The Director's Message

Institute for Space Systems Operations * 2001 Annual Report * 4-9

The Director's Message

In 1991 the Legislature of the State of Texas established the Houston Partnership for Space Exploration (HPSE) at the University of Houston and the University of Houston-Clear Lake. The Institute for Space Systems Operations operates HPSE. HPSE's mission is to advance the intellectual and economic development of the high technology communities associated with the NASA-Johnson Space Center, Houston, UH, UHCL, and Texas. Texas funds HPSE at $430,000 per year. Many of the ISSO programs are co-funded by the participating colleges, departments, and faculty of UH and UHCL. ISSO is also the representative organization of UH to the statewide Texas Space Grant Consortium. TSGC is the largest of the 52 space grant consortiums now established under the United States Congress National Space Grant College and Fellowship Act of 1987.

In prior years, ISSO has reported every two years on progress of the program. Reports are produced as hardcopy and also available on the ISSO web site <http://www.isso.uh.edu>. The web site contains color versions of many figures in this report and links to the web sites of participating faculty and other organizations.

HPSE/ISSO Faculty and Researchers
This report details the activities and progress of HPSE/ISSO faculty and associated researchers across the broad field of aerospace over the past year. In academic year 2001/2002, the great majority of ISSO funds supported the second cycle of the UH/UHCL-Johnson Space Center Post-Doctoral Aerospace Fellows program and new UH and UHCL seed-grant projects. Minor funds were directed to a few special projects.

Thirty-seven UH and UHCL professors, eight professors from other universities, 12 aerospace fellows, and 21 NASA and 18 industry or non-profit researchers participated in the ISSO programs. In addition to NASA-JSC, participating organizations included: NASA-Glenn Research Center, Notre Dame, GB Tech (Houston), Real Time Innovations (software donation), CERN, Instituto Nucleare Fisica Nazionale, Lockheed Martin, Ohio State University, National Space Biomedical Research Institute, Baylor University (TMC), Boeing, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (Berkeley, CA), M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (TMC), Texas Heart Center (TMC), National Geographic Society via "Pulse of the Planet," Rice University, Bell Laboratories of Lucent Technologies, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of DoD, and faculty of Florida and California universities.

Student Researchers and Degree Candidates
Students participate in ISSO projects and are often funded by ISSO. Nine students obtained, or will have earned, doctor of philosophy degrees from the University of Houston for ISSO-supported research. Thirty-five students pursued masters degrees, and eight undergraduates participated in research projects. Faculty, co-investigators, and students delivered 75 presentations and have 83 papers in print or pending publication. The team directed by Professor George Fox has applied for United States and international patents relating to new means for the rapid identification of bacteria in fluids and closed environments.

Faculty, in the reporting period, submitted 45 proposals for external funding for a requested total of $9,118,624. They report receiving in the past year $3,187,230 in funding for projects initiated by or assisted by HSPE/ISSO funding over the past five years. At least four Aerospace Fellows have remained in the Houston area after the completion of their two- to three-year appointments. Two accepted appointments at the University of Houston and two are with aerospace organizations associated with NASA-JSC. Several Aerospace Fellows have joined other Texas organizations such as the M. D. Anderson Cancer Research Center near Smithville, Texas A&M University, and others. Most of the former fellows maintain close research relations with university faculty when they move. Many research papers, presentations, and joint proposals result from the relations established during the fellowships.

The Aerospace Fellows and many seed-grant research projects make use of the immense facilities, data, and research staff of NASA-JSC. These resources greatly leverage the State of Texas funds directed to the Houston Partnership for Space Exploration. The HPSE/ISSO programs tap only a small percentage of the in-kind resources of NASA-JSC and the associated contractors that can be available at no-cost to university researchers. The NASA-JSC community could certainly accommodate well over 100 Aerospace Fellows and enable UH, UHCL, and other Texas universities to establish Texas as the leading world center for academic excellence in all areas of human space exploration and development.

The following sections introduce you to the projects conducted over the last year under the UH/UHCL-JSC Post Doctoral Aerospace Fellows program, the seed-grants, and special projects. These introductions are by research area and refer to the specific pages for more detailed information. A short summary of the May, 2001 workshop of the Texas Space Grant Consortium is provided on page 122.

Systems and Fluid Flow
A dependable source of power, especially electric power, is critical to the successful operation of crewed or robotic spacecraft. Beginning with the Gemini and Apollo spacecraft fuels cells have provided the electric power in space and potable water. The power output from fuel cells is limited by the lifetime of the membrane across which hydrogen and oxygen combine to generate electric power and water. Professor John H. Miller (UH: Physics and TcSUH) and Dr. James R. Claycomb (Aerospace Fellow) work with W. Hoffman and Arturo Vasquez (NASA-JSC) on new techniques to diagnose the operational health of proton exchange membranes (PEM) for fuel cells. Refer to page 54. They are developing non-invasive methods based on SQUID and flex-gate magnetometers to image flaws in passive PEMs and the electrochemical flows of power across the PEMs. This research may contribute to the development of fuel cells for commercial and transportation applications on Earth.

Understanding and controlling the combined flows of liquids and gases, that is, two-phase flow, is important to industrial processes on Earth. One of the most powerful parameters used to describe a freely flowing fluid, the Reynolds number, is the ratio of inertial forces experienced within a small volume of the fluid to the viscous forces, like friction, across that volume of fluid. Below a critical Reynolds number the flow of a stream of liquid will be smooth. Above that number the flow will be turbulent. Within constraining tubes and under reduced or zero gravity, the flow of a mixture of gas and liquid, a two-phase flow, can be far more complex. Liquid flows can form along the walls of tubes, form waves, or flow as slugs of gas and liquid.

Two-phase flow is a most challenging research area for the engineering of life support, thermal control, and materials processing systems in zero or reduced gravity where buoyancy forces do not act to separate liquids and gases. Prof. V. Balakotaiah (UH Chemical Engineering), Dr. E. Ungar (NASA-JSC), and Dr. D. Lastochkin (Aerospace Fellow) work with researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center and Norte Dame University on experimental and modeling studies of wavy films in annular gas-liquid two phase flow. Experiments are conducted at normal gravity and also in reduced gravity on board the NASA KC-135 aircraft. (See page 10.) The team has characterized new regimes of flows within tubes as a function of gravitational strength and orientation, pressure, rate of flow, and Reynolds numbers of the gases and liquids. The project provided the context for research toward two masters and one doctoral degree.

NASA must plan for the escape of crew from the International Space Station in the event of unexpected, possibly violent and sudden, emergencies. The X-38 spacecraft would be permanently attached to ISS. The vehicle would act autonomously to return even incapacitated crew members to Earth. Professor Albert M. K. Cheng (UH: Computer Science) received a 2001 seed grant to explore a new approach to verification and validation of the complex software that would operate the X-38. The timing properties of the avionics are modeled to test the controlling software that can meet the critical timing constraints of an emergency flight back to Earth. (Refer to page 78.) The seed project has enabled graduate research leading to students completing one doctoral degree and two masters degrees.

The International Space Station is designed to enable materials research in extremely low gravity. Experimental modules are mounted in racks inside the space station. There is the order of one centimeter of free space, "rattlespace," between the modules and the racks. A powered Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS) further isolates each module from the structural vibrations of the station that are induced by motors, pumps, human motion, and other sources of microgravity disturbances. Stiff electrical and fluid lines connect between the modules the racks and station. Professor K. M. Grigoriadis (UH: Mechanical Engineering) received a ISSO 2001 seed-grant to develop better software to increase the effectiveness of ARIS. The work focuses on counteracting the stiffness of the electrical and fluids connections between each rack and its module. Dr. Grigoriadis works with Dr. Ian J. Fialho of the Boeing Company and directs the related masters level work of Mr. R. Chandra and the research of Mr. C. Mehendale who is a Ph.D. candidate. (See page 86.)

Sensors and Materials
On Earth and in human habitats in space there are growing needs to accurately and quickly measure air and water for contaminates. The challenge is to transform costly laboratory equipment into rugged, reliable, and accurate devices that can be used in the field or within structures.

One promising approach is to adapt materials of the group III AlInGaN semiconductors into solid state integrated optoelectronic sensors that can detect a range of different contaminates in gases, liquids, and leaves. Drs. A. Bensaoula, D. Starikov, and C. Boney (Aerospace Fellow) have built and demonstrated such miniature optical sensors at the UH Texas Center for Superconductivity. They work with Drs. Richard Sauer and John James at NASA-JSC on the application of these devices to environments anticipated within habitable spacecraft. The devices enable measurements of fluid contaminations by means of light reflection, refraction, absorption, scattering, and fluorescence. Devices, results, and future work are described beginning on page 16. Dr. Bensaoula received a ISSO seed grant in 2002 to fabricate and demonstrate a solid state detector sensitive to three colors of light. Escherichia coli (E. coli) were labeled with fluorescent proteins and exposed to those colors. The instrument was able to measure the growth of dilute concentrations of the bacteria. The compact device can be considered a working prototype for future medical and food safety monitors. (See page 72.)

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important component of Earth's atmosphere, plays a major role in many critical physiological functions of humans, and is produced in high temperature combustion. It can be toxic to humans. The detection of NO on the breath of humans is potentially useful in noninvasive medical diagnostics. Professor T. L Harman (UHCL: Computer Engineering) is working with Professor Frank Tittel (Rice Univ.: Electrical and Computer Engineering), Dr. John Graf (NASA-JSC) and Dr. A. A. Kosterev (Aerospace Fellow) in the third year of a project to detect NO at the level of a few parts per billion in open and closed atmospheres (see page 32). They are developing and refining a mid-infrared laser whose beam can be tuned for maximum sensitivity to NO. They have detected NO in exhaled breath. Appropriate lasers are anticipated in the near future that will operate at room temperature. This research offers the potential for ultra-sensitive devices that can remotely monitor trace gas species produced by industrial facilities, vehicles, and humans and that can monitor the atmosphere within a space vehicle.

Magnetic resonance imaging is a non-invasive method for imaging soft tissues of living organisms. Professor Jarek Wosik (UH: Electrical and Computer Engineering) received a post-doctoral fellowship project and two ISSO seed-grants in 2001. In the first, he directed four graduate students in the development of a compact system for magnetic resonance imaging of human organs using surface coils fabricated out of high temperature superconducting material. (See page 68 and 106.) With research groups at the Texas Heart Institute and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Wosik used the MRI system to image human organs and parts such as a knee, wrist, elbow, and neck. Compact MRI devices will eventually be used in space and on Earth for research and clinical purposes. In the second seed-grant, described on page 110, he directed graduate student S. Wang in fundamental research on the properties of YBCO thin films. Magneto-optical techniques were used to visualize how direct electrical currents and high power radio frequency waves penetrate YBCO films. This research is advancing the application of high temperature superconducting materials as detectors and generators of high frequency radio power.

The stars, gasses, and dust of the universe emit and absorb light in characteristic patterns. Observatories on Earth gather photons, optical through the microwave, from the cosmos, and separate the streams of photons into patterns of wavelength, polarization, and intensity. Scientists then examine these patterns to identify the matter that produced and/or absorbed the observed light. In the mid-1970s, Professors R. E. Smalley and R. F. Curl, at Rice University, developed a vacuum apparatus that could vaporize almost any material and then allow clusters of new particles to reform from the vapor. They anticipated that some particles would resemble grains that form dust clouds in space. NASA-funded portions of the research under the post-Apollo lunar science program. Working with Dr. H. W. Kroto, they realized that cosmic dust clouds contained a new form of carbon molecule, C60, and were able in the laboratory to produce clusters of several types of the new molecule, termed "buckyballs."

The rapidly growing field of nanotechnology is based on new forms of carbon such as buckyballs and nanotubes. It promises new types of structural and electronic materials. Professors M. N. Iliev and A. P. Litvinchuk (UH: Texas Center for Superconductivity and Advanced Materials), Dr. Carl Scott (NASA-JSC), Dr. Victor G. Hadjiev (Aerospace Fellow), and Drs. S. Arepalli and P. Nikolaev (GB Tech/NASA-JSC) are teamed to characterize carbon nanotubes using Raman and infrared spectroscopy. The nanotubes are of interest because of their unique structure (~ 1 nm diameter and many microns long), high thermal and chemical stability, very good heat conduction, and high mechanical strength. The primary focus is to understand the interaction of single-wall nanotubes (SWNTs) and matrixes that can bind the SWNTs into useful engineering materials. (See page 38.) They have developed a test cell that enables the determination of how mechanical stresses are transferred from the matrix to the SWNTs. This knowledge is crucial to the design of future structural materials. The NASA-JSC team, in conjunction with Rice University, is producing the SWNTs.

Professor Jack Y. Lu (UHCL: Chemistry) received an ISSO 2001 seed-grant to develop two-dimensional layers of metal organic polymer nanofibers. Triple layers of these nanofiber mats can serve as a molecular separation device that removes contaminating molecules and particles from gases and liquids. (See page 91.) Dr. Lu made use of NSF sponsored facilities at the UH Texas Center for Superconductivity for some portions of the work.

Roundtrip missions to Mars, supported entirely from Earth, require very large and expensive spacecraft leaving from orbit about Earth. Much of the mass leaving from orbit about Earth is propellant and associated structure necessary for the return to Earth from Mars. The starting mass could be reduced by up to 45 percent if propellants, and possibly even oxygen for human missions, could be obtained from the carbon dioxide atmosphere of Mars and hydrogen from Martian water. Methane can be produced on Mars by chemical processing plants that employ the Sabatier reaction. Professor James T. Richardson (UH: Chemical Engineering) received a 2001 ISSO seed-grant to develop and demonstrate new types of ceramic foam catalyst supports. These ceramic supports enable processing plants with greater energy efficiency and reliability and lower mass compared to previously utilized catalyst pellets. Turn to page 98 for additional details. The 2000 and 2001 seed-grants have enabled the dissertation research for Ph.D. degrees by S. A. Brown and Y. Peng.

Virtually all radio antennas are fabricated from metals. However, dielectric materials can also serve as radiators of high-frequency electromagnetic radiations. Dielectric antennas may enable radio systems in extreme environments that metal based systems can not survive. Professors S. Long and H. T Williams (UH: Electrical and Computer Engineering) provide a follow-up report on a Y2000 ISSO seed-grant. They are investigating the circuit and radiation properties of a "low-profile version" of a dielectric resonant antenna. This ISSO sponsored research has enabled four undergraduate and graduate projects and UH.

Working and Living in Space and on Earth
Terrestrials, such as ourselves, are protected from the radiation of space by the atmosphere of Earth. Our atmosphere is equivalent in mass to approximately 11 meters of water or 11 tons of matter per square meter at sea level. Just above the atmosphere of Earth, a spacecraft, or space suit, is exposed to high energy protons and electrons trapped within the magnetosphere and fully charged atoms from the sun (solar cosmic rays) and the galaxy (galactic cosmic rays). When these particles hit the thin shells of spacecraft and space suits, a few kilograms per square meter or less, they either go straight through or hit an atom of the structure and explode into a shower of charged mesons and positrons and electrons, photons (gamma rays and x-rays), and neutrons. Also, our protective atmosphere illuminates low Earth orbit with this secondary radiation. All the primary and secondary particles can damage humans and electronic systems. Professor L. S. Pinsky (UH: Physics), Dr. Victor Andersen (Aerospace Fellow), and Dr. Jane MacGibbon (NASA-JSC and former Aerospace Fellow) work with Dr. T. L. Wilson (NASA-JSC) to model the radiation induced within spacecraft and planetary habitats by solar and galactic cosmic rays and the particle radiation trapped within the magnetosphere of Earth. (Refer to page 60.) The European nuclear research center CERN has supported the development of a computer code, termed FLUKE, that enables the precise prediction of what secondary radiation will be induced when primary radiation impacts a structure of known chemical composition. This physics-based code can be rigorously applied to known engineered structures such as a spacecraft, space suit, or instrumentation, and to living organisms such as humans. The team has adapted the code for application to aerospace vehicles exposed to particle radiation and is focused on making the code more user-friendly and extending the energy range of the code.

Professor Pinsky also received an ISSO seed-grant in 2001 for analysis of data from the Martian Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE) during its cruise from Earth to Mars (April-August 2001). Dr. V. Anderson (UH: Aerospace Fellow) and Dr. Pinsky worked with Dr. Gautam Badhwar (NASA-JSC) who tragically died in August, 2001. They also worked with Drs. Thomas Wilson, F. Cucinotta and T. Cleghorn (NASA-JSC) and Dr. C. Zietlin (Lawrence Berkely Laboratories) who is now the principal investigator on MARIE. UH student Mr. K. Lee conducted his work on his masters degree on MARIE technology. (See page 94.) MARIE failed in August, 2001. However, the instrument failure may be corrected after the spacecraft achieves orbit about Mars. If so, MARIE data can be used to characterize the radiation environment of the Martian atmosphere and low orbit.

It is well known that humans respond differently on the cellular level in space versus in Earth-normal gravity. The loss of calcium from bones apparently begins immediately on arrival on orbit in response to zero-gravity. However, it is still surprising that microorganisms, even those floating in a liquid, also respond to zero-gravity. Professor George Fox (UH: Biochemistry and Biophysical Science), Professor Richard Willson (UH: Chemical Engineering), Dr. Don L. Tucker (Aerospace Fellow) and Drs. Duane Pierson and Neil Pellis (NASA-JSC) are investigating the response of E. coli and Bacillus subtilis to simulated zero-gravity in preparation for examination of the strains to on-orbit conditions. (See page 30.) Zero-gravity is simulated on Earth by growing these organisms in a fluid-filled rotating bioreactor that randomizes the gravitational vector of the Earth as experienced by the microorganisms. The full messenger protein (mRNA) productions by the known genes of these organisms can be monitored using DNA-on-chip devices. These baseline studies will enable comparisons of mRNA of organisms grown on-orbit to organisms grown within bioreactors on Earth. Confirmation of the utility of bioreactors may dramatically increase the range and details of studies of zero-gravity processes operating on the cellular level that can be performed at low cost on Earth.

ISSO investigators agree to report for five years, after the end of funding, the results of the initial research. Prof. Fox conducted research from 1997 to 2000 on the growth of biofilms formed by bacteria in closed environments. (See page 114.) His team developed an automated gene sequencing technique to identify the bacteria. The project resulted in two masters degrees for computer science students Z. Zheng and U. Korai. It also enabled the enhancement of an existing grant by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute from $48,000 to $304,000. Both United States and foreign patent applications have been submitted for "Methods for determining the Genetic Affinity of Microorganisms and Viruses." The devices and methods may be of considerable utility on Earth and in space by enabling quick analysis of bacterial pathogens.

Humans arriving on-orbit to zero-gravity immediately begin losing calcium from their bones and suffer losses in muscle mass. Resistance exercise and running on a treadmill, while pushed down by elastic cords, does not seem to be especially effective in preventing loss of bone calcium or muscle mass. Space flight of long-duration requires a solution to these organism-level responses to zero-gravity. Professors Charles S. Layne (UH: Health & Human Performance), D. A. Martinez (UH: Biology and Biochemistry), M. S. F. Clarke (Health & Human Performance), and Dr. Antonios Kyparos (Aerospace Fellow) are initiating research with Dr. Daniel L. Feeback (NASA-JSC: Muscular Research Laboratory) on the use of dynamic foot pressure as a countermeasure against atrophy of muscle mass in zero-gravity. (See page 50.) Baseline studies using rats suspended in harnesses and subject to vibrations against their hindlimbs show that enhanced sensory input to the hindlimbs can counteract muscle loss. The research will attempt to develop an optimal foot pressure protocol to reduce loss of muscle mass. The underlining concept may be applicable to developing devices to reduce muscle loss in zero-gravity and for bed-ridden patients. Three other UH doctoral students worked under Dr. Layne's direction on related research. They are Katharine E. Forth, Mary F. Baxter, and Jeremy J. Houser.

Space suits operate at a lower pressure than the Space Shuttle or the International Space Station. The lower pressure reduces the "balloon-like" mechanical forces a suit exerts on the moving body, limbs, and fingers of the suited astronaut. The shuttle and station have an atmosphere of nitrogen and oxygen. Suits provide only pure oxygen in order to minimize pressure. Astronauts must pre-breathe pure oxygen for several hours as they decompress prior to performing extravehicular activities. This allows the nitrogen dissolved in their blood to escape. If the nitrogen is not removed, it may form bubbles in the blood at suit pressure and the astronaut will suffer from decompression sickness. Prof. Raj Chhikara (UHCL), Dr. M. R. Powell (JSC), and Dr. Laura A. Thompson (Aerospace Fellow) worked with Dr. J. Conkin of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute to model the decompression process. (See page 22.)

They utilize the "Hypobaric Decompression Sickness Database" accumulated between 1983 and 1998 at NASA-JSC from 28 sets of tests covering 453 male and 96 female subjects. Some people were tested more than once. The team is also investigating the possibility that, under certain circumstances, some individuals will never suffer serious decompression sickness or the precursor condition of Grade IV venous gas embolisms. The results may be applicable not only to astronauts but also to divers, airline passengers, and some patients who undergo hyperbaric medical treatments. One graduate student obtained a masters degree for statistical procedures developed during the research. Dr. Chhikara received an ISSO 2001 seed grant to focus on the statistical relation of pre-breath procedures and exercise during that period. (Refer to page 82.)

Humans conduct work within the space shuttle and station. Suited astronauts accomplish major assembly and repair tasks outside the shuttle and station. However, human labor in space is expensive, hazardous, and time limited. Human controlled robots could considerably increase the available work hours. Professors I. Kakadiaris (UH: Computer Science) and K. Grigoriadis (UH: Mechanical Engineering) with Dr. Geovanni Martinez (Aerospace Fellow) are teamed with Mr. Darby Magruder and Dr. K. Baker (NASA-JSC). They are developing means by which a computer can remotely optically track the motions of a person-e.g. the arms and hands-and apply those motions to precisely guide robot arms and hands in the performance of actual tasks at a remote location. The team has developed and demonstrated control algorithms for a moving robotic arm that achieves 0.6 +/- 1.0 mm of position accuracy. They have successfully achieved remote operation of the NASA-JSC ROBONAUT simulation. (See page 42.)

Humans on Earth and in space must eat. However, in long duration space flight, such as a flight to Mars from orbit about Earth, it will likely be necessary to grow part of the food during the flight. This food will be grown from biological matter recycled from prior meals. Soybeans, okra, and wheat are candidates for in-spacecraft agriculture. Professor C. L. Rappole (UH: Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management) and Drs. Steve French (Aerospace Fellow) and E. Vittadini (former Aerospace Fellow) are working with Drs. Michele Perchonok (NASA-JSC and NSBRI/Baylor University) and Yael Vodovotz (Ohio State U. and former Aerospace Fellow). They are developing machines that can process Soy, Tofu, Okara, and Whey (STOW) into a range of different human foods. There is a project focused on bread manufacture within a closed environment. The project will be extended from wheat to soy and rice flowers. (See page 64.)

The visual acuity of astronauts temporarily changes as they travel from Earth to orbit and when they return. Professor Harold Bedell (UH: College of Optometry) and Dr. Saumil S. Patel (Aerospace Fellow: 1996-1998) investigated the adaptations. Research has continued since the end of Dr. Patel's fellowship. (See page 120.) In the last two years, the team has produced six publications, made twelve presentations, and submitted three proposals based on the original fellowship project. Dr. Patel is now a UH Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Cullen College of Engineering.

Humanity's dreams of space travel are found in the writings of early visionaries and commentators on the human condition. Daniel Defoe (1661-1731) was one of the earliest English authors to explore the theme of travel beyond Earth and to the Moon. However, some scholars have argued that much of Defoe's writings were by other authors. Professor Irving N. Rothman (UH: English) is an authority on the writings of Defoe. He is engaged in a stylometric project with Professor R. Verma (UH: Computer Science) and Professor T. Woodell (UH: Linguistics) to confirm Defoe's authorship of such articles as "The Man in the Moon." The team seeks to employ a computer-based analysis of writing style rather than subjective judgement. Dr. Rothman is the editor of the ISSO reports. ISSO has provided travel funds for Dr. Rothman to conduct his research at the University of Pennsylvania and the Boston Public Library. (See page 102.)

As noted above, ISSO grants seed funds to UH and UHCL professors to refine new research concepts to a higher level and enhance their ability to compete for external funds. In May 2002 ISSO awarded $90,000 to eight UH and three UHCL professors. The majority of the funds support graduate research during the summer semester. Both new projects and expansions of existing projects are supported. Two of the investigators have not previously received ISSO funding.

University of Houston
Dr. V. Balakotaiah (Engineering: Chemical Engineering) "Modeling and Experimental Studies on Mass Transfer in Slug Flow in A Tubular Nitrifier for Use in Space" Dr. D. J. Economou (Engineering: Chemical Engineering) "High Intensity, Large Area, Energetic (10-100s eV) Neutral Beams"
Dr. George Fox (NSM: Biology and Biochemistry) "Characterization of Evolving Bacterial Populations"
Dr. Charles S. Layne (Education: Health and Human Performance) "Are Muscle Reflexes Modulated by Preparatory Neuromuscular Activation Levels?"
Dr. John Miller (NSF: Physics and TcSUH) "Dielectric Responses of Living Organisms"
Dr. Lawrence Pinsky (NSM: Physics) "Calculations in Preparation for the ACCESS MIDEX Proposal"
Dr. Clinton L. Rappole (Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management) "Monitoring and Controlling Microbial Growth in a Food Processor Prototype"
Dr. Jaroslaw Wosik (Engineering: Electrical and Computer Engineering) "Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using Parallel Process Acquisition Concept: An Array of Superconducting Coils for Space and Clinical Applications"

University of Houston-Clear Lake
Dr. Raj S. Chhikara (NAS: Computing and Mathematics) "Bayesian Analysis and Statistical Modeling of Venous Gas Emboli (VGE) Grade IV Onset in Hypobaric Environment"
Dr. James B. Dabney (NAS: Computing and Mathematics) "Model-Based Control of Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Motor for Space Robotics"
Dr. Jack Y. Lu (NAS: Chemistry) "Nano-Structure Open-Framework Materials for Nanofibers"

Each investigator commits to submitting one or more proposals to an external funding agency and to publishing the results of the seed-grant study. The investigator also provides a report on the research to ISSO for inclusion in a report to the State of Texas.

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