Welcome to the Virginia Tech SuperDARN Student Interest Page. Here you will find information important to prospective, current, and future VT SuperDARN students, as well students with a general interest in Space Science. This includes information about the lab, news items of interest to students, and important training and policy information. If you have interest in SuperDARN or space related studies, please contact either Dr. Mike Ruohoniemi or Dr. Jo Baker.
The Virginia Tech SuperDARN radar group conducts research on Earth’s space environment using HF radars and allied instrumentation and operates the U.S. component of the international SuperDARN collaboration as an Upper Atmosphere Facility for the National Science Foundation. The activities of the group are student-centered and involve all facets of research, including hardware design, operations, data analysis, and collaborative support for the scientific community. The group is a component of the Space@VT research center within the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech.
Current student research activities include analysis of ionospheric irregularities observed with the new mid-latitude chain of SuperDARN radars, study of ultra low frequency pulsations in the magnetosphere and ionosphere, intercomparison of GPS/TEC data with radar observations of ionospheric stucture, and studies of ionospheric plasma convection and the impacts of space weather disturbance on the ionosphere. Students are closely involved with the operation of the radars including travel to the sites and hardware development and testing. Students also develop new data products and software tools for analysis. They assist members of the scientific community in accessing and utilizing the SuperDARN data set, develop scientific collaborations with colleagues, and represent the group at meetings and conferences. The Virginia Tech SuperDARN radar group is headed by Drs. J. Michael Ruohoniemi (miker@vt.edu) and Joseph B. H. Baker (bakerjb@vt.edu).
Please visit our Archive of Student Items page for important information such as research ethics training and other important information all SuperDARN students need to know.
News Items of Student Interest
Many of the news items below represent excellent opportunities for interested students at both the undergraduate and graduate level. If you would like to talk to a Virginia Tech student who has participated in a number of these types of programs, please feel free to contact our student representative, Nathaniel Frissell.
The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is offering four scholarships for the next academic year to undergraduate students with a career interest in the physical, engineering, or life scientists with an emphasis on space or aerospace-related sciences or engineering.
The awards are available in amounts of $4,000 each, paid directly to receipients. Applicants must be full-time undergraduate students within two years of earning a degree and citizens or lawful Permanent Residents.
By: miker
on: Wed., Mar. 14, 2018 04:43 PM EDT
(525 Reads)
This summer (June 4-8), take advantage of an opportunity to explore the burgeoning field of space weather by joining the Space Weather REDI 2018 Bootcamp to be held at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and taught by NASA GSFC scientists. While the bootcamp training is geared to undergraduate students, it will be beneficial for anyone interested in broadening their space weather knowledge - graduate students, educators, scientists, engineers, mission operators, and competitive high school students. Note: while Bootcamp is free, hotel and other costs are the responsibility of the participant.
By: miker
on: Wed., Feb. 14, 2018 07:09 AM EST
(1784 Reads)
The Jicamarca Radio Observatory (JRO) located near Lima, Peru is once again the venue for a summer school that is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Senior undergraduate and beginning graduate students with interests in atmospheric and ionospheric science and radar techniques, electronics, RF, instrumentation and computer science may apply. If you would like to discuss this possibility with interested VT faculty, contact Dr. Mike Ruohoniemi (mikeruo@vt.edu) or Dr. Jo Baker (bakerjb@vt.edu) or any faculty member in the Space@VT research center listed at http://space.vt.edu/people.html. The application deadline is February 22, 2018 and the JIREP web site is http://jro.igp.gob.pe/jirep/
By: miker
on: Mon., Feb. 12, 2018 05:21 PM EST
(892 Reads)
The 2018 ISR Summer School will be held July 21-27 at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. The school provides students with hands-on experience in designing and running experiments in the ionosphere and upper atmosphere with large incoherent scatter radars (ISRs). Applications are considered for both graduate and advanced undergraduate students and attendance is limited. For most students attending institutions within the United States, travel, housing and meals will be provided. For post-docs and students outside of the United States, funding will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The summer school web site is http://www.amisr.com/workshop For more information about the school, please contact
The deadline for application submission is 01 March 2018. Notice of acceptance will be sent to participants by 30 March 2018.
By: miker
on: Fri., Feb. 09, 2018 12:47 PM EST
(655 Reads)
The 2018 Boulder Space Weather Summer School (formerly the CISM Space Weather Summer School) will be held July 9-20 at NCAR in Boulder, CO. The SWSS is a comprehensive two-week introduction to the science of space weather: what it is, what it does, and what can be done about it.
Application Deadline: March 1, 2018
For further information and instructions on how to apply see: http://www2.hao.ucar.edu/SWSS
Or contact Mark Miesch (miesch@ucar.edu).
See 'Read more' for additional details
By: miker
on: Wed., Jan. 31, 2018 02:02 PM EST
(565 Reads)
The VSGC Undergraduate STEM Research Scholarship Program provides awards of up to $8,500 to rising juniors and seniors who are enrolled full-time in a program of study in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) and have a specific faculty-mentored research project that has NASA or aerospace relevance. Application deadline is February 5, 2018. See http://www.vsgc.odu.edu/sf/undergrad/
The Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) Graduate Research STEM Fellowship Program provides fellowships of $6,000 in add-on support to graduate students to supplement and enhance basic research support. Applicants must be Student at NASA enrolled full-time in a program of study in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) and have a specific faculty-mentored research project that has NASA or aerospace relevance. Application deadline is February 5, 2018. See http://www.vsgc.odu.edu/sf/gradfellow/
By: miker
on: Wed., Jan. 31, 2018 01:52 PM EST
(491 Reads)
The Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) has announced that applications are being accepted for $1,000 STEM Bridge Scholarships to sophomores from any federally recognized minority group. Students must be enrolled full-time in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program at one of the five Virginia Space Grant member universities. Awards are renewable for one year. The deadline for applications is March 12, 2018.
For more information, and to complete the online application for 2018-2019, please contact Joyce Kuberek at or visit: http://vsgc.odu.edu/sf/Bridge
By: miker
on: Mon., Jan. 29, 2018 01:32 PM EST
(545 Reads)
There are opportunities for undergrad students to participate as summer interns in research carried out by Space@VT research groups. The website for Summer 2018 applications is now open. Please fill out the form and attach your resume at https://goo.gl/forms/48q0iyTzmuRWbCGB2
By: miker
on: Thu., Mar. 09, 2017 10:42 AM EST
(1466 Reads)
This summer (June 6-16), take advantage of a unique free opportunity to explore the burgeoning field of space weather by joining the Space Weather REDI summer Bootcamp. Bootcamp, to be held at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, includes two weeks of space weather tutorials led by the NASA GSFC scientists. The application deadline: April 20, 2017. For more information see the following websites: http://bit.ly/swredi2017 https://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/support/SWREDI/bootcamp/
A letter from a faculty member will be needed to complete the application. Contact Dr. Mike Ruohoniemi or any Space@VT faculty member for assistance.
By: miker
on: Tue., Dec. 20, 2016 01:40 PM EST
(1656 Reads)
Senior undergrad and beginning grad students are eligible to participate in an introductory summer school program in space weather hosted by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) located in Boulder, Colorado. Support is available. The term of the school is July 17 - 28, 2017 and the deadline for applications is March 1, 2017.
Feel free to consult with Space@VT faculty about this opportunity and ways to pursue your interest in this topic. Email to Dr. Mike Ruohoniemi at or anyone listed at http://space.vt.edu/people.html
For information about the school and links to the NCAR school website, click 'Read More' below:
Photo: Satellite image of aurora provided by Dr. Mike Wiltberger (NCAR/High Altitude Observatory)
