Dr. Erxiao Liu of Hangzhou Dianzi University has been on an academic visit with the VT SuperDARN group for the past year. During this time he has worked on research related to the application of machine learning techniques to space science datasets, in particular to the estimation of the cross polar cap potential using SuperDARN data. He has made presentations and been an active participant in group meetings and activities. His wife Qiong Wang acclimated to life in Blacksburg and his daughter Zhenrui (Sherry) attended local school gaining remarkable proficiency in English. They enjoyed a boisterious (and victorious) Hokie home football game. The photo shows them decked out in Hokie gear on Erxiao's last day in the office; from left to right: Jo, Kevin, Erxiao, Sherry, Qiong, Mike, Bharat, and Shibaji. Erxiao and family now travel home in time for Chinese New Year. We wish them safe travels and much success !

Photo credit: Leon Harding

Simon Shepherd has announced that the Altitude Adjusted Corrected Geomagnetic Coordinates (AACGM-v2) model, originally developed to compare conjugacy of data from SuperDARN radars in the northern and southern hemispheres Baker and Wing, 1989, has been updated. In his words:

'With the recent release of the 13th generation International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF-13) (https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/IAGA/vmod/igrf.html) an update to AACGM-v2 is now available at http://superdarn.thayer.dartmouth.edu/aacgm.html

The update includes new AACGM-v2 coefficients that extend the date range to 2025 and small changes to the software to accommodate the new date range and coefficient files.

Note that small differences in the IGRF-13 coefficients will cause corresponding small changes in AACGM-v2 coordinates derived using the new model for dates beginning in 2010.'

The Los Alamos Space Weather Summer School is accepting applications for its 2020 session to be held June 1 - July 31, 2020. Sponsored by the Center for Space and Earth Sciences at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), this summer school brings together top space science graduate students and LANL space scientists to work on challenging space weather research. Students receive a prestigious Vela Fellowship (worth $10,000 to cover travel and living expenses), technical training, and opportunities for professional development. Applications due: January 31, 2020 (extended deadline)

Eligibility: Open to U.S. and foreign graduate students currently enrolled in PhD programs in space physics, planetary science, aerospace engineering, or related fields. For more details see 'Read More' or the website http://swx-school.lanl.gov

Dr. Jianjun Liu from the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) made a working trip to the SuperDARN Blackstone site on January 13, 2020 and assisted in bringing this radar back on line. The crew included SuperDARN regulars Kevin Sterne and Mike Ruohoniemi and Virginia Tech undergrad Ian Kelley who performed significant diagnostics on the damaged parts. The PRIC is a member of the international SuperDARN collaboration (PI: Dr. Hongqiao Hu) and operates a SuperDARN radar at the Chinese Antarctic base at Zhongshan Station where Jianjun wintered over during a 14 month stay. He has been visiting the VT SuperDARN group since December and will return home later this week. The photo shows (from left to right) Jianjun, Kevin, and Mike standing in front of the Blackstone electronics.

Photo credit: Ian Kelley

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium (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 January 31, 2020. See http://vsgc-net.odu.edu/undergraduatescholarships/

The 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 January 31, 2020. See http://vsgc-net.odu.edu/graduatefellowships/

For a complete listing of posted student internships click on the menu item 'Student Opportunities' or directly on http://vt.superdarn.org/tiki-index.php?page=Student+Interest

NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSE) opened a call for graduate research proposals on December 23, 2019. The NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH20ZHA001N: NASA Fellowship Activity 2020 is seeking student-authored and independently conceived graduate research proposals responding to a NASA Research Opportunity listed in the solicitation. The 2020 NASA Fellowship Activity is designed to support OSE objectives and provide academic institutions the ability to enhance graduate-level learning and development. The program details and requirements are outlined in the solicitation document.

To be eligible to submit a proposal, candidates must be U.S. citizens or a national who hold a bachelor's degree in a STEM field earned before Aug. 31, 2020. Candidates must be enrolled in a Master's or Doctoral degree program no later than Sept. 1, 2020, and intend to pursue a research-based Master’s or Ph.D. program in a NASA-relevant field.

Proposals are due February 21, 2020.