Engineering Students Chosen to Present Posters at World Space Congress
Posted October 25, 2002
Tweet
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 25, 2002 2002-10-15-ENG
Engineering Students Chosen to Present Posters at World Space Congress
Three University of Saskatchewan engineering undergraduates were the only
Canadian students selected to present research posters at the World Space
Congress in Houston, Texas Oct. 10-19.
Once a decade the world's space community assembles to chart new directions
for humanity's next 10 years in space. A highlight is the poster session
displaying student research interests. Twenty-three posters were accepted
from students worldwide.
The U of S students, who worked as summer research assistants in the U of S
Microgravity Research Group, successfully submitted two posters for
presentation.
"These three students represent the highest academic quality and I applaud
their success," said Kamiel Gabriel, associate engineering dean of graduate
studies, research and extension.
The posters focus on research done in microgravity drop shafts or drop
towers, such as the proposed Canadian Centre for Microgravity Research and
Education (CMORE) a 1,000-metre drop shaft to be built by converting an
abandoned mine shaft 16 kilometres east of Saskatoon. Drop shafts and
towers are used to conduct experiments in a near-zero gravity environment
before undertaking expensive research projects in space.
In her poster, fourth-year engineering physics student Amanda Gerbrandt
described the proposed CMORE site and discussed educational and vocational
activities available through the College of Engineering to promote space
science education.
Devon Manz and Dave Cote, mechanical engineering students, described their
research into methods of moving air through fluids and manipulating fluid
behavior in the absence of gravity. They will confirm results from
ground-based tests using a drop tower at the University of Bremen, Germany.
The students also designed two units to demonstrate functions of a
microgravity shaft. One display simulates a drop and demonstrates the
effect of weightlessness on objects such as a burning candle, whose flame is
spherical rather than pear-shaped in zero gravity. The other unit displays
the unique braking system for the proposed drop shaft, which is similar to
the system used to slow jets landing on aircraft carriers.
CMORE would be the longest drop shaft in the world with a free fall time of
12 seconds and would be the first such facility in Canada. Due to the size
and depth of the shaft, the cost per drop could be the lowest in the world.
Earlier this year, the proposed CMORE project was awarded $8.5 million from
the Canada Foundation for Innovation. CFI provides 40 per cent of project
costs, while remaining funds must be found from government, private sectors,
or other sources.
To learn more about the CMORE project or to view photographs and animated
video, go to www.engr.usask.ca/cmore/
- 30 -
Contact information:
Prof. Kamiel Gabriel
Engineering Assoc. Dean of Graduate Studies,
Research and Extension
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-5280
kamiel_gabriel@engr.usask.ca
Kathryn Warden
Research Communications Officer
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2506
kathryn.warden@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
