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Regents
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Degree Programs
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1415 Murfreesboro Road, Suite
350
Nashville, TN 37217
Phone (615) 366-4400 Fax (615) 366-4464
Press Release
IS THERE LIFE OUT THERE? Research Recognized by Board of Regents
NASHVILLE,
Tennessee – 
An “out of this
world” discovery by a Tennessee Board of
Regents (TBR) faculty member was recognized by the Board at its September 2000
meeting. Astronomer Gregory Henry,
Tennessee State University,
explained how he made the first-ever direct detection and measurement of a
planet outside our solar system. Mr. Henry’s historical discovery has won attention of the
media both nationally and internationally.
This research, which is sponsored in part by the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation, impact not only
the citizens of Tennessee, but the entire world.
The Board of
Regents recognized Mr. Henry as the recipient of the fourth Tennessee Board of
Regents Academic Excellence and Quality Award.
The presentation featured the outstanding contributions and
accomplishments of Tennessee State University (TSU) Center of Excellence in
Information Systems Engineering and Management.
The astrophysics research
program at TSU has been in existence for 14 years. It
has grown from a small project utilizing one automatic telescope to a whole
observatory consisting of eight automatic photometric telescopes, a soon to be
commissioned automatic imaging telescope, and within the next two years a 2-m
automatic spectroscopic telescope. During
this time the reputation of TSU astronomers have become internationally know
with numerous refereed journal articles and presentations at national and
international conferences. The
Center is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and NASA
totaling over $15 million from 1995-2005.
The TSU automatic photometric
telescopes acquired the most precise photometric measurements ever taken from
the surface of the earth. In
November, 1999, TSU received international acclaim when astronomer Henry
discovered the first direct detection of a planet outside our solar system. This
historical even was carried around the world in newspapers, magazines, and
television.
The report was presented to the Board by Dr. Michael Busby, Director of the Center of Excellence in Information Systems Engineering and Management, and Astronomer Gregory Henry.
