Vol. 29 No. 14 - November 18, 2024

It is widely accepted that internships offer students experiences outside of the classroom. Not all of them include having lunch with a Nobel Prize winner, but that’s just one of the many amazing experiences Thirtha Karmakar had this summer as part of his internship with NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Maryland.
 
“My internship was a surreal experience,” he said. “I really enjoyed working in the collaborative and intellectual atmosphere of a research institution.”
 
Much of Karmakar’s summer was spent using cosmological simulation data of black hole mergers to figure out what kinds of gravitational waves the mergers would generate. His work will contribute to the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, or LISA, a planned space probe designed to detect and accurately measure gravitational waves. For Karmakar, the research is not only cool, it is rooted in his childhood.
 
“From an early age, I was fascinated by the stars in the night sky. Stars and black holes always amazed me. I was awestruck when I learned that we are witnessing glimpses of stars as they were billions of years ago, experiencing their light from the distant past,” he said. “Extreme objects reveal the fundamental nature of our universe and show us how they truly work. Black holes, being among the most extreme objects, can provide insight into fundamental physics. They play a pivotal role in the evolution of galaxies and in our understanding of gravity.”  
 
Considering Karmakar is only a junior, it would be fair to say the stars aligned for his internship. An international student from Noakhali, Bangladesh, he knew he wanted to be a physicist, and that research would play a key role in advancing his career. Karmakar took advantage of Truman’s Emerging Innovators Grant, a summer research program for first-year students in physics and computer science. In summer 2023 he applied for it with Colin DeGraf, assistant professor of physics, on a project researching gravitational waves generated from black hole mergers. As part of the grant, he presented his findings at the American Astronomical Society Conference in January 2024, where he met Dr. Amber Straughn, an astrophysicist at GSFC. She put him in touch with Dr. John Baker, the branch chief of the Gravitational Astrophysics Lab at GSFC, who was working on similar research. Baker also happens to be a Truman alumnus. Karmakar emailed his CV and research poster to Baker, and simultaneously applied for and was accepted to the CRESST Summer Internship Program that matches interns with a scientist from GSFC. Fast forward to the summer, and Karmakar was spending his days doing computational research on a topic he loves in a lab overseen by a fellow Bulldog.
 
“Working in a lab with the people who are in the forefront of their research, I got really inspired to be a physicist even more,” Karmakar said. “I got to meet interns from all over U.S., and even from South Korea. I learned about the amazing research projects they were working on and their stories how they got interested physics and astronomy.”
 
The internship provided a unique opportunity for Baker as well.
 
“NASA hosts student interns from all over the country, but this was the first time I got to work with someone from my alma mater,” he said.
 
As part of the internship, Karmakar got an insider’s perspective in many areas, including the NASA supercomputer facility and labs for Helio physics, Earth science and astrobiology. One particularly intriguing project was DAVINCI, short for Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble Gases, Chemistry and Imaging, a probe and flyby mission that will explore Venus to help understand planetary origins. One time, Karmakar had the opportunity to have lunch with Dr. John Mather, who won the Nobel Prize in physics for his work on the Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite.
 
“It was fascinating how he started describing the Big Bang as a starting point of everything, rather than a traditional explosion,” he said.  
 
Karmakar plans to attend graduate school for astrophysics after graduating from Truman. For now, he is unsure what particular specialty he may eventually pursue. His time with NASA this summer sparked interests in multiple areas, and maybe even changed his career trajectory.
 
“After graduate school, initially my goal was to become a professor, as I enjoy sharing ideas with others,” he said. “After my internship experience this summer, I also discovered a strong interest in working at a research institution like NASA. In the future, I would be happy to pursue either path.”

In an effort to bolster opportunities for students, Truman hired Kim Sprought to serve as director of internships.

Sprought has been tasked with enhancing, facilitating and promoting meaningful internships and enriching career-related experiences for Truman students. She will collaborate with students, faculty, employers, alumni and other stakeholders to create and sustain a diverse range of internship programs and external partnerships that support Truman’s mission and the career development of students.

“Internships are an invaluable component of a student’s education because they provide practical experience that can’t always be gained in the classroom,” Sprought said. “They allow students to apply their academic knowledge in real-world settings, develop professional networks and gain clarity about their career paths. Employers increasingly value candidates who have internship experience, so participating in one can make students more competitive in the job market after graduation.”

Much of Sprought’s career has been dedicated to developing systems and programs that enhance student career outcomes. She comes to Truman having most recently served as director of the Dyson Career Management Center in the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University. She was previously the associate director of experiential programs and professional development at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.

In addition to managing existing internship programs, Sprought will seek to build partnerships in key metro areas including Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, Jefferson City, Chicago and Washington, D.C. This should help strengthen enrollment, retention and post-graduate placement in those markets, as well as develop alumni, governmental and corporate networks.  

“My role is to support and guide the development of internships, and there is a lot of flexibility in what an internship can look like. It’s not one-size-fits-all, and we’re working to create opportunities that meet the diverse needs of our students,” Sprought said. “My goal is to ensure that every student who wants an internship has access to quality opportunities that align with their career aspirations.”

Because much of her work will involve collaborating with external partners, Sprought will operate in a hybrid capacity. Remote work will take place as needed, and she will work out of the Academic Affairs Office when on campus. In addition to fostering relations with employers, Sprought will coordinate with faculty and staff to create opportunities.

“Internships are a partnership between students, faculty and employers. My role is to facilitate and strengthen these relationships to ensure that everyone benefits from the experience,” Sprought said. “I’m excited to collaborate with the Truman community to build a robust, impactful program that prepares students for their careers.”

While Sprought plans to interact with students through informational sessions, most of the direct, one-on-one student services will be provided by the Career Center.

Sprought began her duties at Truman, Sept. 30. She can be reached via email at ksprought@truman.edu.

Living on campus provides students with a built-in community of peers, in addition to offering a variety of amenities. All campus residence halls feature furnished rooms, access to laundry facilities and a meal plan. On-campus residents also have all of their utility costs included in the price of their room. More information about applying to live on campus for the 2025-2026 academic year can be found online here.

There are many on-campus living options to choose from, including single-, double- and triple-occupancy residence hall rooms and single- and double-occupancy apartments available in Campbell. Upperclass students can select deluxe double residence hall rooms or a deluxe double apartment in Campbell. Deluxe double residence hall rooms offer more living space at the same price as a standard double room. Deluxe double apartments allow each roommate to have their own private bedroom in a shared apartment. Deluxe double spaces are limited and upperclass students who apply for housing and follow the room self-selection timeline outlined on the website will have priority in being able to select deluxe accommodations while supplies last.

The housing portal is open now and can be accessed through TruView. Room selection will take place in the spring semester. Questions about the housing process can be directed to Residence Life at 660.785.4227 or reslife@truman.edu.

Truman’s annual United Way campaign is currently ongoing with a goal of $28,000.

The United Way of Northeast Missouri funds 10 agencies that directly serve the community. Donors should consider that 99% of every dollar stays local. Area partners include: the Adair County Family YMCA; NEMO Senior Citizen Services Inc.; Adair County 4-H; Boy Scouts; Girl Scouts; Hospice of Northeast Missouri; Macon Community Child Development Center; Macon Diversified Industries; the Salvation Army; and Heartland RSVP.

There are several ways to contribute to the United Way Campaign. All faculty and staff members should have received information about the campaign through campus mail and can complete the enclosed pledge form. For payroll deductions, indicate both the total gift and the amount to be deducted each pay period. Donations can be made now through Dec. 11.

For more information about the United Way of Northeast Missouri, or to donate online, visit liveunitednemo.org. Faculty and staff members who donate online are encouraged to return the white slip from their campaign information through campus mail in order to keep track of the amount raised from the Truman community.

Taggart is the chief financial officer for Toyota Material Handling North America, president of Raymond Leasing, chairman of Toyota Industries Commercial Finance U.S., chairman of Toyota Industries Commercial Finance Canada and chairman of Toyota Industries Lease Mexico. In his various executive leadership roles at Toyota, he partners with the executive leadership team to shape the strategy of TMHNA’s major group companies — Toyota Material Handling and The Raymond Corporation — from his offices in Coppell, Texas, Columbus, Indiana, and Greene, New York.  

In 1995, Taggart graduated with a business administration degree from Truman. While in school, he was a member of Blue Key, Alpha Phi Sigma, Big Brother/Big Sisters and served as a Residence Life advisor. His wife Melissa (Wines) Taggart also graduated from Truman in 1995 with a health science degree and is now a technical consultant for MSS Consultants. They have two daughters and a son, Sarah, Grace and Benjamin. Grace graduated from Truman in 2023 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degree and works as a women’s oncology nurse in Phoenix, Arizona, for Mayo Clinic Hospital.
Taggart will visit Truman from Nov. 20-21. During his time on campus, he will present a fireside chat titled “American Industrial Renaissance” at 4 p.m. Nov. 20 in Violette Hall 1000.

Residence Life is looking for students who will create welcoming environments, develop connections with on-campus residents and foster a learning-centered community to apply as resident advisors for the 2025-26 school year. Resident advisors will have their room and meal fees fully covered.

Anyone enrolled in classes, who has lived on campus for at least one semester and maintained a 2.75 GPA, is qualified to apply. The application is open now until Jan. 14. Visit reslife.truman.edu or email reslife@truman.edu for more information.

MFA is one of the most effective ways to ensure the person logging into a student account is who they say they are. Once the system goes live later this fall, students will be required to identify themselves with a one-time password received via email, text or mobile app each time they log in to their account. If they do not have a security profile, they will be prompted to create one and enroll in MFA.

• Authentication app (preferred): The user gets a time-sensitive code from an app like Google Authentication, Microsoft Authentication or Authy. Authentication apps are the most secure and popular options, especially since many use biometrics to log in for extra security.
• SMS code: The system texts a one-time passcode to the user’s mobile phone.
• Email code: A one-time code is emailed to the user.

Truman recommends creating both a primary and backup profile to receive passcodes.

An email will be sent out to students and authorized users once the system goes live.

 
MTNA Young Artist Woodwind Competition
Harper Golden (clarinet), Winner
Jennifer Jones (clarinet), Alternate
Yongzhuo Zhu (clarinet), Honorable Mention
 
MMTA Graduate Division College Woodwinds
Haochuan Zhang (saxophone), Winner
Shigan Zong (saxophone), Alternate
Danilo Viquez (clarinet), Honorable Mention
 
MMTA Lower Division College Woodwinds
Andrew Meyer (saxophone), Honorable Mention
 
As Missouri winner of the MTNA Young Artist State Competition, Harper Golden will now compete in the West Central Division Round against the winners from Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. Collaborative pianist Kihwa Kim and Ruoyang Xiang also traveled with the students.