The eighth annual Alumni Summer College field trip took the MTSU traveling party to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, June 27. (MTSU photo by Michelle B. Stepp)
— The largest turnout in the eight years of the MTSU Alumni Summer College “performed research” and “investigated” virtually everything science recently at MTSU.
Two days of exploring the Science Building, which opened in August 2014 and houses the biology and chemistry departments, research labs, offices and much more, prepared the 80 "alumni students" for their June 26 field trip to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
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In this year’s Alumni Summer College with the theme of “The Science Around Us,” the alumni and university friends learned more about MTSU's 5-year-old unmanned aircraft systems operations through Doug Campbell, the aerospace department's director of the UAS program.
A special highlight was hearing from Murfreesboro native Dr. Rhea Seddon and her husband, Robert "Hoot" Gibson, former astronauts who both now are in the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Seddon signed copies of her new book, “Go for Orbit.”
Drs. Don Morgan and Sandra Stevens shared about the Aquatic Research and Rehabilitation Center featuring the underwater treadmill.
“Our participants have come from several different states,” said Rhonda King, an Office of Alumni Relations assistant director. “Our alumni and friends have come back to college for lots of fun classes, interactive sessions and a great field trip.”
The June 25 agenda also included:
• "The Chemistry of Chocolate" presentation by chemistry professor and MTSU Women in STEM Center Director Judith Iriarte-Gross.
• A tour of Engineering Technology, which houses a nationally recognized Experimental Vehicles Program.
• Hearing firsthand from Chair Heather Brown about MTSU's nationally recognized Concrete Industry Management program.
For more alumni events, visit http://www.mtalumni/. To learn about the 2016 Alumni Summer College, call 615-898-2922.