The Rural Institute for Space Science and Engineering, or RISE, is an initiative of the Department of Mathematics, Engineering, and Computer Science (MECS), a part of the School of STEAM, at Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA. Learn about some of the department's and the institute's work below.
Students and faculty are constructing radio telescopes to "observe and analyze natural radio emissions of Jupiter, the Sun, and our galaxy using their own easy to construct radio telescopes." - NASA Learn More in the Radio JOVE Newsletter...
"Through the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project (NEBP), students gain real-world STEM experience and contribute valuable scientific and engineering data through their projects, which will be carried by weather balloons into the upper reaches of Earth’s atmosphere." The team recently joined the NASA-sponsored High Altitude Student Project and will launch the ASTRA antenna tracking system in 2026, marking a significant step-up in autonomous stratospheric technology.
The SFU CubeSat team is working to construct a small satellite, SoFIE, that will be launched into orbit around Earth. The project will study the effects of solar flare (confined and eruptive) interaction with the Earth's ionosphere. Learn More...
Image Credit: Reid Wiseman/NASA
The institute works to disseminate information about our research as well as the broader astronomy field to the public through various outreach initiatives, such as a NASA-funded mobile exhibit aimed at inspiring children’s natural curiosity about the world around them, excite the Artemis generation about space exploration, and engage them in creative thinking and problem-solving.
Earth to Moon Exhibit (developed 2023)
James Webb Telescope Community Engagement Site (2021)
Hubble Space Telescope 30th Anniversary Celebration Site (2020)