Camarillo, Calif., May 8, 2007 - California State University Channel Islands student Kosta Grammatis earned a first place in the Engineering and Computer Science category at the Twenty-First Annual California State University Student Research Competition held on May 4 and 5 at CSU Dominguez Hills.

Grammatis's “Balloon Project” is designed to identify and understand the propagation of the pesticide methyl bromide in the atmosphere through air sampling and data collection. The instrument collects and stores air samples and ultimately will provide a sustainable research platform for atmospheric research.  Grammatis completely designed and fabricated all of the onboard instruments over a two and a half year period.

On Saturday, May 12 Grammatis will launch the “Balloon Project” at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, entrance located at the intersection of Via Goleta and Lynn Road in Newbury Park. The launch event will run from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Computers on the ground will capture live data feeds from the “Balloon Project” and wireless video will provide views of Camarillo and monitor the onboard instruments.

The Student Research Competition is a systemwide competition that showcases excellent research conducted by CSU undergraduate and graduate students in the full range of academic programs offered by the CSU. Student participants make oral presentations before juries of professional experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies, colleges and universities in California.

In addition to Grammatis, several CSUCI students made presentations at the CSU Student Research Competition. Those students were: Christina Fernandez  in Mathematics; America Flores in Mathematics; Monica Zapeda in English Education; Ken Diffenderfer in Biology; and Graham Moland in Biology.

The following CSUCI professors served as advisors for the students and also attended the competition: Mary Adler, assistant professor of English; Ching Hua Wang, professor and Chair of the Biology Program; and Ivona Grzegorczyk, professor and Chair of the Mathematics and Applied Physics programs. Grzegorczyk also served as the event Research Coordinator for the CSUCI campus.

For more information about the launch of the “Balloon Project” contact Kosta Grammatis, student, 805-750-0806 or visit his website: http://iamkosta.org

For more information about the CSU Student Research Competition contact Ivona Grzegorczyk, professor and Chair of the Mathematics and Applied Physics programs at CSUCI, 805-437-8868.

# # #

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands
(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.

Back to Top ↑
©