FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences, in partnership with the Honors College, will begin a new program in the fall 2006 semester to help undergraduate honors students obtain research experience in the field of space and planetary science. The students will work with researchers and faculty members in the space center on a research project of their interest. The theme for the 2006-2007 academic year will be Mars.

In this year-long academic program, students will participate in laboratory research, weekly colloquia, field trips and other events organized by the program. The field trips might include excursions to see Mars-like geology in the region, trips to a NASA base and trips to local aerospace industries. The program also requires submission of a two-page abstract and poster each semester, in the format of the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. The abstracts and posters give the students a chance to describe their research projects at the end of each semester.

The program provides monetary support, details of which can be obtained on the space center Web site at http://spacecenter.uark.edu.

The deadline for application is May 31, 2006, for the 2006-2007 academic year. Applicants should submit an application form, available from the space center or online at http://spacecenter.uark.edu.

For further information, contact the Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences at csaps@uark.edu or (479) 575-7625. 

The Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences is a partnership of six academic departments in the University of Arkansas (biological sciences, chemical engineering, chemistry/biochemistry, geosciences, mechanical engineering and physics) and four colleges (Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, the Honors College and the Graduate School). The center aims to promote research and education in the space and planetary sciences.