Engineering: Current Students

NASA Microgravity University 2012

The UNL College of Engineering is proud to participate in NASA's Microgravity University. The program engages selected college and university teams in scientific research that helps our nation's space program to refine its efforts. Projects are conducted during a series of parabolic reduced-gravity flights in specially-equipped NASA aircraft that reach 35,000 feet above the earth's surface.

2012 Project:

Flame Behavior of a MEMS-GC Detector

UNL was chosen to work with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and its partner Cbana Labs to develop environmental monitoring sensors for the International Space Station (ISS). Cbana Labs has developed a series of volatile organic compound (VOC) detectors based on micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology. One of Cbana's sensors is a MEMS-based gas chromatograph with a micro flame ionization detector (FID). UNL’s role is to build a lunchbox-sized version of the FID device, which will help detect potentially harmful gases in the crew cabin of the ISS. Decades of work on both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station have shown that flames, even micro-flames, behave quite differently in microgravity. Testing the performance of an FID device in microgravity, compared with the lab, will give valuable insight on whether the current design is suitable for space flight or if redesign is needed.

2012 UNL Microgravity University Team
Pictured above, (clockwise from top left) are: Jeremy Olson, Caleb Berggren, Shawn Schumacher, Dylan Horrocks, Matthew Manske* (team co-leader), Ryan van Waes* (team co-leader), Patrick Graeve, Eric Gutierrez, Team Adviser Carl Nelson* (associate professor – UNL Mechanical & Materials Engineering), Joan Yule, Patricia Foley, Parise Reynolds, Bethany Drain, Evan Hilgemann, Nicholas Goeser and Jacob Reher. Team members not pictured are: Eric Fritz*, Matthew Harnes, Emily Hubl, Jake Lewis, and Colton Mahoney.
Name:	Class:	Major:	Hometown:
Jeremy Olson	Freshman	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Lincoln, Neb.
Caleb Berggren	Sophomore	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Blair, Neb.
Shawn Schumacher	Sophomore	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Columbus, Neb.
Dylan Horrocks	Junior	Biological Systems Engineering	Lincoln, Neb.
Matthew Manske	Senior	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Fort Worth, Tex.
Ryan van Waes	Senior	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Blair, Neb.
Patrick Graeve	Senior	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Omaha, Neb.
Eric Gutierrez	Junior	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Sidney, Neb.
Joan Yule	Senior	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Bloomfield, Neb.
Patricia Foley	Junior	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Blair, Neb.
Parise Reynolds	Freshman	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Birmingham, Ala.
Bethany Drain	Junior	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Elkhorn, Neb.
Evan Hilgemann	Senior	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Omaha, Neb.
Nicholas Goeser	Sophomore	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Omaha, Neb.
Jacob Reher	Junior	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Omaha, Neb.
Eric Fritz	Junior	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Atkinson, Neb.
Matthew Harnes	Freshman	Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering	Omaha, Neb.
Emily Hubl	Sophomore	Biological Systems Engineering	Lawrence, Neb.
Jake Lewis	Senior	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Las Vegas, Nev.
Colton Mahoney	Sophomore	Mechanical & Materials Engineering	Rapid City, S.D.
Bold type indicates team member will travel to JSC for Flight Week; *indicates flyer or alternate flyer during missions.