Advancing & Qualifying UV Space Technology & Instrumentation

As an expert in ultraviolet (UV) astrophysics and space instrumentation, my drive is to lead NASA's push towards a more comprehensive understanding of the UV universe. With my state-of-the-art research laboratory at the University of Iowa (UI), I aim to play a critical role in the developing and qualifying key UV technologies for future space observatories. At the same time, I am eager to start and sustain a UV suborbital/space instrumentation program that demonstrates these promising UV technologies and trains new generations of UV instrumentalists through hands-on student and postdoc mentoring. However, my laboratory current lacks the ability and resources to qualify the performance of UV telescopes and fully understand critical properties of the UV components we do use and know often in UV instrumentation (e.g., the polarization effects of thin film optical coatings, sensors, and reflection coatings on astrophysical signals). My proposed Roman Technology Fellowship (RTF) supports two primary objectives that prepares my lab, the Hoadley UV Space Laboratory (HUSL), to accomplish these near- and long-term goals. The first objective is to build the necessary infrastructure that will both set up my research lab to offer unique characterization capabilities for UV technologies (i.e., vacuum-UV polarization measurements) and support the integration of suborbital/SmallSat UV instruments. The second is to support emerging UV instrumentalists by funding early career researchers and setting them up with unique, highly valuable skill sets to advance their careers. My proposed RFT will establish HUSL’s research and technology development programs, advance the state of UV polarization capabilities for VUV characterization and space-observatories, and support the early career researchers and instrumentalists that will make NASA's future Great Observatories a reality.

The goals of the Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship (RTF) program in astrophysics are to provide early-career researchers the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to lead astrophysics flight instrument development projects, including suborbital investigations, in preparation to become Principal Investigators (PIs) of future NASA astrophysics missions; to develop innovative technologies for space astrophysics that have the potential to enable major scientific breakthroughs; and to foster new talents by putting early career instrument builders on a trajectory towards long-term positions.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.