Florida Tech Faculty Earn Florida Space Grants

– Florida Tech faculty have earned grants from the Florida Space Grant Consortium (FSGC) of between $3,000 and more than $19,000 for their research
projects.

Dr. Sam Kozaitis, professor of electrical and computer engineering, is at work developing a system to be used for 3-D
inspection of possible flaws on the space shuttle orbiter.

In the Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Dr. Ming Zhang, associate professor, is developing and testing a
solid-state detector system for high-energy particle experiments on space missions. Assistant Professor Dr. James Mantovani is researching the
electrostatic properties of insulators that come in contact with a Martian soil simulant; he is supported by undergraduate Jason Aspiotis.

Dr. Kurt Winkelmann, assistant professor of chemistry, is designing general chemistry laboratory experiments and lecture course materials that use the
chemistry of Mars to illustrate chemical principles. Some of the examples involve the chemistry necessary to transform Mars’ existing cold, dry environment
into a habitat that can support plant and animal life.

The University of Central Florida and the Florida Space Institute administers the FSGC, a voluntary association of 17 public and private Florida
universities and colleges.