College of Engineering Research Centers
The Center for Applied Radiation Research (CARR) focuses primarily on supporting the International Space Station and future Mars missions. Its research is concentrated on science and technology related to radiation protection and the effects of space radiation on electronics and biosystems. CARR's goal is to significantly contribute to NASA's vast technology base, providing enabling technologies—such as new materials, electronics, shielding and radio-protectorates for humans—that will make major NASA missions even more successful, safer and less costly. CARR is funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The Center for Materials, Microdesign and Micro-Fabrication (CM3) shares with CARR a common human resources and facility base, but addresses a broader range of problems. It serves as an umbrella structure for various projects in electronic materials, materials synthesis, radiation testing and microelectronics.
The Center of Excellence for Communication Systems Technology Research (CECSTR) seeks solutions to the problems that plague both military and commercial satellite- and radar-based communication systems. The CECSTR is the only academic center of its kind in Texas, filling a gap in educating the state's future leaders in emerging high-technology areas. It specifically supports graduate students in Prairie View's electrical engineering department. CECSTR is funded by Texas Instruments, Sprint, Tellabs and Hewlett-Packard.
The Computational Fluid Dynamics Institute (CFDI) is involved in two ongoing projects with NASA Marshall and the Rocketdyne division of Boeing North America. The Marshall grant focuses on developing computational fluid dynamics technology for supersonic ramjet/scramjet combustion. The Rocketdyne project involves performing detailed analysis of an air augmented rocket. The CFDI was established in partnership with Rocketdyne.
The Future Aerospace, Science and Technology (FAST) Center on Lightweight Structural Materials and Processing conducts research in line with the needs of the Air Force, industry and the government. Researchers thus use the center to process and characterize composites for both military and civilian uses. The FAST center strives to place Prairie View as a national leader in the development of lightweight, high-temperature polymer matrix composites. The FAST Center is funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
The Texas Gulf Coast Environmental Data (TEXGED) Center is a key player in supplying researchers and decision-makers with the information they need to plan and assess environmental problems along the U.S. Gulf Coast's southern region. The TEXGED Center collects data from space through TRW Space and Technology and transfers it to a database system. This information serves as a tool for predicting environmental changes in the region and for producing methodology for risk assessment of the ecosystems.
The Thermal Science Research Center (TSRC) allows researchers to conduct both basic and applied research, development and design in the broad engineering area of thermal science. Much of the work in the TSRC includes both experimentation and engineering modeling and simulation. Project collaboration links center researchers with their counterparts in such places as the European Community, Japan and the former Soviet Union. The TSRC is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, NASA, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Sandia National Laboratories and the Center for Space Power.
