National Park College (NPC) will host special guests Dr. James Spann from the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and Jimmy Acevedo from the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) Friday, April 5 at noon in the Student Commons Conference
Center.Dr. Spann’s presentation, “Space Weather and the Eclipse,” will explore what space
weather is and why it is important to each of us using NOAA and NASA images and simulations.
A discussion of the solar eclipse and how it relates to space weather will be included.
Acevedo will wrap up the event with internship and career opportunities available
at NASA.
Dr. Spann is the Senior Scientist for Space Weather for NOAA’s NESDIS Office of Space
Weather Observations (SWO). Prior to joining NOAA in 2023, he worked at NASA for 37
years during which he served as the Space Weather Lead for the Heliophysics Division
at NASA HQ, developed and launched several auroral UV remote sensing instruments,
managed the Marshall Space Flight Center’s (MSFC) science research organization, which
includes the disciplines of Astrophysics, Planetary Science, Heliophysics and Earth
Science, and served as the MSFC Chief Scientist. A laboratory physicist by training,
he earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics from Ouachita Baptist
University (cum laude 1979) and his PhD in Physics from the University of Arkansas
(1985). He is the author or co-author of more than 70 peer reviewed journal articles
primarily in space physics. He was the Principal Investigator of an international
6U CubeSat mission with the Brazilian space agency called SPORT that investigates
the conditions in Earth’s ionosphere, just above its upper atmosphere, that lead to
disruptions in communication and GPS signals. He has been actively engaged in defining
science that exploration at NASA enables, and was lead for establishing a NASA Space
Weather Research Program and coordinating space weather activities for NASA with national
and international partners. Furthermore, he coordinated the first Lunar Gateway science
payload called HERMES that will study the solar wind and enable better space weather
forecasting that enhances astronaut radiation protection for deep space human exploration.
In his new role at NOAA, he leads the efforts to ensure that the NOAA space weather
observations meet the science and operations goals and continues his active engagement
across agencies and internationally to coordinate space weather observations.
Dr. Spann grew up in Recife, Brazil from age 5, where his parents served as missionaries
for over 33 years. He attended a Brazilian school (Colégio Americano Batista) though
elementary, then a small international school (American School of Recife) before returning
to the United States for college (Ouachita Baptist University and the University of
Arkansas). He has two grown children (Hannah and Ben) and three grandchildren (Lyla,
Lincoln, and William). He is an avid soccer fan, enjoys photography, on occasion relaxes
with his guitar, and has a strong interest in the overlap of science and faith.
Jimmy Acevedo started his journey to NASA through high-altitude ballooning while a
community college student. Flying robot arms and atmospheric sensors on scientific
balloons led to three Goddard Space Flight Center internships. His diverse background
in video game development, K-12 education, and NASA engineering informs his design
of physics-focused outreach activities. He manages an intern program for the Space
Communications and Navigation program office, and takes every opportunity to tinker
with kinetic sculptures, tabletop game props, and his beehives.
The event is free and open to the public.
