The latest edition of UAH Magazine is now available to read online! Explore inspiring stories, groundbreaking research, campus updates and alumni highlights from across UAH.

From rockets to spacecraft systems, UAH students are turning classroom knowledge into real-world aerospace experience. Student teams recently earned top honors in two premier competitions that challenge teams to design, build and test solutions for complex missions.

NASA Student Launch Initiative

UAH’s Charger Rocket Works team captured first place overall in NASA’s 2026 Student Launch Initiative, showcasing excellence in rocket design, systems engineering, testing and mission execution after a nine-month challenge. The team’s championship performance placed UAH ahead of 21 other university teams from across the country.

CanSat Competition

UAH engineering students also earned international recognition at the 2026 CanSat Competition, with Team Vortex finishing second overall and first among U.S. universities, Team MetalHawk placing fourth internationally and Team Skywarp finishing 13th. The hands-on aerospace challenge gave students experience designing and testing small-scale spacecraft systems that mirror industry and NASA engineering processes.

After 19 years at UAH, including five years as dean of the College of Nursing, Dr. Karen Frith retires with a legacy of expanding programs, embracing technology and preparing the next generation of nurses. From launching innovative recruitment tools and accelerated degree pathways to advancing health equity initiatives, Frith’s leadership helped shape the future of nursing education at UAH.

“I’ve done a lot of fun things. I’ve had a fantastic career. I’ve gotten to affect the lives of many people through my own direct care or indirectly through the care that our students, and ultimately graduates, have given to patients.”

A UAH doctoral researcher is uncovering how massive dust storms on Mars may create atmospheric conditions capable of supporting electrical activity, offering new insights into potential challenges for future spacecraft and exploration efforts. Chali Idosa Uga’s research examines how dust movement and charge separation during a global Martian dust storm could influence the planet’s electrical environment.

“The future of this research is to move from diagnosing where Martian dust storms become electrically favorable to testing whether those conditions produce measurable electrical effects in the real atmosphere.”

A multidisciplinary team of UAH researchers has discovered that continuous low-intensity ultrasound may help shift the body’s immune response from prolonged inflammation toward tissue repair. Published in Scientific Reports, the study offers new insights into how non-invasive technologies could one day support treatments for joint injuries and post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

“The next steps will involve validating these findings in animal models of early post-traumatic osteoarthritis and studying how ultrasound-based modulation affects long-term tissue repair in joint injury settings,” said Dr. Anuradha Subramanian.

Dr. Srinath Ekkad will join UAH as Dean of the College of Engineering in August, bringing decades of experience in engineering research, student success and industry partnerships. Ekkad joins UAH from North Carolina State University, where he served as Professor and Head of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering since 2017.

“Dr. Ekkad's priorities — expanding graduate enrollment and research output, deepening partnerships with Redstone Arsenal, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and Cummings Research Park, and building a pipeline of industry-engaged undergraduates — align directly with where the college needs to go,” said Dr. David Puleo, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. “I am confident he will accelerate that momentum.”

An endowed scholarship from an anonymous donor helped provide UAH women’s basketball standout Lili Wilken the opportunity to excel on and off the court. The most decorated player in Chargers women’s basketball history, Wilken led UAH to its first NCAA Division II Final Four appearance while earning national recognition for her athletic and academic achievements.

“It really means a lot to me personally, to know that someone has the confidence in me, and they want me to be able to perform my best on the floor to help out the program and the community,” Wilken said.

For more than a decade, Bryant Bank’s annual $100,000 commitment to the UAH College of Nursing has helped high-achieving students pursue their nursing careers through the Bryant Bank Dean’s Scholars Program. The scholarship support creates pathways for talented students while strengthening the healthcare workforce serving communities across North Alabama.

“Being a Dean’s Scholar with the Bryant Bank Scholarship created a pathway for my college education,” said Martin Nguyen, a recent graduate. “The Bryant Bank Scholarship affirmed my hard work and lifted a financial weight that allowed me to focus on my goals.”

UAH is proud to be a founding partner of Rocket City Space Fest, running July 16 to 24, 2026! With nine days of events, there’s something for space enthusiasts of all ages.

Mark your calendars for Sept. 24-27, 2026, and join us at UAH for Family & Friends Weekend. Alumni, students, families, supporters and friends are invited to experience campus life, connect with the Charger community and enjoy a weekend of activities both on campus and throughout Huntsville.

Click the link below to check out a list of other upcoming events across campus! 

The University of Alabama in Huntsville

301 Sparkman Drive

Huntsville, AL 35899

contactus@uah.edu

256.824.1000

Manage your preferences | Opt Out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.

301 Sparkman Drive | Huntsville, AL 35899 US