engineering student receives nasa

Engineering student receives NASA Academy research award

West Virginia University student Jason Gross was recently honored with

the NASA Academy's prestigious Robert H. Goddard Research Award.

The award was presented to Gross at the conclusion of the Academy,

which he attended this summer along with 16 other college students

from around the nation and world.

Gross is a mechanical and aerospace engineering major at the WVU

College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.

The Academy takes place at the National Aeronautics and Space

Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. A

leadership positions in aerospace programs.

In addition to working on research projects under the guidance of NASA

scientists, students attend lectures and meetings with people in the

aerospace industry and visit NASA facilities around the country.

"I am passionate about two things," said Gross, who served as WVU's

student body president last year. "One is space, and one is West

Virginia University.

"Many of the students at the Academy came from top-ranked schools such

as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Rensselaer

Polytechnic Institute, Virginia Tech and others," he said. "At first,

I was intimidated by that. Then I realized that I was just as prepared

as the others.

"I am very proud of this award, not just for myself, but also for what

it says about WVU," Gross added. "I would put the education that I

have received here up against the preparation I could have received

anywhere else in the world."

Gross received the award for his work on the James Webb Space

Telescope. The Webb Telescope, scheduled for launch in 2013, is the

scientific successor to the Hubble Telescope, and is designed to

increase knowledge and understanding of the history of the universe.

Gross started working on the project in the summer of 2005 as a

participant in NASA's Student Internship Program and continued his

efforts this year during the Academy.

The Goddard Research Award--named after the famous pioneer of liquid

fueled rocketry--was based on the judging of a poster session, final

presentation and feedback from NASA scientists.

"Jason has been doing outstanding work for us for two summers

running," said Henry Sampler, one of the NASA scientists who

supervised Gross's research. "His contribution to the James Webb Space

Telescope Project has been clear and quantitative and is applicable to

other projects as well. He is highly deserving of this award."

Gross is a member of the Mortar Board Senior Honorary and Tau Beta Pi,

the Engineering Honorary.

Last summer, he participated in the WVU Microgravity Team, led by

mechanical and aerospace engineering professor John Kuhlman and civil

engineering professor Donald Gray. The team conducted an experiment in

microgravity at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Gross will complete bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering and

aerospace engineering in December and then plans to attend graduate

school at WVU.

"I plan to earn a doctorate in aerospace engineering," he said. "My

dream is to be a NASA engineer and one day a research professor."

"I am very proud of Jason for this honor, which is well deserved,"

said Gene Cilento, Glen Hiner dean of the WVU College of Engineering

and Mineral Resources. "We fully expect to see great things from him

in the future."

Gross credited the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium in the

College of Engineering and Mineral Resources for supporting his

interest in aerospace programs, especially for helping him gain

acceptance to both the NASA Student Internship Program and the

Academy. The Consortium annually awards NASA internships, scholarships

and research fellowships to dozens of college students in West

Virginia.

He also credited the WVU Department of Mechanical and Aerospace

Engineering for supporting and encouraging him.

"I love West Virginia University," Gross said. "And I am so grateful

for the education I have received here."

Caption: Jason Gross (center) displays the plaque he received for

winning NASA Academy's prestigious Robert H. Goddard Research Award.

NASA Academy officials pictured, from left, are: Dave Rosage, program

director; Dr. Joseph Di Riemzi, academic dean; Tiffany Russel,