MTSU students ‘shine’ with NASA Space Grant research at Tennessee geosciences conference in Murfreesboro

Middle Tennessee State University Geosciences Department faculty members gather with their students and those from aerospace, physics, data science and more, participating recently during the Tennessee Geographic Information Council Conference at the Embassy Suites-Murfreesboro in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University Geosciences Department students Emily Therrell, Lula Baldriche and Trey Littrell were among a dozen participants sharing their NASA Space Grant-funded research as part of the Tennessee Space Grant Consortium during the recent Tennessee Geographic Information Council Conference.

“Flooding Analysis of the MTSU Campus,” “Analysis of Urban Heat Locations in Nashville,” “Geospatial Insights on Water Quality in Murfreesboro” and “Lights in the Dark: Tracking Urban Light Pollution in Nashville” were among the semester- and year-long projects.

Middle Tennessee State University’s Isaiah Osborne provides a three-minute summary of the research he and fellow graduate student Ally Roeder conducted titled “Identifying Historic Stone Walls in Middle Tennessee Using LiDAR Imagery” Wednesday, April 16, during the Tennessee Geographic Information Council Conference at the Embassy Suites By Hilton Murfreesboro in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

Their session, held Wednesday, April 16, at the Embassy Suites By Hilton Murfreesboro, showcased student research and three-minute presentations supported by the “Exploring Earth: A NASA-Supported Geospatial Learning Experience,” a project funded by NASA Tennessee Space Grant Consortium, said Racha El Kadiri, geosciences associate professor and project lead.

Dr. Todd Moore, Geosciences chair — Dr. Todd Moore

“The collaboration between our department, NASA Tennessee Space Grant and the Tennessee Geographic Information Council Conference provided a platform for MTSU students to shine,” said geosciences first-year Chair Todd Moore. “It provides an opportunity for our faculty to mentor and pass on knowledge.”

El Kadiri said the “NASA space grant-funded initiative aims at enhancing geospatial learning and workforce development in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and NASA-related fields. Students from across MTSU (multiple departments including geosciences, aerospace, data science, physics and more) have engaged in hands-on research, mentorship and applied geospatial projects through this program.”

Edwin Walck, left, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., a Middle Tennessee State University senior aerospace flight dispatch major, and mentor Brittany Price, a Department of Geosciences assistant professor, are shown at his poster for “A Spatial Analysis of Surface Water and Precipitation Stable Isotopes in Middle Tennessee” Wednesday, April 16, during the Tennessee Geographic Information Council Conference at the Embassy Suites-Murfreesboro in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

Dr. Racha El Kadiri, Department of Geosciences — Dr. Racha El Kadiri

Additionally, El Kadiri said that “by organizing this dedicated session at the Tennessee Geographic Information Council Conference, which is the premier GIS and geospatial conference in Tennessee, we’re creating a platform for students and faculty to present their work alongside professionals and practitioners from across the state. This is not only a celebration of our students’ achievements, but also a powerful representation of MTSU’s growing presence and leadership in geospatial education and applied research.”

Vanderbilt University’s Natalie Robbins said the conference, which drew a record 330 attendees, will shift to the Embassy Suites By Hilton Nashville South Cool Springs in Franklin in April 2026.

To learn more about MTSU Geosciences, one of 11 College of Basic and Applied Sciences departments, visit https://geosciences.mtsu.edu or call 615-898-2726.

Student presenters stand out

Emily Therrell, 26, of Murfreesboro, a geosciences graduate student researcher. — Emily Therrell

Working on her master’s degree and mentored by El Kadiri for this project, Therrell, 26, of Murfreesboro and formerly from Mobile, Alabama, juggles family life and academics with her research titled “An Analysis of Urban Expansion and Land Use Change in Nashville Metro Area, 1985-2023.”

“There’s a lot of work that could be done with this project, possibly over the summer or into next year,” said Therrell, who also is a graduate teaching assistant.

Lula Baldriche, 22, a physics major and environmental science minor from Knoxville — Lula Baldriche

Mentored by Moore and working on research titled “Investigating Tornado-Induced Disturbance to the Natural and Built Landscape in Middle Tennessee,” Baldriche, 22, a physics major and environmental science minor from Knoxville, is finished with the project she began in January, “one having social and economic” implications, she said.

Trey Litterell,21, of Jackson, an MTSU senior geosciences major. — Trey Litterell

The take-away for Littrell, 21, of Jackson, a senior graduating in the fall, is that he “learned about the world of image spectroscopy being much like GIS (geographic information system) … and has the room to grow with that capability.”

Working with mentor and professor Mark Abolins, Littrell’s research, titled “Imaging Spectroscopy at MTSU: A Map of Geologic Units in the Humboldt Range (Nevada),” will continue with Abolins’ additional analysis in the coming months and Littrell possibly returning to it in the fall.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)