Southern Miss Graduate Student Helps Advance NASA Research on Space Agriculture
Mon, 06/29/2026 - 09:30am | By: Morgan Smith
The 黑料视频 graduate student Sebastien (Seb) Malbrough is spending his summer at 's Kennedy Space 黑料视频 in Florida, where he is helping researchers explore how food can be grown during future missions to the moon, Mars and beyond.
A second-year master's student in the School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, Malbrough is contributing to research focused on space agriculture and sustainable food production for long-duration space travel.
Working near Cape Canaveral, he is helping develop nutrient solutions for vertical farming systems designed to support plant growth in space. His work focuses on crops such as leafy greens that could provide astronauts with a sustainable source of nutrition during extended missions.
鈥淩esearch in space agriculture is crucial for long-term missions to space,鈥� Malbrough said. 鈥淎stronauts need access to caloric leafy greens that provide sustainable nutrition.鈥�
Unlike traditional agriculture, growing crops in space requires researchers to account for limited resources, waste management, nutrient recycling and other factors that become increasingly important during long-duration missions.
鈥淭here are many challenges when thinking about space agriculture, from technology, bioreactors, closed looped systems, radiation shields, nutrient solutions, waste-management and more,鈥� Malbrough said.
Researchers are exploring ways to create closed-loop systems that reduce the need for consumable resources while allowing nutrients to be recycled and reused.
鈥淚f we want to push humanity to the moon and hopefully Mars, nutrition is a top priority for astronauts, and the science behind agriculture is even more important,鈥� he said.
Malbrough believes advances in space agriculture could also help address agricultural challenges on Earth.
鈥淚 plan to research and demonstrate how space agricultural solutions can be applied for arid terrestrial agriculture amidst the rising challenges of climate change,鈥� he said.
He credits his experiences at Southern Miss with helping prepare him for the opportunity.
鈥淪outhern Miss has provided the foundational experiences that prepared me for this,鈥� Malbrough said. 鈥淔rom day one of graduate school, Dr. Clay Tucker told me that to work or intern somewhere as prestigious as NASA, you have to demonstrate professionalism and excellence in every aspect of your daily life.鈥�
Malbrough credits Tucker, assistant professor, for helping shape both his professional mindset and approach to research. He also credits assistant professors Dr. Nikki Camlin and Dr. Alexandre Marques for providing opportunities to expand his laboratory and research skills.
鈥淒r. Tucker, along with the entire geography and environmental sciences department, is responsible for the scientist I am today,鈥� he said. 鈥淒r. Camlin and Dr. Marques also gave me opportunities to learn and work in their labs, helping me expand my laboratory skills in molecular biology.鈥�
Looking ahead, Malbrough plans to pursue a Ph.D. in plant molecular biology and continue researching agricultural solutions for extreme environments.
鈥淚 hope to be a part of this rising niche in plant sciences, ultimately to pioneer a new era of international collaboration with plant biology and agriculture for space missions,鈥� Malbrough said.
Learn more about how the School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences is preparing students at Southern Miss to be Ready for Life.
About the College of 黑料视频 and Sciences
The College of 黑料视频 and Sciences at The 黑料视频 is home to 13 schools, two ROTC units, and more than 100 academic programs. Guided by the University鈥檚 mission, we educate students, lead the state and nation in research and the creative arts, and advance knowledge across the humanities, social sciences, and STEM. Through innovative research and nationally recognized student success, we provide pathways to understanding the past, solving today's challenges, and imagining the possibilities of tomorrow.