Computer science faculty Haodi Jiang and Hyuk Cho received a two-year NASA grant linking SHSU and NJIT with Goddard Space Flight Center.
Sam Houston State University computer science faculty members Haodi Jiang and Hyuk Cho have received a $400,000 NASA COMPASS grant spanning two years. The award brings together students and researchers from Sam Houston State University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
COMPASS stands for Collaborative Opportunities for Mentorship Partnership and Academic Success in Science. The two-year grant involves three participating institutions. Sam Houston State University contributes faculty members and students, while the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) serves as the university's research partner. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center provides the connection to the federal space agency.
Jiang and Cho are both members of Sam Houston State University's Department of Computer Science. The grant announcement was published Oct. 30, 2026. The available information identifies the award amount, its duration, the faculty members receiving it and the institutions involved. Additional details about the project's research activities have not been confirmed.
The $400,000 award will cover the two-year grant period. As a federal research award from NASA, the funding establishes a partnership between Sam Houston State University researchers and one of the agency's research centers. Through COMPASS, Huntsville students and faculty will be connected with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Grant connects Huntsville researchers with NASA Goddard
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is one of the central partners in the award. Through the grant, Sam Houston State University students and researchers will establish a connection with the NASA facility. The COMPASS program emphasizes collaboration between universities and NASA centers, creating opportunities for students to participate in research alongside the agency.
The partnership gives Sam Houston State University's computer science department an opportunity to connect its research with NASA. With the grant extending over two years, the participating institutions will have time to develop their collaboration across multiple academic semesters. Students will also participate in the partnership, extending its reach beyond faculty research.
The collaboration also includes an institution outside Texas. NJIT, located in New Jersey, serves as the second university partner. Together, Sam Houston State University, NJIT and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center form the three-part partnership established through the COMPASS award. The collaboration connects two universities with one of NASA's research centers.
Two-year award links SHSU with New Jersey Institute of Technology
The New Jersey Institute of Technology joins Sam Houston State University in the research partnership. Both universities will participate in the two-year collaboration with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. NJIT's involvement expands the project beyond SHSU, bringing together researchers and students from two different universities.
Although the partnership identifies all three participating institutions, additional information about how responsibilities will be divided between the universities has not been released.
Jiang and Cho received the award through their positions in Sam Houston State University's Department of Computer Science. Both faculty members are identified as recipients of the NASA grant. The COMPASS program's name reflects its emphasis on collaboration, mentorship, partnerships and academic success in science.
A photograph of Cho and Jiang, provided by Sam Houston State University, accompanied the announcement of the award. The two faculty members were identified as the recipients of the funding. The COMPASS acronym, Collaborative Opportunities for Mentorship Partnership and Academic Success in Science, reflects the program's focus on building academic relationships and providing mentorship opportunities.
Because the grant covers two years, the partnership will extend across multiple academic semesters rather than being limited to a single term. Its involvement of both students and researchers creates opportunities for collaboration between university academics and NASA personnel.
The $400,000 award provides federal research funding to Sam Houston State University through its partnership with NJIT and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Over the next two years, the grant will connect Huntsville students and researchers with the two institutions. Additional information about the research activities and outcomes is expected to become available as the partnership progresses.