IEEE Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) Features ExF: The Sky Is Only the Beginning
Expanding Frontiers (ExF) is honored to be featured in IEEE Eta Kappa Nu (HKN)’s magazine, The Bridge (Issue 3, 2025). In “The Sky Is Only the Beginning,” our founder and executive director Fredrick A. Jenet, Ph.D., traces how a decade of hands-on programs—ARCC, ARCC Scholars, LoFASM, CARA, STARGATE, and Rockets & Rigs—grew from classroom research into a region-wide space-tech ecosystem. The story captures ExF’s core belief that entrepreneurship is the engine of opportunity, turning curiosity into capability and capability into careers across South Texas.
Read the article: IEEE Article
From lab benches to launchpads: the pathway that shaped ExF
ARCC – Arecibo Remote Command Center. Connected South Texas undergrads and high-school students directly to Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory to log sessions, analyze pulsar data, and contribute to real discoveries.
ARCC Scholars (NSF). A $1M scholarship initiative expanding opportunities for underserved students to pursue STEM degrees while doing authentic research.
LoFASM. A nationwide network of low-frequency radio telescopes built with students and supported by federal partners—giving learners a stake in the gravitational-wave era.
CARA – Center for Advanced Radio Astronomy. An umbrella “center of excellence” blending research, education, and innovation; a bridge between students and industry.
STARGATE. A research + commercialization hub launched with SpaceX, linking university, industry, and community—and helping position Brownsville for a real space economy.
Rockets & Rigs. Tackling shared engineering challenges across space and the oil & gas sectors to co-develop solutions and talent.
Impact in the region
Student projects → startups
• Permittivity repurposed NASA technology and secured a Department of Defense contract.
• A founder from Embedded was recognized as a Future Texas Business Legend.Outside partners → local opportunities
• Companies like Lunar Station and RBC Signals brought operations and internships to South Texas.Culture change
• The work behind ARCC, LoFASM, CARA, STARGATE, and ExF proves a repeatable model: real labs + real mentors + real users = real careers.
“The sky is not the limit. It’s only the beginning.” — Dr. Fredrick A. Jenet
Seven lessons we live by
1) Trust is earned (business ≠ academia)
In research, credibility starts with your affiliation and publications; in business, it starts with delivering what you promised—on time, on budget, and with clear results. We protect student data, honor NDAs, and report outcomes transparently so partners know they can rely on us.
2) The right stuff = complementary teams
Breakthroughs happen when technical talent, operations, and storytelling work together. We intentionally pair engineers with educators, product-minded students with industry mentors, and add a “translator” who keeps users, funders, and builders aligned.
3) Ship > perfect (momentum compounds)
We favor pilot projects and prototypes over long planning cycles. Early launches create feedback, feedback improves design, and visible progress attracts mentors, partners, and funding—the flywheel starts by shipping something real.
4) Customer discovery everywhere
Students, teachers, employers, and community leaders are all “customers,” and each reveals different constraints. We ask short, specific questions—What problem hurts most? What would you try tomorrow?—then adjust programs, labs, and curricula accordingly.
5) Expect resistance (build anyway)
New pathways challenge habits and budgets, so skepticism is normal. We de-risk change with small pilots, publish honest metrics, and invite critics to review sessions—turning resistance into design input.
6) Don’t burn bridges (allied partners matter long-term)
Today’s sponsor becomes tomorrow’s employer partner or co-investigator. We credit collaborators publicly, close loops even when a project ends, and keep doors open—you never know which connection will unlock the next lab, scholarship, or internship.
7) Mentors & advisors are core (seek the hard truths)
Great mentors accelerate skills; great advisors prevent avoidable mistakes. We recruit both—and ask for candid feedback on team, tech, and timing—because rigorous guidance is the shortest path from idea to impact.
Why it matters now
ExF recently joined the Washington Compact—a global commitment to responsible norms in commercial space—because entrepreneurship isn’t only about businesses; it’s about building culture, policy, and opportunity so future generations can thrive.
