FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DCC STUDENTS TAKE PART IN THE

NASA DEVELOP PROGRAM

Pictured left to right: Jeffrey Avallone, Co-Director, DEVELOP; Colin Ferguson, DCC Team Manager, Virginia Tech student; Jonathan Womack, DCC student; Timothy McBride, DCC student; Heather Stroud, Galileo Magnet High School Team Manager, DCC student; Janice Cawthorn, Faculty Advisor, NASA Langley DEVELOP program; Kristen Cannavino, Project Manager, South Central Initiative; and Jennifer King, DCC Team, Averett University student. Eight Galileo Magnet High School students were also a part of the NASA DEVELOP program (not pictured).

DANVILLE, VA, September 10, 2003--Three Danville Community College students were recently among those participating in the South Central Initiative of National Aeronautics & Space Administration’s (NASA) DEVELOP Program.  The DCC team included three students, Timothy McBride and Heather Stroud, both of Danville and both enrolled in the Drafting and Design program, and Jonathan Womack of Vernon Hill, who is enrolled in the Information Systems Technology program.  In addition, Jennifer King, of Averett University, and Colin Ferguson, of Virginia Tech were a part of the DCC team, along with eight Galileo Magnet High School students.

  The 10-week program allowed students to complete two projects that will benefit this community.  The students served as ambassadors of NASA Technologies, and also were exposed to high-level science and technology and workforce development training. 

In the first project, Stroud served as the Team Manager for the Galileo Magnet High School students.  Under guidance from Kristen Cannavino, NASA Langley Project Manager of the South Central Initiative, Stroud and the high school students designed a website to promote tourism in the South Central area which covers Danville, Pittsylvania County, and Halifax County.  The website has been completed, but it is not yet available online.

In the second project, Ferguson of Virginia Tech served as DCC’s Team Manager.  Womack, McBride, King and Ferguson were assigned the task of disaster research of the Dan River and its environs.  As part of the research, they visited Danville’s Water Treatment Plant and the Dan River in an attempt to study the Dan River flooding and environmental problems.

 “The research of the Dan River and its environs sought to pin-point why the flooding occurred and how often,” McBride said.  “There is extreme likelihood that this research will continue.” 

Janice Cawthorn, Faculty Advisor, NASA Langley DEVELOP Program, said “This was the first time we have had such community involvement and investment.  “The community donated facilities, computers, and paid stipends for the NASA Langley participants.”

DEVELOP is a student-run applications, outreach, and workforce development project led by NASA Langley Research Center.  The project was established as a result of a paper written by three students in 1998, entitled “Community Benefits of Remote Sensing.”  Projects are conducted through collaboration between NASA, other federal agencies, state and local governments, academia, and industries.  DEVELOP enables students to conduct earth science application projects that benefit communities.    The community benefits through receiving human capital development; first-hand experience with NASA products; and development of community planning tools.

            For more information or to apply for NASA’s DEVELOP Program, please contact Jeffrey Avallone, DEVELOP co-director at (757) 864-3761 or visit the site at http://develop.larc.nasa.gov.