A Universe of Inspiration

"Being at JPL was an amazing experience. I learned a lot this summer. Thank you so much to my mentors Jeffrey Singer and Alphan Altinok!"

mansoureh, 393A

September 17, 2018 | 10:15 a.m

"This last year has been an uncertain time for me, and my mentor, Dr. Jim Friedson, has remained invaluably kind, patient, and encouraging. I really appreciate that I could ask questions about a lot of stuff, ranging from matrix computations to life in general and always get an honest, thought-out answer. The actual project itself was also pretty fun; sometimes things worked and sometimes they broke, but Dr. Friedson always seemed to have n+1 ideas to try to make everything better. Thank you. "

Xiaohan Xue, 3223

August 8, 2018 | 3:26 p.m

Mela Hardin, 1761

August 8, 2018 | 2:33 p.m

Mela Hardin, 1761

August 8, 2018 | 2:33 p.m

Mela Hardin, 1761

August 8, 2018 | 2:33 p.m

"Thank you to my mentor, Dr. Sander, for this amazing opportunity! I learned a lot this summer, and my experience here has inspired me to continue my career in science!"

Jennifer Wu, 3290

August 8, 2018 | 2:12 p.m

"So thankful for all the wonderful people I work with. Getting the chance to work (and play!) with the HoloLens is both a fun challenge and a dream. I'm incredibly grateful to be here designing practical tools for science alongside a team of such brilliant people. My mentors have been so supportive, and I always feel so happy to be here doing exactly what I love most. We also get to look like super cool cyborgs all the time!"

Michelle Vo, OnSight, OpsLab (301)

August 8, 2018 | 2:12 p.m

"I’ve wanted to be a geologist for as long as I can remember, but watching Curiosity land confirmed for me that I want to work at JPL. After seeing the scientists and engineers celebrate this amazing feat and be so passionate about their work, I mentioned that I wanted to be in that room. Six years later, I got to be. Over the course of this internship, I have been able to be involved in incredible geology, meet and work with those at the forefront of the field, and have it be even more exciting than I imagined. Thank you so much to my wonderful mentors, Jennifer Scully, John Brophy, and Chester Borden, and everyone responsible for helping me to turn my dream into reality!"

Samantha Baker, Planetary mission development (312A)

August 8, 2018 | 2:10 p.m

"Interning at JPL has been an incredible experience, and I am so thankful to have had this opportunity to learn so much and be challenged every day with difficult but exciting questions. It has been an honor to be able to contribute to the Mars 2020 mission and make a meaningful difference. I'm especially thankful for my mentors and colleagues, who have never failed to encourage me and invest time into my understanding. Meeting so many people, learning about all the incredible work at JPL, and making some of the best friends I could have ever asked for will forever make this summer one of my most memorable experiences."

Richa Sirohi, Mars 2020 Project V&V Systems Engineering

August 8, 2018 | 2:09 p.m