For press information, contact Curt Guenther, 901/678-2843

Dr. Firouzeh Sabri

Sabri will present a workshop on space-age materials. She created a coating for calibration targets that are onboard NASA’s Phoenix Mars lander, which is still on the Red Planet.

The summer program is open to 125 students who are one year or less away from completing their undergraduate degree. The nine-week program is a unique opportunity for participants to experience a broad range of space-related fields.

“It’s international and multi-disciplinary,” Sabri said. “Students who participate represent the best students from across the world coming from varied backgrounds, and bringing varied expectations. The faculty will have a wide range of expertise; in the past they have included members of the European Space Agency and NASA.

“Many different aspects of space studies are covered in a very intense program that normally wouldn’t be available even to students in a master’s degree program. This program brings together a combination of engineering, science, business, financial and legal curricula.”

The cost of the program is $20,000 and scholarships are available. Honors students are strongly encouraged to apply.

Financial aid applications are due before Jan. 31, 2010, and early application is recommended.

For students who do not need financial aid, the application deadline is April 30, 2010.

Students who are interested in applying should contact Sabri first.

To learn more, contact Sabri at 901-678-2126 or fsabri@memphis.edu, or visit Web site www.isunet.edu