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| | A Civil Rights Movement Restrospective with Mrs. Willie Pearl Mackey King | USRA’s DEIA committee was very fortunate to host Mrs. Willie Pearl Mackey King for an insightful account of her experience within the Civil Rights Movement. About 70 participants witnessed her story as a member of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s executive staff at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference from 1962 to 1966. You have another chance to see her speak as a recording has been made available until March 22. Thanks to the DEIA committee for organizing this event.
Watch the Talk via Teams | |
| | Strategic Communications at USRA | A new series of features in Discovery Newsletter will introduce you to the functional teams at USRA. These teams serve as the backbone for running an organization in areas such as finance, contracts and grants and human resources. Let’s start by getting to know USRA’s Communications Team, a group working within USRA’s Office of the President. Communications is a strategic function at USRA as it facilitates stakeholder engagement with various stakeholders including employees, customers, and the wider community and plays a vital role in shaping and maintaining the organization’s brand image. Communications also plays an important role in crisis management and is instrumental in positioning the organization and differentiating it from its competitors. Finally, communications fosters alignment among employees so everyone understands the organization’s goals, values and expectations.
Learn More about the Work of Suraiya, Peter and Erin | |
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| | Study Suggests Significant Greenhouse Gas Emissions Linked to Ukraine Conflict | A recently released study sheds light on substantial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the war in Ukraine. Examining the initial 18 months since the conflict’s commencement in 2022, the study emphasizes the intricacies of monitoring GHC emissions during wartime. It also underscores a limitation in the current emission reporting framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), tailored exclusively for peacetime scenarios. The findings are now published in a journal entitled Science of the Total Environment. The research team, led by Prof. Rostyslav Bun of Ukraine’s Lviv Polytechnic National University and WBS University in Poland, includes co-author Dr. Tomohiro Oda from USRA.
More on newsroom.usra.edu |
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| | Advances in Quantum Computing Pave the Way to Next Generation Quantum Optimization Algorithms | Research from a team of scientists from USRA, Rigetti Computing, and NASA Ames Research Center has led to the development of a significant step toward the challenging goal of combinatorial optimization for harnessing the power of quantum computing. This research is part of the DARPA Optimization with Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum (ONISQ) program -- awarded to USRA in 2019 to direct a tight scientific collaboration between USRA, NASA and Rigetti Computing. The work is focused on developing fundamental advances of quantum optimization methods that will be impacting the U.S. military capabilities in the future.
More on newsroom.usra.edu |
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| | Scientists Focus on Understanding Source of Noise--A Major Issue in Quantum Computing | In a recent paper published in Physical Review Letters, USRA's Filip Wudarski and his team showed that understanding the source of noise is of primary importance for quantum computers.
More on newsroom.usra.edu |
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| | Promotional Video of AFRL Scholars Program Featuring the Internship Program at Eglin Air Force Base | Linked within the below is a promotional video of the AFRL Scholars Program featuring the internship program at Eglin Air Force Base. It was created by Kevin Almodovar, videographer and owner of Revive Media Services from Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Program funds supported the development of this video; and the AFRL Scholars were participants in the video.
More on newsroom.usra.edu |
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| | USRA Partners with North Carolina A&T in Expanding Quantum Information Science and Engineering Education under NSF major program | USRA has been issued a subaward from the NSF's ExpandQISE program, a major effort part of the National Quantum Initiative connecting leading institutions in quantum science with diverse student populations. The grant will enable USRA and its partners to develop and test cutting-edge quantum algorithms, enhance educational resources, and establish new quantum science labs, contributing significantly to the nation's quantum research and education landscape.
More on newsroom.usra.edu |
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| | Lisa Gaddis Plays an Integral Role in Developing "New Views of the Moon 2", Sequel to the 2006 Original | Dr. Lisa R. Gaddis, Director of USRA's Lunar and Planetary Institute, played a crucial role in developing the much-anticipated sequel to the 2006 “New Views of the Moon” now available online in Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, Volume 89, and published jointly by the Mineralogical Society of America and the Geochemical Society. She served as a member of the Science Organizing Committee and also contributed her expertise as one of the book editors and co-authored 4 of the 19 chapters, on one of which she was the lead author.
More on newsroom.usra.edu |
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| Recent and upcoming events |
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January | | Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month | |
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January | | National Mentoring Month | |
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January 1 | New Year’s Day (USRA Holiday)
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January 16 | Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (USRA Holiday)
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February | | Black History Month | |
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February 10 | | Lunar New Year | |
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February 11 | | International Day of Women and Girls in Science | |
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February 14 | | USRA’s HBCU Science and Technology Council Meeting | |
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February 19 | | President’s Day (USRA Holiday) | |
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February 21 | | International Mother Language Day |
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| New hires, anniversaries and awards |
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| › Welcome to USRA! - Caroline Oldfather, Administrative Assistant
- Katie Caldwell, Executive Assistant
- Garett Watts, Intern Program Coordinator
- Anthony Gargano, Postdoctoral Researcher, Science
- Jennifer Kiel, Intern Program Coordinator
- Alex Alvarado, IT Systems Administrator
- Kimberly Heintschel, Business Analyst
- David Noone, Director, EfSI
› Congrats on your anniversary!
› Employee Spot Awards |
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