DATE: April 29, 2008

CONTACT: Mark Leising, (864) 656-5304
lmark@clemson.edu

WRITER: Susan Polowczuk, (864) 656-2063
spolowc@clemson.edu

Clemson astrophysicists to collaborate with S.C. State to boost minority Ph.D.s

CLEMSON — Clemson University astronomy researchers will collaborate with South Carolina State University (SCSU) to build and reinforce a program of forefront astronomy research at SCSU as part of a $2 million-plus National Science Foundation award to expand the program. For its part, Clemson will receive $319,000 of the award.

“Our goal is to pave a pathway for SCSU’s students and for those from other predominantly minority colleges and universities to Ph.D.s in physics and astronomy at Clemson and elsewhere,” said Mark Leising, astrophysics professor and principal investigator on the project at Clemson. “These students are hugely underrepresented among doctoral students in the physical sciences.”

Leising says Clemson’s role is to collaborate with SCSU, provide research projects and observing opportunities for their students and prepare and mentor those who come to graduate school.

“There are bright students interested in science at universities like SCSU, but few go on to get doctorates and become leaders in the physical sciences. Our experience is that students who get the chance to participate in forefront research, discovering new knowledge rather than just reading about it, are more likely to pursue a career in science,” said Leising.

Clemson will offer the expertise of its astronomy faculty and access to observing facilities, including its part of the 36-inch diameter SARA telescope along with some of its time on the four-meter diameter Mayall telescope, both on Kitt Peak in Arizona. Students will research the largest explosions in the universe, the production of the elements in stars, the formation of solar systems and exotic double-star systems.

For more than 100 years, the disciplines of engineering, science and textiles have been at the heart of Clemson University as it strives toward excellence and leadership. Today, Clemson is a nationally recognized research university where approximately 5,500 students are enrolled in engineering and science undergraduate and graduate courses. For more information on physics and astronomy at Clemson, go to http://physicsnt.clemson.edu/.