‘Trip to the Eclipse’ Bus Open to A-State Students, Faculty
The Arkansas State University Office of Research & Technology Transfer and the Student Research Council are hosting an Aug. 21 student trip to Fulton, Mo., to view the upcoming solar eclipse.
The group will travel from A-State to Fulton, where they will also observe the launch of a near-space balloon which will gather data and take photos and videos of the eclipse. The balloon, which will ascend to more than 90,000 feet, will be launched by an A-State team that has partnered with NASA for more than a year in preparation for the eclipse. The team is led by Dr. Tillman Kennon, professor of science education, and Dr. Ross Carroll, A-State associate professor of physics.
The student trip is a kickoff for the Create@State 2018 STEAM theme and initiative to engage the arts with the STEM disciplines. Students from the arts, sciences and journalism/media disciplines are encouraged to sign up and secure a seat on the chartered bus. All students will receive a t-shirt to wear on the trip. Faculty interested in joining the group are welcome to sign up as well. The trip is fully-funded by the Office of Research & Technology Transfer, with no cost to those traveling. While the trip is scheduled for the first day of classes, letters of participation will be given to each student in order to excuse them from class.
The bus is scheduled to depart from A-State’s Dean B. Ellis Library at 5 a.m., arriving in Fulton at approximately 11 a.m. Following the balloon launch, totality of the eclipse will occur between 1-1:30 p.m., after which the group will return to the A-State campus. The bus is expected to arrive back at the Library at approximately 8 p.m.
To register for the trip, log on to the ORTT website.
