By Cole Hatcher
Ohio Wesleyan University professor Chris Wolverton has been appointed to the Space Studies Board (SSB) of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. The SSB provides “an independent, authoritative forum for information and advice” on all aspects of space science.
Wolverton, Ph.D., previously has served as co-chair of the National Academies’ panel on Biological Sciences in Space and has earned two NASA-funded research grants (one ongoing) to support plant-gravity research that has been conducted on the International Space Station as well as in his Ohio Wesleyan laboratory.
“It’s such a thrill and honor to get to serve on the Space Studies Board,” said Wolverton, Ohio Wesleyan’s Albert M. Austin Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences. “The breadth and scope of science that the board advises federal research agencies on is incredible, and I look forward to growing in my understanding of both the science and how the board can help push the most important research forward.”
According to the National Academies, the Space Studies Board “oversees advisory studies and program assessments, facilitates international research coordination, and promotes communications on space science and science policy between the research community, the federal government, and the interested public. The SSB also serves as the U.S. National Representative for the Committee for the International Council for Science Committee on Space Research (COSPAR).”
In addition, the SSB is responsible for commissioning all decadal surveys related to space science, including astronomy and astrophysics, heliophysics, and the recently published “Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences Research in Space 2023-2032.” Decadal surveys are produced by experts in their fields following community engagement and help guide research priorities for NASA and other agencies, as well as other parts of the federal government.
Through his Ohio Wesleyan research, Wolverton hopes not only to determine how plants sense and respond to gravity, but also to use this information to improve plant viability, health, and crop yield on earth.
Wolverton’s NASA research grant also enables him to hire students to help with his work and conduct their own related projects. Since his NASA funding began in 2015, Wolverton has worked with approximately 65 OWU students, including collaborating with them on journal articles and professional conference presentations.
Because of his expertise, Wolverton also is helping Ohio Wesleyan explore collaborations with the Five Colleges of Ohio and The Ohio State University to develop a science park entirely focused on space research. The state-of-the-art facility would boast a life-size replica of the Starlab space station, facilitating advanced research and solidifying Central Ohio’s role as an emerging leader in the field of space exploration.
Learn more about Wolverton, Ohio Wesleyan’s Department of Biological Sciences, and the department’s six majors and five minors at owu.edu/BiologicalSciences.
Photo: Ohio Wesleyan sophomore Andy Weisgerber works with professor Chris Wolverton on plant-gravity research as part of OWU’s 2024 Summer Science Research Program. Wolverton is newly appointed to the national Space Studies Board in recognition of his research interests and expertise. (Photo by Paul Vernon)
Source, Photo: OWU
