Contact: Bob Ratliff
Four Mississippi State University students are among 15 being honored by the Mississippi Space Commerce Initiative as 2001-02 Scholars in Graduate Studies in Remote Sensing.
Based at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, MSCI is a consortium of government agencies, businesses and universities. The partnership works to develop state industries based around technologies originated at the Stennis Center by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
MSU honorees include Joseph C. Fanguy of Thibodaux, La., Amber Kelley of Elkmont, Ala., Mary Love Mortimer of Kilmichael, and William M. Peterson of Bowling Green, Ky.
Their $22,000 awards recognize achievements by master's and doctoral students in research related to the remote sensing needs of industry members of MSCI. Remote sensing refers to the use of satellites and aircraft to gather information on land use, vegetation, moisture, and other characteristics of an area.
The 11 other scholars attend the universities of Mississippi and Southern Mississippi.
Fanguy is pursuing a doctorate in analytical chemistry at MSU. His research goal is the development and construction of a miniaturized groundwater analysis system to detect the presence of the herbicide diuron. He is a chemistry graduate of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.
Kelly is seeking a master's in entomology, with a minor in plant pathology. Her research involves the use of remote sensing technology to identify areas of nematode infestation in cotton fields. She is an Auburn University graduate in wildlife science.
Mortimer, a doctoral student in plant and soil sciences, is combining remote sensing and environmental data to show changes in land use for portions of the upper Pearl River watershed. She holds a bachelor's in biology from Millsaps College and a master's in forest products from MSU.
Peterson, a summa cum laude agronomy graduate of MSU, is pursuing a master's in agronomy, with an emphasis on soils, plant physiology and remote sensing. He is researching ways to improve the use of remote sensing technologies for making fertilizer management decisions in cotton production.