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Have you ever been interested in outer space? What about NASA? Maybe you are a Chemistry major looking for a project to work on? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re in luck because a professor at Lander University has been conducting an ongoing project that is tied to NASA! Dr. Lisa Brodhacker, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, has been working on a project called the NASA Mirror Project. The project assists NASA by finding people who can develop telescope mirrors that are lightweight and inexpensive, instead of the current mirrors which are heavy and expensive. Dr. Brodhacker is developing large, but lightweight plastic telescope mirrors which will be sent to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California where they will be using them on the ground for space communications.
Dr. Brodhacker first became involved in this project when she was a graduate student at the University of South Carolina. When asked what inspired her to take on such a project she said, “I was especially interested in this project because of how it relates to space and NASA. I have always loved sitting outside on dark nights or climbing on the roof of my house to lie on the roof to look at the starts for hours. It has always been something I’ve really enjoyed doing. Now I’m working on a project directly tied to NASA; I think it’s pretty cool!” This project is a continuation of the one that was being conducted at USC but Dr. Brodhacker’s advisor was unable to continue the project. Fortunately, Dr. Brodhacker was given the opportunity to continue the NASA Mirror Project here at Lander University.
The Mirror Project has taken Dr. Brodhacker about 8 years to get to the point in progress she is now. The mirrors being made at Lander are approximately 6 feet in diameter compared to 10 inches in diameter for the ones at USC!
How will this project help Lander? Well Dr. Brodhacker said, “It will help because the university will become better known for another person’s research. Lander has a lot to offer students who attend here and this is another area that may inspire a future student to attend.”
If you are interested in this Mirror Project drop by to see Dr. Lisa Brodhacker office located in the science building.
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