Scranton-Led NASA Grant to Bring Space Science to Communities Nationwide

The University of Scranton will spearhead a significant NASA-funded effort to expand public engagement in space science.

Funded through NASA's Science Activation (SciAct) program as a cooperative agreement, the University has been entrusted with a nearly $5.5 million grant to lead a space education and citizen science initiative focused on space weather and amateur radio. The project aims to bring scientific discovery out of research laboratories and into schools, libraries, museums and communities across the nation.

Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., associate professor of physics and engineering, will serve as the principal investigator of the project, titled "Discovering the SPARC: Space Physics Through Amateur Radio Connections." Collaborating institutions include the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Space Science Institute, MIT Haystack Observatory, University of Alabama and New Jersey Institute of Technology with Kera Collective as the external evaluator. The grant totals $5,495,781 and will be administered as a five-year agreement through 2031.

"This is an extremely competitive and significant grant," Dr. Frissell said. "SciAct is a premier program in which NASA gives its science back to the very people who fund this work - the American people. Not only does this award recognize The University of Scranton as a national leader in the field of space weather and citizen science, but it also gives us a unique opportunity to partner with NASA and other SciAct grantees in a way that will magnify our ability to have a meaningful impact."

The University's leadership in this area is closely tied to Dr. Frissell's work as founder of the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) community, which, for years, has already connected amateur radio operators around the world to create a network of citizen scientists.

The project's centerpiece is the creation of "Discovery Stations," which will be located at public venues and will allow visitors to see real-time space weather data. Individuals will be able to learn how solar activity affects communications.

Additionally, the grant will fund the deployment of approximately 85 Citizen Science Space Weather Monitors throughout the country. These stations will collect data on radio signals and ionospheric conditions, contributing observations to a national research network while also serving as education tools for the public.

Also, the ARRL Teachers Institute will provide educators with curriculum materials that will connect classroom lessons to live NASA data.

Beyond the programs and technology being developed, the initiative is designed to support a self-sustaining network of teachers, amateur radio operators, citizen scientists and community partners who will have access to NASA science long after the initial funding period ends.

For Dr. Frissell, one of the most important aspects of the award is the opportunity to collaborate with other organizations. Together, they will make NASA science more accessible to the public, developing new ideas and approaches that extend far beyond what any one institution could accomplish on its own.

"We will be innovating and collaborating with teams across the SciAct portfolio," he said. "I can only imagine the great things that will come of this."