses of stars, astronomers typically rely on photospheric measurements interpreted through stellar evolution models. However, with recent advancements in observational technology, it is now possible to make dynamical mass measurements of stars that host circumstellar gas disks. Aligned with NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, this study accentuates the synergies resulting from interdisciplinary research, leveraging statistical and physics-informed modeling methods to compare photometric and dynamical stellar mass measurement techniques. I seek funding to present this study at the American Astronomical Society conference in January 2026.”
Faculty/Undergraduate Research Grant
(Andy) Myungjin Chae
Central Connecticut State University
Robotics-Integrated 3D Scanning for Extreme Environment Inspection
This project aims to develop a robotics-integrated 3D scanning platform for autonomous condition assessment of critical infrastructure under extreme environmental conditions. The system will integrate robotic motion control with automated 3D scanning, point cloud registration, and environmental compensation to ensure accurate measurements under thermal and icing stress. A functional prototype will be built and tested in simulated extreme environments to evaluate performance, alignment stability, and sensing accuracy. The expected outcome is a validated proof-of-concept system capable of autonomous inspection in harsh conditions, providing a terrestrial analog for future aerospace applications and advancing field-deployable, resilient sensing technologies.
Brian Michael Wells
University of Hartford
Broadband Metamaterial Sensing and Imaging Platform for C–X Band Biomedical and Planetary Diagnostics
This project develops a dual-mode metamaterial platform that functions as both a near-field dielectric sensor for biomedical and material characterization and a far-field imaging element for planetary diagnostics across the C–X band (4–10.5 GHz). Two undergraduate researchers will design, simulate, and fabricate hybrid conductive–dielectric structures using additive manufacturing and laser-patterned metallization, followed by broadband characterization on an automated microwave optics bench. The work supports NASA’s Space Technology (STMD), Science (SMD), and Exploration Systems Development (ESDMD) Mission Directorates by advancing lightweight, reconfigurable RF systems for health, environmental, and planetary sensing while promoting workforce development through interdisciplinary, hands-on undergraduate research training.
Graduate and Undergraduate Awards
Student Project
Kaleigh Spencer
Trinity College
Muscle Fatigue Injury Prediction
Athletes pushing through fatigue, pilots holding fixed postures, and astronauts working in microgravity can all suffer muscle injury from overuse or underuse of vital muscles. We will build a small, non-invasive system that uses surface EMG to track muscle fatigue in real time and warn when risk of injury rising. The portable system gives clear feedback showing which muscle is experiencing unhealthy contractions, so users can adjust their activity and prevent chronic injury. The device aligns with the SOMD’s goals, allowing for crew operable muscle monitoring in real time that reduces injury risk and guides exercise with fatigue detection.
Gavin Michael Van Nest
University of Hartford
Broad-Angle Electromagnetic Absorber for Spacecraft EMI Shielding Using Embedded Conductive Inclusions
This project develops and tests enhanced Salisbury screens for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding in spacecraft applications. Traditional Salisbury screens operate efficiently only at normal incidence. By embedding conductive microwires and microcones within a barium-titanate dielectric layer beneath a graphene impedance-matching surface, the design aims to broaden the angular absorption response. Samples will be fabricated and characterized in the microwave regime using facilities at the University of Hartford Multiscale Metamaterial Research Laboratory, with results compared to simulations. The expected outcome is a lightweight, tunable, and angle-independent EMI absorber supporting NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate goals for advanced spacecraft materials.
Will H Wolf
Yale University
Yale Project Liquid
Project Liquid is Yale University’s pioneering student-led initiative to design and build a bipropellant liquid rocket engine. Launched in 2021, the project engages undergraduates across diverse academic disciplines in tackling the multifaceted challenges of liquid propulsion through iterative design, testing, and problem-solving. By fostering an environment that balances technical rigor with accessibility, Project Liquid equips students with practical skills in engineering, teamwork, and innovation. Participants gain valuable, industry-relevant experience that prepares them for internships and careers in aerospace and related fields, while advancing Yale’s presence in the growing field of student rocketry.
Student Travel
Keith Ryan Buckholz
Yale University
247th AAS and Winter School for Cosmology Travel
I will travel to Arizona for two events. First, I will present a poster at the 247th AAS, Jan 4-Jan 8, in Phoenix, AZ. Second, I will attend the Arizona Winter School on Multi-Probe Cosmology in the Roman ST Era, Jan 12-Jan 14, in Tucson, AZ. I am not requesting support for the period between January 9th and January 11th, except for 2 days’ travel Per Diem. These events collectively satisfy NASA’s Science Mission Directorate Strategies, 2.2, 2.5, and 4.1 in the interest of collaboration, open-science, and expanding expertise.
Theodore Sunil Chawla
Wesleyan University
Warp or Spiral: Modeling the Nature of Asymmetric Emission in the Debris Disk 49 Ceti
Understanding the planetary environments, including the debris disks in which they often reside, is key to our search for exoplanets and life on other worlds. The young, unusually gas-rich debris disk around 49 Ceti exhibits an asymmetry in both CO and dust continuum emission that may indicate the presence of a warp, or perhaps the first spiral structure observed in a debris disk. We compare parametric models of disk warps and spirals to high resolution (0.16”) CO and dust continuum radio data. Our results may allow us to constrain the gas-to-dust mass ratio and the cause of the asymmetry.
Dean M Hartshorn
Wesleyan University
Travel to the 247th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Phoenix, AZ
The local interstellar medium (LISM) consists of warm, low-density, partially ionized plasma clouds surrounding the heliosphere. The nearby Local Interstellar Cloud (LIC) and G Cloud appear to be in the process of colliding as the Sun moves further into this region, indicating that our heliosphere may be starting to interact with this complex, collisional environment. At the 247th AAS meeting, I will present the results of our spectroscopic analysis of the LISM absorption along four sightlines of nearby (within 20 pc) stars that fall in the projected LIC-G cloud interaction zone using NUV spectra obtained by HST/STIS.”
Undergraduate Research
Carter Shawn Pelletier
University of Hartford
Thermal Shield for Extreme Environments: Mars Entry & Decent
“This project investigates thermal protection systems (TPS) for spacecraft entering the Martian atmosphere, focusing on multilayer designs, advanced materials, and embedded convective cooling channels. The central research question is: Which multilayer TPS design, choice of advanced materials, and configuration of embedded convective cooling channels maximizes heat protection while minimizing mass for a spacecraft entering the Martian atmosphere? COMSOL Multiphysics simulations will evaluate material performance, layer arrangements, and coupled heat transfer. This supports NASA’s STMD for TPS development, aids HEOMD in enabling safe Mars missions, and benefits SMD for planetary sample returns, advancing NASA’s goals in technology, human exploration, and science.”
Natalie Caroline Ashlee Sherer
University of Hartford
Winging It at Mach 2: A Study in Shockwaves
The goal of this project is to simulate 3D supersonic flow around a delta wing. This work directly supports NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, particularly efforts related to the development of the X-59 supersonic jet. The project will include: (1) simulating 2D supersonic flow over a diamond airfoil, (2) simulating 3D supersonic flow around a delta wing, (3) validating numerical results against existing experimental data, and (4) comparison with Ansys Fluent will benchmark COMSOL’s predictive accuracy. Requested funds will support a student stipend for time spent on the project and purchase a high-memory laptop capable of handling the computational demands of 3D supersonic flow simulations. Success will be evaluated by both the quality and similarity to experimental data. Building on my previous subsonic delta wing simulations, this project will strengthen my qualifications for aerospace positions at NASA and future graduate study. The outcome will be a 3D visualization of shockwave structures over a delta wing.
Scholarship Awards
Zachariah Abis
CT State – Naugatuck Valley
Scholarship – Community College
Claudia Josephine Geer
Trinity College
Scholarship – Undergraduate
Jas Esperanza Hollis
Yale University
Scholarship – Undergraduate
Nicole Jasmin Llivisaca Puma
University of Connecticut
Scholarship – Community College Transfer
Quan Minh Ly
Central Connecticut State University
Scholarship – Undergraduate
Jacob S McCormick
University of Connecticut
Scholarship – Undergraduate
Quace Justin Wright
Central Connecticut State University
Scholarship – Undergraduate
Jing Yang
CT State – Middlesex
Scholarship – Community College