The Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences is a research institute at the University of Arkansas which is a partnership between six departments (Biological Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Geosciences, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics) in four colleges (Arts/Sciences, Engineering, the Honors College, and the Graduate School).  [To view the Space Center Five-year plan, please click here.]  [To view the Space Center Memorandum of Understanding, please click here.]

The Center is home to a unique research facility, the W.M. Keck Laboratory for Planetary Simulation, that is utilized in many of our research projects.  The Center is also a champion for sample return and analysis.  [To visit the W.M. Keck Laboratory web site, please click here.]

We conduct research on astronomy and planetary science, the geology and biology of planets, asteroid and comet surfaces, and we design instruments and plan missions for the exploration of our solar system and other planetary systems. [To learn more about our research interests, please click here.]

Since we are a university research center, we are student-oriented and in partnership with the academic departments.  We offer master's and doctoral programs in space and planetary science, and we offer concentrations in space and planetary science in the departmental graduate programs physics, biology, geology and geography.  [To learn more about our graduate programs, please click here.]

We also offer a program of summer research for undergraduates. [To learn more about the Space Center undergraduate REU program, please click here.]  Starting in the Spring 2007 semester, we will offer a year-long REU program for honors students [To learn more about the honors REU program, please click here.]

Finally, we try to take the excitement of our research to the general public and to future generations of scientists and their teachers in the grade schools. [To learn more about our education and public outreach initiatives, please click here.]  

Please explore this site to learn more about us, our students, our research, and other activities.  Please contact us if you would like to study at the Center as an established scientist, as a student interested in graduate school, as a summer intern, high school teacher, or if you are a curious person with interests to share.

Derek Sears
Director