Reaching for the Stars at UCC
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Reaching for the Stars at UCC
04.10.2011

NASA Astronaut, Col. Shane Kimbrough will visit UCC tomorrow, Wednesday, October 5th. Col. Kimbrough, who is on a three-day visit to Ireland, will be greeted by Professor Anita Maguire, Vice-President for Research & Innovation, UCC. In the course of his visit, Col. Kimbrough will have the opportunity to meet Physics and Astrophysics students and staff and visit the Crawford Observatory.

Also accompanying Col Kimbrough to UCC will be Professor Paul Callanan, Department of Physics, UCC and Professor Roger Whatmore, CEO, Tyndall National Institute.

A native of Texas, Kimbrough joined the NASA team at the Johnson Space Centre (JSC) in September 2000, and was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in May 2004 and completed his training in February 2006. His spaceflight experience includes STS-126 Endeavour (November 14 to November 30, 2008) launched at night from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California. It was NASA's 27th shuttle/station assembly mission, during which Kimbrough performed two spacewalks.

Professor Callanan, in welcoming Col. Kimbrough to UCC hoped that his visit would inspire students to pursue careers in Physics and Astrophysics. "NASA's orbiting observatories - many of which were also launched by the Shuttle - continue to play a key role in our investigation of the Universe" he said, and several UCC research students are currently using data from this missions. "The fact that astrophysics remains as the forefront of scientific research was underlined yesterday with the award of this year’s Nobel Prize for Physics to three astronomers who played a pivotal role in the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe" he added.

Professor Maguire also welcomed Col. Kimbrough and said the recent awarding of five-star status to UCC is reflected in the international recognition achieved by UCC researchers. "Tyndall National Institute, UCC has a history of almost 30 years of research and development, simulation and testing of electronic based devices and modules for the space industry”, she said.

Picture:  Col. Shane Kimbrough



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