MESA center reaches out to students

On the 8th, the Math Engineering Science Achievement study center held the second day of its open house to educate students on the MESA program.

The MESA center is in Room 204 of Chance Academic Center.

Math Engineering Science Achievement, which started at the University of California, runs three branches of programs for different levels of education.

This college falls under the MESA Community College program, but for pre-college education, they offer the MESA Schools program, and at the university level, they offer the MESA Engineering program.

MESA program coordinator Adel Gutierrez presented on the benefits of membership, which include free use of textbooks and software, the use of the center after hours and eligibility to participate in MESA exhibitions.

Gutierrez became MESA's program coordinator at this college three months ago, and said that the open house event had attracted at least 11 new students to the program on the first day.

San Antonio College is MESA's only Texas program.

Engineering sophomore Adam Boehm presented on a solar module experiment he and other students completed over the summer.

The project consisted of several stages of testing to determine the effect of cooling on the efficiency of solar modules. Preliminary tests measured voltage and other data from the modules, using equipment such as light sensors and misters.

Final testing measured increased energy output as a direct result of modifications made after preliminary tests.

Engineering coordinator, Dr. Dan Dimitriu, headed the project and OCI Solar Power funded it. OCI Solar Power is based in Chicago, but has 12 projects in development in the United States and Canada.

OCI also donated solar modules for the experiment in increasing efficiency and energy output of solar panels.

Boehm said OCI has shown interest in funding further research, which Dr. Dimitriu said probably will be further efficiency experiments.

Boehm is happy to have been a part of the team and of the experiments, and hopes they will continue without him after he transfers.

He said he plans to transfer to Texas State University in the spring.

Engineering sophomore George Sullivan presented on a NASA program called Community College Aerospace Scholars.

Sullivan said admission requirements are steep and consist of three 500-word papers and a robot schematic.

Once admitted, the program takes students to Johnson Space Center in Houston where they build robots. Students race the robots and deliver a presentation on the experience.

Sullivan said he was so excited that he rushed to apply for the program after learning of it only two weeks from the application deadline.

Mathematics sophomore Melody Packard presented on the Curriculum Improvements Partnership Award for Integration of Research.

The program for both two-year and four-year institutions is designed to increase the quality of STEM curricula.

STEM stands for Science Technology Engineering Math, and is a term used to represent students in those majors.

Packard went to Johnson Space Center to compute tests for dropping lunar module Orion into a body of water.

Orion is a multipurpose crew vehicle.

Drop tests were to measure the strain on the module after re-entry and landing.

During her trip, Packard also served as a mentor for high school students.

She said this primarily consisted of moderating their behavior.

She listed everything she felt she had learned from the trip, including basic use of the Linux operating system.

She said she learned valuable social skills that she did not have before, and she is grateful for that.

Melody said the program accepts all majors but recommended one major in particular.

"The truth about NASA needs to get out. They need more public relations," she said.

For more information, call Dimitriu at 210-486-1309.