AUGUST 9, 2024 — NASA has awarded Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunity (NSTGRO) fellowships to UTSA students Austin Patridge and Nicholas Stegmeier. The grants will enable the UTSA graduate students to conduct research that advances NASA’s technology in future space exploration.

Patridge and Stegmeier will conduct the research at UTSA and NASA centers over the next few years. Patridge will research materials for use in building lunar landing pads. Stegmeier will research ways to improve atmospheric reentry and landing technology.

Chris Combs, the Dee Howard Memorial Endowed Faculty Fellow in the UTSA Department of Mechanical Engineering, said the NASA grants are indicative of the exceptional students UTSA attracts and nurtures. “San Antonio and UTSA are in the middle of this space economy and are well-positioned to provide research support to the industry.” "NSTGRO is the most prestigious graduate fellowship provided by NASA,” Combs said. “When you look at the list of awardees, you can tell that these awards are going to top students at big-name schools. It’s great for UTSA to have not one but two students on this list in 2024. It shows how our students are special and can hold their own with the best of the best.”