# @af_academy on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DL51pe3uZnR
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/32223818-af-academy-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/cf0d000a28.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-07-09T22:25:32.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** U.S. Air Force Academy (@af_academy) — https://gondola.cc/af_academy

## Caption

☀️ 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐂𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 🔬

C1C Lauren Mirande, from Highlands Ranch, CO, spent part of her summer at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’s Geophysical Institute through the Cadet Summer Research Program.

The program connects cadets with real-world research that supports national and military priorities.

Lauren’s project explored how hyperspectral imaging can detect geologic hydrogen—an emerging energy source with big potential for military use and future usairforce operations. ⚡

Trip highlights included:
✈️ Flying a Cessna 185 for airborne data collection
🏛️ Touring eielsonafb + F-16 incentive flight
🌲 Exploring Alaska’s port towns for hiking, food and views

“𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰, 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭, 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.”

#USAFA #CadetSummerResearch #WarfightersToWin #LeadersOfCharacterAndQuality #CriticalThinkersToAdapt #FutureFight #Innovation

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 7,507
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 17

## Tags

cadetsummerresearch, criticalthinkerstoadapt, warfighterstowin, usafa, innovation, leadersofcharacterandquality, futurefight

---
Copyright (c) Gondola