- APS assistant research professor Jean-Francois Smekens was selected to be a part of the NASA PREFIRE Science Team. The PREFIRE mission comprises two small satellites equipped with spectrometers to measure the Earth’s radiation, aiming to reveal the full spectrum of radiant energy over the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Smekens will create a spectral library of natural materials relevant to polar regions, which will be used to improve quantitative radiation energy budget estimates.