Research Surges Forward Due to N.A.S.A. Grants
By Jerry Kern
(Editor's Note: Jerry Kern, journalism student, explores the programs and progress which have been made through the use of funds allotted to KU from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This is the first in a series of articles dealing with the research projects at KU.)
In November of 1919, KU Chancellor Frank Strong named a committee to handle research grants to the University. The need of such a group was "brought home during the late war." This story was carried in the Nov. 19, 1919 issue of the University Daily Kansan.
During this period, there was much controversy among government officials, scientists, and professors concerning the validity of university research grants. Some believed it was a waste of money to allow the schools to handle such expensive research.
THE VALUE of this program has since been proved. Immense volumes of information from these research grants have permitted progress in every phase of living.
Several scientific and technical government agencies have particularly benefited by this type of research approach. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is perhaps the most recent and most rapidly expanding agency of this type.
LAST YEAR, NASA pumped about $355,000 into KU research. This year, 47 research projects in 17 departments are using about half a million dollars in NASA funds, according to Bill Barr, associate director of Engineering Science Division.
The largest NASA contract, and the largest grant ever received by KU, is a three-year study of radar techniques to be used on the first orbiting research laboratory satellite. Professor Richi-
ard Moore, authority on high altitude effects on radar, is in charge of the project.
THE TOTAL $1,800,000 project includes eight laboratories in the U.S. and Canada for which KU is coordinator. Eventually, NASA hopes to incorporate the techniques developed by this research into its manned Apollo orbital of the moon sometime in 1969.
The two radar towers built last year on the roof of Ellsworth Hall are a part of the KU radar research. These units detect the moisture content of the surrounding land.
FOR THE PAST three years, NASA has given KU $100,000 a year for interdisciplinary research. This means that the money is given to the University which in turn allots the money to the various NASA-related research studies.
KU was one of the first schools to have this arrangement with NASA, according to William Smith, dean of the Engineering School.
JAMES AKAGI, associate professor of microbiology, is investigating micro-organisms that live in the high temperature range at 55 degrees centigrade. The normal temperature for living micro-organisms is 37 degrees centigrade. Akagi is also studying the enzymes produced by this type of organism.
ENZYMES are substances produced by living cells to bring about reactions at body temperature without themselves being destroyed in the process.
Rufus Thompson, professor of botany, is overseeing the work of two graduate students, John Chambers and Dan Wujek. Wujek is studying flagellated algae and Chambers is studying fresh water red algae.
(Continued on page 6)
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