Furthering the nation’s exploration and understanding of atmosphere and space, Andres Tremante, Ph.D., has been selected to participate in nationwide eclipse research activities through the NASA Eclipse Ballooning Program (NEBP). Dr. Tremante, director of FIU’s Center for Diversity and Student Success in the College of Engineering and Computing, will lead South Florida’s efforts ― and oversee a team of students from FIU as they study the annular eclipse of 2023 (October 2023) and the total eclipse of 2024 (April 2024).

The NEBP provides students with an opportunity to: develop a scientific payload data and instrumentation, collect data for eclipse research, publish research findings and conduct balloon launch activities while working with the latest technologies. Andres will work with the NEBP leadership team, NASA-Florida Space Grant Consortium and SpaceLoon. A teaching professor in the Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department, he joined FIU in 2008. He is PI on the NSF Florida Georgia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (FGLSAMP), the National Action Council for Minority Engineers (NACME), the Children’s Trust-funded FIU ENLACE project and the Florida Action for Minorities in Engineering (FLAME). He is also responsible for the College’s K-12 programs and pre-college STEM outreach activities.

The college is grateful that Andres continues to lead FIU’s efforts in the workforce development of our students who are interested in careers in the space industry as they take part in real-time research activities.