Edu News| June 26, 2014
Record Numbers Arrive at JPL for Summer Internships
In anticipation of upcoming launches, mission proposals and new
discoveries, more than 750 students arrived this summer at NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, for internships and
research opportunities in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics. The number is a record for JPL, which offers research
opportunities to hundreds of students, ranging from high school to
faculty, each summer and throughout the year.
Hailing from 16
countries and representing more than 40 majors, students filled the lab,
hungry for knowledge, groundbreaking discoveries and an experience of a
lifetime. Over the course of the summer, interns participate in
projects like the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2, designed to study
carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere, and the Mars 2020 mission, which
aims to send a rover to Mars to search for signs of habitability and
prepare for future human missions to the Red Planet.
Astronautical engineering major CJ Giovingo's combined passion for space
and engineering attracted her to JPL. "I really love that space is
always something new and provides a challenge," said the student from
Maryland's Capitol College.
Working alongside mentor Tracy Van
Houten on the Mars 2020 mission on flight system verification and
validation, Giovingo has already made significant contributions in a
short amount of time. "Astronautical engineering or any type of design
that we're doing for space missions is unique; it's one of the reasons
why I like JPL, because you're always having to try new things and think
outside of the box, which I think is a really great challenge."
At
JPL, interns have the ability to use what they are learning in school
and apply that expertise on a day-to-day basis to real missions and
research.
"Internships really motivate students to stay in a
difficult discipline, like a STEM major," said Adrian Ponce, higher
education manager for JPL's Education Office. "Why? Because they get to
apply what they're learning in classes on real-world problems, and there
are a lot of fun problems here that they work on."
Adds Giovingo, "It's not just about the work -- it's about the learning community."
Whether
they are analyzing technical data or calibrating 3D printing materials,
summer interns at JPL have the opportunity to be a part of projects
that are at the forefront of innovation and technology.
University
of Texas, Austin, doctoral student Emmanuel Onyegam is excited about
assisting the materials development and manufacturing technology group
in developing new technology for space missions. "They are making these
sugar-cube-size satellites," said Onyegam. "So the idea is you will send
these into space and release the satellites. They are so small, it's
cheaper as opposed to the big size."
Many students who
participate in JPL internships are prospective candidates for the "Early
Career Hire" program, which seeks to bring in recent STEM graduates for
full-time positions. This was true for computer science major and math
minor, Lala Pashian, a former intern who was hired on as a full-time
employee with the instrument software and science data systems operation
section.
"The day I received the news, I couldn't believe it,"
said the recent Cal Poly Pomona graduate about learning she had been
hired on full-time. "I was like, 'This is a dream!'"
Learn more about JPL internships and fellowships
TAGS: Internships & Fellowships