NASA recognizes Four Chandigarh University students as promising contributors to Aerospace
Four Chandigarh University (CU) students of Aerospace Engineering have been honoured with the prestigious title of Citizen Scientists by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) under its renowned citizen science program – the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC). With this accomplishment, CU students have made a mark as promising contributors to the field of space exploration and astronomy.
CU students, namely Sonali Sahni, Anant Shah, Harsh Aditya Minz, and Abhishek Malhan, have been recognized as citizen scientists for their valuable contributions to observations of near-Earth objects and Main Belt asteroids by analysing the images from Pan-STARRS. During the asteroid research campaign, the team of four successfully detected an object (officially designated as ‘AST0001’) by using the Astrometrica software.
Notably, all the four students are pursuing BE Aerospace Engineering (third year) at Chandigarh University under CUCET Scholarship. Abhishek Malhan, who hails from Ludhiana in Punjab, is studying at CU with a 50% scholarship, meanwhile Sonali from Dhanbad, Jharkhand has a 30% scholarship. Moreover, Anant Shah from Banaras in Uttar Pradesh, and Harsh Aditya from Raipur in Chhattisgarh enjoy a 15% scholarship on their tuition fee.
Expressing gratitude towards Chandigarh University for its unwavering support, services, and resources, the students said, “Chandigarh University not only provides high-quality education but also fosters an environment that encourages students to delve into the aerospace field and push their limits, which has led to this accomplishment. The initial awareness of the international astronomical search collaboration competition came through a social media post circulated by the department, and each of us eagerly embraced this opportunity to showcase our potential in the field of aerospace.”
They also shared that this competition has helped them to understand software Astrometrica better and analyze the Nasa Hubble Telescope images in a more detailed manner.
Rajya Sabha MP and Chandigarh University Chancellor Satnam Singh Sandhu expressed immense pride in the achievements of the students and congratulated them.
He said “Since inception, Chandigarh University has been persistently evolving to meet the needs of the modern aerospace industry. It is committed to fostering excellence in aerospace education and preparing our students to excel in the rapidly evolving field of aerospace engineering. Chandigarh University is the first university in India to run real-time ground station operations from the Kalpana Chawla Center for Research in Space Science and Technology. The state-of-the-art Center aims at generating curiosity and inspiration in young minds for space exploration and also assists students to dive deeper into the knowledge of space science.”
Sandhu further added, “The successful Moon-landing was the biggest achievement for Indian science in 2023 that pushed boundaries on both earth and in the sky, and one of CU alumni was involved in this project. It not only elevated India’s global standing but brought immense pride to the University that the talents nurtured here are today contributing to nation’s advancement. And now the recognition of CU students as citizen scientists is a source of great honour for the entire university fraternity, which has been possible only due to the potential, dedication and extraordinary efforts of these talented students.”
Head of the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Chandigarh University, Dharmahinder Singh Chand, said, “The Department is not only equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure but also has highly qualified teaching staff for enriching students with practical experiences along with delivering theoretical learning. Moreover, the Centre of Excellence – Star Gazing and Astronomical Club has been set up specially to inspire more students towards aerospace exploration. It also encourages the students to participate in real-world projects and competitions like International Astronomical Search Collaboration and earn laurels not just for the university but also for our country.”
To date, seven students from the university have earned the prestigious distinction of being recognized as Citizen Scientists by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
