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A&T's NASA center becoming self-sufficient By JOYA WESLEY to The chkowici-t !*.? ?:>* GREENSBORO ? Dr. ;3ptedenck Ferguson, director of ?!Mle NASA Center for Aerospace ' .Research at North Carolina A&T !-State University, has a deadline to ;Vheet. >*- The center, one of 14 of its type Rinded by NASA at minority insti tutions through its University Research Centers program, is ' scheduled to become self-sufficient by 2002. By then, Ferguson has to secure a steady stream of at least S3 million a year in funded research. ? ? "I'm selling a service," he says, "the brains of this university." Luckily, he's not alone. A&Ts College of Engineering, a power house of cutting-edge research, is at the forefront of university-wide efforts to support the center. "We're going to do all that we can Mo make sure that the center gets all the external funding it needs," said Dir. Lonnie Shape, dean of the col ' lege and chairman of the ~NASA * CAR Internal Review Board. The NASA University Research Centers program seeks to :'faster new aerospace science and ;jtjchnology concepts, expand the ^nation's research base, increase the - participation of minority institu . ti$ns in mainstream research and 'Riierease the number of historically ;Rnder represented students with ?j?ivanced degrees in NASA-related :&lds. A&T's NASA-CAR, estab tflshed in 1992, conducts interdisci plinary research for next-generation aircraft and space - craft. The center has five research components: aerospace structures, coptrols and guidance, computa tional fluid dynamics, human machine systems engineering and propulsion. SB*: Na?a provldm* $ I million ovory yoar to oporato tho roaoarth tontor. NASA currently provides $1 million a year to support the cen ter. A&T provides space in its state-of-the-art Edward B, Fort Interdisciplinary Research Center and pays half of the director's salary. NASA's contribution will end in 2001. A strategic plan, drafted with the help of A&T business profes sor Dr. Japhet Nkonge, outlines the steps the center will take to achieve self-sufficiency. "We're in transition - we're moving," Ferguson said. "We start ed in 1992 from ground zero, and we expect to bring in a minimum of $3 million in the next three years." A big part of NASA-CAR's mission involves generating finan cial incentives, such as scholar ships and stipends, to encourage students to seek advanced degrees in aerospace-related disciplines. "Because our students are so much in demand, it's hard to get them to go to graduate school," said Dr. William Craft, chairman of A&T's mechanical engineering department and a member of NASA-CAR's management team. "That's a good thing, but. it becomes part of the problem." A&T - which already is the nation's No. I producer of minori ties with degrees in math, science, engineering and technology - is making efforts throughout the uni versity to increase the number of students receiving advanced degrees in these areas where minorities are so severely under represented. "Our role as a research center is to help the university fulfill its mis sion," Ferguson said. "We want to do a good job of that." Last year, the center graduated 12 master's students. Four Ph.D. candidates, first graduates of A&T's new Ph.D. programs in mechanical and electrical engineer ing. Their research experience with NASA-CAR increases their mar ketability. "We want to ensure that when our students leave us, they go into the major aerospace industries," Ferguson said. "Once we have a diversified pool of aerospace pro fessionals, there's no telling where their talents can lead them." To keep the center meeting it's goals, Ferguson is busy marketing the center and its research capabil ity Nobody's going to give you money forever," he says. "What we want to do is make sure that when one grant ends, we have two or three more in the pipeline." Ferguson convened the adviso ry board this semester in order to help the center attract funded research and educational opportu nities, and to enhance its participa tion within the university. The board, which includes university administrators from all areas, will meet twice a year to evaluate the center's progress and to make rec ommendations to the director. Nkonge's involvement is just one example of the center's efforts to bring all of A&T's intellectual resources to bear on the center's success. "We've benefited a lot from this program," Craft said. "Our research has become more focused. We have to find ways to get the university to help us make sure this center succeed. We have to craft a plant that's going to encourage everybody to partici pate." tBBBBgSSBBl . _,w ?.? c \ p "? TEFLON? coated coordinates for Easter Poly/rayon linen-look coordinates are Teflon? coated for easy care. Blazers, skirts and pants with mix and match blouses. Black, cocoa, mandarin, sun, cream, navy, hot pink, lime, white, red, chamois afid mint, missy 8-18. Petites' 4-16. Women's axkjinates, 16-24W, 1-3X, $38-$74. Colors & styles may varyTTvpetttes' & women's sizes. Career Groups, Women's Career BLAZERS J56-'68 SKIRTS $34-$56 PANTS $40 BLOUSES $34-$38 everything^ <?ASTER "Dilland's ; B OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 1QA.M.-9P.M. J OPEN SUNDAY 12:30 P.M. - 6 P.M. jDIHord's welcomes DWIord's charge, Visa. MasterCard. American Express. Diner's Club & J HANES MALL 659-1515 J
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