The 2013-2014 Boise State University Microgravity Research Team consists of nine undergraduate students majoring in Engineering, Biology, and Education. Our team consists of four females and five males. Our Team Lead, Roxanne, is the first female lead since the beginning of Boise State's involvement in the Reduced Gravity Flight Program.
Roxanne Stone:
Roxanne is a senior pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with minors in both Biomedical and Material Science Engineering. After originally spending her first two years in college as a Pre-Med major, she determined that her interests actually lie in engineering new innovative solutions for current health care conditions. During the fall 2012 semester, as a first semester junior in engineering, Roxanne decided to pursue her childhood dreams of joining a NASA related team project. By combining her interests in space programs, space life sciences, and the development of appropriate countermeasures to maintain adequate human health, she set out to join the Boise State Microgravity Research Team. Roxanne was welcomed to the team in May 2013 and then stepped up to be the 2013-2014 team lead. It was her drive and passion for this program and its research capabilities that brought together a new team of motivated undergraduate students and steered it to develop an astronaut health related project focus. In her spare time she enjoys hiking in the Boise foothills with her "purebred pound puppy."
Janos Cserna:
Janos is a senior pursuing a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, with a heavy emphasis on Computer Science. He currently works for Dr. Browning as a research assistant in the Vacuum Electronic Device Lab. The research being done revolves around plasma discharges. Janos also holds the secretary position of the Boise State University IEEE student branch. What interests him the most is the interdisciplinary nature of the microgravity project. He will be contributing primarily his computer science and research skills to assist in any way possible. He spends his free time practicing martial arts and playing music.
Jordan Scott:
Jordan is currently a senior in the Electrical Engineering program at Boise State University with an emphasis in power system analysis and signal analysis. Before pursuing his degree, Jordan worked as an English teacher teaching English as a second language to a diverse group of students at the Wall Street Institute in Munich, Germany. Upon returning to the U.S., he has worked as a handyman fixing a wide range of problems from drywall and fencing, to electrician work. Jordan hopes that his area of study will be an asset to the microgravity team. In turn he will gain knowledge by doing an interdisciplinary project, as well as experience with designing equipment systems for medical purposes from an electrical engineer’s standpoint. He spends his free time snowboarding, playing disc golf, hiking, performing community service, and learning new languages.
Douglas Mac Jones:
Douglas “Mac” Jones was born and raised in Moscow, Idaho. He is a senior at Boise State majoring in Biology and Pre-medical Studies and has been involved in research on campus for the last two years. He is currently in the final stages of an ecology project studying the effects of cattle grazing on rangeland microbial communities. He is also in the middle of the medical school application process and hopes to begin in Fall 2014. He works on campus for the admissions department as an ambassador and for the Honors College as a peer mentor. He loves serving his community and works in several community service positions here in Boise. He spends his spare time playing basketball, enjoying nature, and watching zombie movies.
Carl Barcroft:
Carl Barcroft is a sophomore Electrical Engineering student at Boise State University (BSU) minoring in Material Science. He has a passion for aerospace and solar energy and hopes to utilize his education to pursue those passions working for NASA or the growing private space industry. He currently works for the Xiong Research Group at BSU led by Dr. Hui Xiong: the focus of which is the development of nano-architectured electrode materials created with sustainable resources that can safely meet today’s energy storage needs. He also works for PCS Edventures, Inc. as a lab instructor teaching students in grades four through twelve hands-on STEM subjects. In what free time he has left, he enjoys mountain biking and home-brewing.
Scott Warren:
Scott is a junior pursuing a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Electrical Engineering. He began as a business major, but decided to switch to engineering because of his interests in science and design. He plans on continuing his education by pursuing a Master in Business Administration. Scott also possesses knowledge of and has work experience in machining. During his time off he enjoys participating in various sports and staying active.
Libby Stewart:
Libby is a sophomore pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Human Emphasis. She was a ground crew member for the 2012-2013 Boise State Microgravity team. As a freshman, she was involved in the STEP Undergraduate Researchers program supported by the NSF Idaho STEP grant. Libby is from Gladstone, Oregon and in her spare time at Boise State enjoys singing in Vox Angelis Womens’ chorus and performing in the musical theater department's productions.
Kaytlin Smith:
Kaytlin is currently a senior in Elementary Education pursuing a literacy endorsement and plans to complete the required PRAXIS to teach middle school science. She settled on this degree after first majoring in everything Boise State has to offer. It was the realization that her need is to help people and give back to the community in as many ways as possible that pushed her into education. Kaytlin took the position of outreach coordinator for the 2013-2014 Boise State Microgravity Research Team in August of 2013. She plans to travel to Jamaica in May of 2014 as part of the annual Spring Break Alternative Trip organized by the BSU Student Involvement and Leadership Center to help build and/or rebuild schools for the local community. When Kaytlin is not giving back to the community, she is paying her way through college by working road construction in the summer in Alaska or singing in her garage, hoping to one day become famous or produce a one hit wonder that will fund the school she plans to build and run herself post graduate school.
Tara Smith:
Tara Smith is a senior pursing degrees in Biology and Biology Secondary Education with minors in Natural Science, Physical Science, and Chemistry. She was a flight crew member for the 2012-2013 Boise State Microgravity team. She has extensively volunteered in Boise, Meridian, and Nampa School districts. Tara has worked with the Center for Energy Efficiency Research Institute (CEERI) at Boise State as an educational researcher since January of 2012. She writes and presents lesson plans for teacher professional development workshops around the state of Idaho. She was a strand provider at the iSTEM Summer Institute in Twin Falls where she presented her research. During the summer she works with second through fifth graders teaching science, physical education, and reading.
Jared Ostyn
Jared is a senior pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. He is currently planning on graduating from Boise State University in May. Jared is a hometown guy, born and raised in Nampa. He is currently surveying his options in the Treasure Valley computer science market where there are a myriad of possibilities. Over the past two summers he enjoyed interning at Kount Inc., an online credit card anti-fraud company. For pastimes Jared enjoys racquetball, guitar, snowboarding, frisbee, and always educating himself on anything and everything he can.
