MinerAlert
MinerAlert
The University of Texas at El Paso hosted the 4th Annual VOLTRON meeting from February 22-23, 2023. The workshop aimed to explore the potential of color photometry and spectroscopy as a tool for space-domain awareness. The event was organized by College of Engineering’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department in collaboration with several other organizations.
The meeting featured three keynote speakers who are experts in the field of space domain awareness, namely Col Raj Agrawal from the United States Space Force [USSF], Dr. Doug Engelhardt from Maxar Technologies, and Dr. Ali Sayir from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research [AFOSR]. The speakers shared their insights on the latest developments in space-domain awareness and their applications.
The VOLTRON meeting provided an excellent opportunity for experts in space exploration to exchange knowledge and ideas. Organizers of the event included Professor Miguel Velez-Reyes, from UTEP, Elena Plis, Ph.D., from GTRI, Ryan Hoffman Research Physicist at AFRL, Professor Vishnu Reddy from University of Arizona, and Heather Cowardin, Ph.D., Scientist, Orbital Debris Program Office at NASA.
"The success of this workshop is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff, and students who organized and participated in this event. The 4th VOLTRON annual meeting is a prime example of the innovative research and collaboration that takes place at UTEP.” Added Kenith Meissner, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering. We are proud to host such a prestigious event and look forward to future opportunities to showcase the cutting-edge research happening in our college."
Fifteen students and researchers from various organizations such as the Air Force Research Laboratory [AFRL], Georgia Tech Research Institute [GRTI] and the United States Space Force, among others, also contributed presentations on their research related to Laboratory and Observational Spectroscopy for Space Situational Awareness and Space Domain Awareness. The event saw an international audience of more than sixty attendees from countries such as the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, and India.
Dr. Miguel Velez-Reyes, Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, expressed his enthusiasm for the success of the 4th Annual VOLTRON meeting. "It was an honor for our department to host this event and bring together experts from around the world to share their knowledge and insights. The workshop provided an excellent platform for researchers and students to network, collaborate, and learn from one another. We are thrilled with the event's success and look forward to future collaborations to continue advancing the field of space domain awareness."
The workshop's success demonstrated the importance of collaboration among experts from different institutions and countries in advancing the field of space domain awareness. Participants left the event feeling inspired and motivated to continue exploring the potential of spectral remote sensing as a tool for space-domain awareness.
For more information about the 4th annual VOLTRON meeting, please visit: https://www.utep.edu/engineering/voltron/