New Investigator Program
The New Investigator Program is designed to strengthen Virginia’s research infrastructure by providing startup funding to Virginia Space Grant university personnel conducting research directly aligned with NASA’s research interests.
Eligibility
- Must not be an established researcher
- Must be a tenure-track faculty member
- Must be within the first five years of their academic career
- Must be a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (as defined by USCIS)
- Must be a faculty member at one of VSGC’s member institutions: Old Dominion University, William & Mary, Hampton University, Virginia Tech, University of Virginia
Applications: Due November 8, 2024
Period of Performance: January 20, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Dr. Bradley Denby – Virginia Tech
Department: Aerospace and Ocean Engineering – Project: Space Based ML Tracking and identification in Nanosatellite Clusters with Low – Cost Radar
Dr. Christiana Garcia –Virginia Tech
Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering Project: Unconditional Security Meets Space
Dr. Liselle Joseph- Virginia Tech
Department: Aerospace and Ocean Engineering – Project: Advanced Flow Measurement Techniques for Virginia Tech’s Hypersonic Wind Tunnel.
Dr. Kyle Lambert – Old Dominion University
Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry Project: Synthetic Lignin Models to Elucidate Oxidate Degradation Pathways for Lignin Mineralization via Fenton, Photochemical and N- Oxoammonium Oxidations.
Trandon Bender
Old Dominion University
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Probing Properties of Newly Prepared Polyethylene/Polar Co-Monomer Polymers.
Matt Grau
Old Dominion University
Department of Physics
Trapping lutetium ions for quantum computing.
Stephen Herwig
William & Mary
Department of Computer Science
Securing Communication on the Interplanetary Internet.
Dayla Ismael
Old Dominion University
Department of Engineering Technology
Using NASA Data to Create Immersive Virtual Experiences: An Approach to Building Infrastructure Resilience.
Oleksandr Kravchenko
Old Dominion University
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Multifunctional Structural Composites with Interlaminar Graphene for eVTOL Urban Air Mobility: from Fire Resistance and Lighting Strike Protection to EMI shielding.
Christopher Monohan
William & Mary
Department of Physics
Heavy quarks: a window into the matter asymmetry in the early universe.