Summer Interns 2003

Jason Aspiotis, a student from the Florida Institute of Technology, attended the ESPL as an intern for the summer of 2003. His research included experimentally determining the dielectric properties and also establishing a water absorption ratio for the Martian soil simulant JSC-1. He designed and conducted experiments with a device called the electrometer, with the ultimate goal of calibrating it as a water detector/meter for a possible future Mars mission. After he finishes his undergraduate studies in Physics and Astrophysics, he plans to attend graduate school in the field of Nuclear Engineering.

Matthew Buza, a physics student at Florida State University, worked in the ESPL the summer of 2003. Matthew worked specifically on the pressure effects on triboelectrification between polymers. He spent the summer accumulating data, and helping to develop the Two-Phase Equilibrium model. Building this database and developing this model is paramount to the development of electrostatic properties of polymers. Matthew also helped out Dr. Albert Chen, of Oklahoma Baptist University, with the development of the mass/charge detector, which has specific applications to Mars. Matthew will finish up his undergraduate studies at FSU and continue onto grad school where he will continue to engage in physics studies. Matthew hopes to eventually earn a PhD, and pursue interests in space exploration and alternative fuels.

Summer Interns 2002

Erika Nelson, a student at University of Pennsylvania, attended the summer of 2002 at the ESPL. Erika performed many measurement of the Paschen curve for various gases. The intent was to establish constraints and provide a background of data from which an eventual flight instrument could be proposed that measures the Paschen breakdown limit in the Martian atmosphere. Erika's has been presented in front of NASA scientists and engineers and her work was presented at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston, Texas in March 2003.

Dan Gorman, a student from the Florida Institute of Technology, designed, built and tested a triboelectric rubbing device that rubs polymer materials with either Teflon or Wool under any atmospheric conditions. The device was designed in order to deposit charge onto surfaces under various atmospheric pressures since it is believed that the Paschen limit plays a strong role in the amount of charge deposited onto insulators and thus Dan's device is a direct way of measuring such a phenomena. His results were presented by Michael Hogue at the ESA-IEEE Joint Meeting on Electrostatics 2003.

Summer Interns 2001

Desiree Denning was born in San Jose, Costa Rica in 1978 and came to the US when her mother remarried an American business man. She moved around all throughout her childhood, setting base in Texas and Lousiana. In Houston, her mother became the secretary of the Costa Rican consulate, and at a party at the consulate's home Desiree was privileged to meet Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz, NASA astronaut, a hero from her homeland of Costa Rica. After this meeting, Desiree still didn't know what she wanted to do with her life, for she was only eight years old, but she knew she wanted to do something great. Desiree graduated in August of 2001 from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach with a degree in Engineering Physics and a minor in Mathematics. She has been in the ROTC program for the past five years and is planning a commission in the Air Force.

Alina is originally from the United States but lived fifteen years in Argentina, where she was able to acquire the language and experience vividly the Latin culture and customs. She transferred from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she was pursuing a degree in Physics, to Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida. At present, she is a senior pursuing a double major in Physics and Astronomy. Once she graduates she intends to continue her graduate studies in the field of Engineering and eventually earn a Ph.D. in the field of Physics or Astronomy. That summer Alina worked with the Mars Electrostatic Chamber (MEC) understanding the charge decay process of Martian soil simulant when an extremely high voltage is applied to it.

Scott Sabetsky, a native of South Florida, graduated from the Science/Pre-Engineering magnet program at Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach, FL. Scott was a senior at Florida Institute of Technology, finishing up his BS in Space Sciences. Scott plans to move on to graduate studies in space systems, and aspires to a career working toward advances in the space program. He is also the current Coordinator of the student clubs at Florida Tech's department of Physics and Space Sciences, responsible for overseeing all student activities within the department. Scott spends his spare time working on the web, exercising, and engaging in Jewish Studies. That summer, Scott spent time designing the ESPL website, as well as contributing to the Swam-Blaster experiments with the MECA Electrometer.