Month: August 2022

Intern Contributes to Laser Welding in Space Advancements

A technician performs welding on the KAMAG spacecraft transporter, inside a facility at the crawler yard at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Welding is being performed on the attach points that will hold the Orion transportation pallet in place (NASA/Ben Smegelsky).
A technician performs welding on the KAMAG spacecraft transporter, inside a facility at the crawler yard at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Welding is being performed on the attach points that will hold the Orion transportation pallet in place (NASA/Ben Smegelsky).

Trying out something can lead to a new passion. Rama Diop was encouraged by her chemistry teacher during her junior year of high school to apply for a welding engineering internship at Ohio State University. At the time, Diop wasn’t sure what welding engineering entailed, but she decided to apply anyway. During her internship, Diop did hands-on work including sample preparation, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and developed etching procedures. The internship she was once unfamiliar with led to her majoring in welding engineering at Ohio State University.

Welding Engineering Experiences

Diop went on to be involved with several research projects with applications to nuclear, biomedical, and automotive industries. In one project, she examined the correlation between fracture toughness and impact toughness of several grades of steel. She’s also studied the reduction of solidification cracking in aluminum alloys. Recently, she worked on a joint program with the biomedical engineering department to mimic aspects of the bone remodeling process.

Currently, Diop is an intern in the Metal Processes and Manufacturing Branch at the Marshall Space Flight Center supporting the Laser Welding in Space project. Welding in space allows for repairing, manufacturing, and assembling parts. Diop’s project aims to revisit and further the exploration of technologies in space, as an in-space welding experiment has not been conducted since 1973 on Skylab, the first United States space station.

“It means a lot to have been able to come here and participate in this internship. I have always wanted to come here and participate in this internship, so when the opportunity presented itself, I was ecstatic. I have been able to network with a lot of people and learn more about NASA’s mission,” Diop said.

Internship Takeaways

Diop says an internship with NASA is a great way to see what her role could look like in the welding engineering industry, and she is excited to apply the skills she’s gained in her previous research projects. This session, Diop hopes to explore different applications of welding, experience research on a larger scale, expand her coding ability, and branch into more computational modeling.

“I’m disappointed that my time here is coming to an end, but I have thoroughly enjoyed working here and am happy knowing that the work I have done will be used to help further the aims of this project,” Diop said.

If you’re looking to gain hands-on experience and valuable mentorship, check out our website for opportunities. Or continue reading inspiring stories such as Alex Suh, an intern researching the effects of spaceflight on the human body.

Carolina Rodriguez, STEM Engagement Communications Intern
Claire O’Shea, STEM Engagement Communications Intern, Editor
NASA Johnson Space Center

 

Get Involved with NASA Days

 

‘NASA Days is one of the coolest events I’ve seen that’s open to the general public,’ Marco Guidino, an intern at NASA, said. ‘They give students the opportunity to interact with scientists, discuss resumes, and network.’ NASA is supporting the dreams of students from traditionally underrepresented and underserved communities to enter careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (NASA HQ).
‘NASA Days is one of the coolest events I’ve seen that’s open to the general public,’ Marco Guidino, an intern at NASA, said. ‘They give students the opportunity to interact with scientists, discuss resumes, and network.’ NASA is supporting the dreams of students from traditionally underrepresented and underserved communities to enter careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (NASA HQ).

NASA Days, a Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) activity, was created to increase awareness and opportunity among students at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). The program is designed to give an overview of NASA’s OSTEM internship program, NASA Pathways Intern Employment Program (IEP), and NASA Fellows activities. 

What is NASA Days?

The activity consists of four sessions. The sessions cover steps detailing the Gateway and OSTEM internship application process, an overview of NASA organizations from their subject matter experts, interview skills, resume reviews, interview strategies, best practices, and collaboration efforts among researchers, professors, and scientists. 

During Marco Guidino’s NASA internship, he wanted to pass on knowledge and help students get connected, so he decided to help run a joint NASA Days event featuring Kennedy Space Center, Langley Research Center, and Marshall Space Flight Center. 

“NASA Days is one of the coolest events I’ve seen that’s open to the general public,” Guidino says. “They give students the opportunity to interact with scientists, discuss resumes, and network.” 

Retired NASA Employee Joann Morgan briefing students at Montana State University for NASA Days. Jose Nunez briefing students at Morehouse School of Medicine during NASA Days (NASA/Priscilla Moore).
Retired NASA Employee Joann Morgan briefing students at Montana State University for NASA Days. Jose Nunez briefing students at Morehouse School of Medicine during NASA Days (NASA/Priscilla Moore).

One thing Guidino has learned from his attendance at NASA Days events is to put yourself out there and ask specific questions for the role you are interested in. 

Networking

During the networking mixer portion of the event, NASA managers present an overview of their divisions to attendees. Following this presentation, students separate into small groups where managers rotate answering questions and engaging in conversation with the students.  

Resume Review

In the resume review session, managers divide students for interviews dependent on the project they would be best suited for or for a general interview. In this process, several students are usually selected or referred for internship opportunities. 

If attending a NASA Days event is something you are interested in, NASA Days will be supporting the in-person and virtual career fair at The Annual National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Week Conference.  

Additionally, Texas Southern University in Houston will be hosting the NASA Days and NASA HBCU Tech Infusion Road Tour which will also be a hybrid event. 

Want to intern with NASA? Check out our website for details on available opportunities. 

Carolina Rodriguez, STEM Engagement Communications Intern 
Claire O’Shea, STEM Engagement Communications Intern, Editor 
NASA Johnson Space Center