The Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium awarded undergraduate fellowships in the Spring of 2003 to students at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa and Hilo.

University of Hawai'i at Manoa:

• Clyde Campos, a senior in Mechanical Engineering, will continue his work with mentor Dr. Carlos Coimbra of the Department of Mechanical Engineering on a rocket project for placing 10-kg payloads into Earth orbit. Clyde's project, titled "Dedicated Orbital Rocket for Small Payloads (DORSP)" emphasizes principles of rocket propulsion and orbital dynamics. Clyde hopes his research will help show the benefits of new, efficient, and smaller-scale rockets for use with small payloads. Final Report
• Donielle Chittenden, a senior in Geology and Geophysics, is continuing her evaluation of remote sensing data of different spatial resolutions to differentiate pahoehoe from a`a lava flows. She has focused on data and field work in Hawai`i and will now apply her ideas of resolution limits to satellite images of volcanic terrain on Mars. Donielle's project, titled "Determining the Spatial Resolution Range: A Comparison of the Lava Flows on Mauna Loa to those of Elysium Mons through Remote Sensing," is being conducted under mentor Dr. Scott Rowland of the Hawai`i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology. Final Report
• Seth Kamemoto, a senior in Electrical Engineering, is continuing work on a robot vision project titled, "Visual Sensing in Autonomous Robots." Under the direction of mentor Dr. Tep Dobry of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Seth is designing hardware and software to optimize the path taken by an autonomous robot through a maze. This research benefits the space industry's need for unpiloted or robotic systems that can function in remote, extreme environments. Final Report
• Jennifer Kawata, a junior in Global Environmental Science, will work on a remote sensing project titled, "Analysis of the Late-Stage Intra-Caldera Activity of Arsia Mons Volcano, Mars." Under the direction of mentor Dr. Peter Mouginis-Mark of the Hawai`i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, Jennifer will combine analyses of satellite images and field work on Kilauea with a detailed geologic and topographic study of Arsia Mons caldera.
• Conred Maddox, a junior majoring in Philosophy and English, will continue working on a project, titled "Model Rocketry in the High School Classroom" under the guidance of mentor Dr. Jeff Taylor of the Hawai`i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology. Lessons in the curriculum will be aligned with National and Hawai`i State Educational Standards and will involve physical sciences, engineering concepts, and computer technology. Conred is collaborating with local high schools and the Aerospace Education Lab at Windward Community College. Final Report
• Alex Niemi, a senior in Mechanical Engineering, will continue working with a microgravity simulator, using rotary vessels to study heat flux for boiling in space. His work, titled "Determination of the Onset of Nucleate Boiling Under Microgravity Conditions," is being performed under mentor Dr. Carlos Coimbra of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Alex's project compliments his interests in the broad field of fluid mechanics and its application in the aerospace industry. Final Report
• Karl Santa, a senior in Mechanical Engineering, will continue working with composite and piezoelectric materials with mentor Dr. Mehrdad Ghasemi Nejhad of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Karl's project, "Design, Analysis, and Optimization of a Circular Smart Composite Plate," is part of a larger research program, including former Space Grant Fellows, to design, test, and monitor structural positioning performance of metals for intelligent aeronautical and aerospace structures. Final Report
• Kristen Teranishi, a junior in Zoology, will continue work on her project, titled "A New Model for Studying the Primary Effects of Cooling Stress on the Ability of Organisms to Enter into Cryobiosis and Ultimately Anhydrobiosis." Kristen's project with nematodes is being performed under the guidance of mentor Dr. Christopher Womersley of the Department of Zoology. This research on metabolic adaptations under low-temperature stress has important implications in the broader context of bioastronomy and life in extreme environments. Final Report
• Adam Vorsino, a a junior in Biology, will continue work on his project titled, "Manipulation of a New Model for Anhydrobiotic Survival: The Effect of Myoinositol and Trehalose on Enhancing the Ability to Survive in a State of Suspended Animation." Adam aims to study the effects of certain sugars to enhance the ability of organisms, in this case nematodes, to enter into prolonged suspended animation induced by dehydration. The work has implications for research into the stability of dry biological systems, organisms, and foodstuff during extended space flights. Dr. Christopher Womersley of the Department of Zoology is serving as mentor for this research. Final Report

• Steven Clegg, a junior in Geology, will use a new ultraviolet correlation spectrometer called FLYSPEC at the western edge of the Kilauea Caldera. Steven's project, titled "SO₂ Emission Rates of Kilauea Caldera Using the New FLYSPEC Instrument" will be performed under mentor Dr. Keith Horton of the Hawai`i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology. The results of this work will benefit ground-truth correlations for remote sensing data of volcanic SO₂ emissions.

University of Hawai'i at Manoa:

• Mary Miura, a senior in Education-Secondary Science, will work under the guidance of mentor Dr. E. Barbara Klemm of the College of Education's Curriculum Studies Department on a project titled, "Web-based Science Curriculum." Mary will develop a WebQuest unit on Satellite Ocean Color to help middle and high school students learn about using NASA remote sensing data to detect changes in photosynthetic activity of the oceans.

Kapiolani Community College:

• Jon Samaniego, a freshman in Radiology, will work under the guidance of mentor Dr. John Rand of the Math and Science Department on a project titled, "The Effect of Gravitationally Induced Stress on Cardiovascular Variability." Jon will study the heart's response to physiological stress and determine the autonomic nervous system's response to different body positions with respect to gravity. This study has implications for astronaut health during long-term microgravity exposure.