Multidisciplinary Student Teams Design and Launch Earth and Space Science Experiments in NASA-Supported Program

Undergraduate students at the University of Houston are reaching for the stars — and the upper atmosphere — through the NASA-designed Undergraduate Student Instrument Project (USIP), a unique, hands-on experience blending engineering, science, and innovation.

The course, called Observing Our Changing Planet, is a two-year, for-credit program jointly offered by UH’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Cullen College of Engineering, College of Technology and The Honors College. It challenges students to design and build ground-based experiments and balloon-borne spacecraft to study the aurora borealis, the upper atmosphere, and critical Earth science questions.

"The USIP program provides students from a wide range of disciplines — not just science and engineering, but also humanities, business and the arts — the opportunity to engage in real-world research that can impact how we understand our changing planet," said Dr. Edgar Bering, program co-director and professor of physics at UH.

The current student cohort, known as USIP VI, launched in 2023 with about 30 participants. Select students from this group will deploy their experiments in Alaska in 2025, a rare and exciting field opportunity.

The program’s momentum continues with USIP VII, set to begin recruiting students in Fall 2025. Participants will gear up for a 2027 trip to Alaska, where they will once again launch experiments into the auroral zone. An information session for interested students will be held May 2, 2025, at 4 p.m. in SEC 204, with both in-person and Teams simulcast options available.

Supported by grants from NASA and generous donors including UH faculty and alumni, the USIP program exemplifies the University’s commitment to experiential learning and interdisciplinary collaboration. Students involved with USIP have shared their experiences and advice through the program's blog, providing future participants with valuable insight into the process of designing, testing and deploying scientific instruments.

Applications for USIP VII are open now, with a deadline of May 30, 2025. Students accepted into the program may enroll through designated course options in physics, biology, engineering or earth sciences.

For more information, contact Prof. Edgar Bering at eabering@uh.edu or Prof. Andrew Renshaw at arenshaw@central.uh.edu.