I was inspired to pursue planetary science through my mother in conjunction with my late father.

Losing my father at age 2, it was obviously difficult for a single mother raising two young girls. One night, in sort of disciplinary action for something I had done, my mother took me out back. Pointing up, she said that the brightest star in the sky was my father looking down on me -- for all the good and the bad that I would do. Since then, I never stopped looking up.

Little did she know that her disciplinary action would cost her later in life as I begged (and received) my first telescope at the age of twelve affirming my love of space.

TAGS: #InspiredBy, Student Stories, Internships & Fellowships

• ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Deborah Hernandez, Student, Cal Poly Pomona

  Deborah Hernandez is geology major with an emphasis in geophysics, and minoring in mathematics. She has interned four times at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory with mentor Dr. Matthew Golombek.