Research on Plants in Space Leads to Law Degree

‘Not only did I feel supported at all times, but I also felt encouraged to pursue my passions.’ Josie Pechous worked at NASA Kennedy Space Center as a Bioinformatics for Space Crop Production intern. Photo credit: (NASA /Josie Pechous).
‘Not only did I feel supported at all times, but I also felt encouraged to pursue my passions.’ Josie Pechous worked at NASA Kennedy Space Center as a Bioinformatics for Space Crop Production intern. Photo credit: (NASA /Josie Pechous).

As spaceflight exploration ventures deeper into our solar system, astronauts will need a fresh, sustainable food source to maintain health and wellness. Understanding how plants are affected in spaceflight enables researchers to optimize growing conditions for peak nutritional value and harvest index,’ Josie Pechous said.

While at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Josie worked as a Bioinformatics for Space Crop Production Intern. She compared transcriptomes of previous plant spaceflight missions to identify any genes or signaling pathways that may be useful for future successful space crop production. She began her internship researching spaceflight-induced stressors on the human body. With an interest in plants and nutrition, Josie sought information on how the right diet can boost astronaut health, performance, and wellbeing.

Josie also composed a literature review on microgreens: small, nutrient-dense plants requiring little horticultural demands. She highlighted their nutritional composition, growing conditions, and potential for sustaining life on long-range spaceflight missions to supplement the pre-packaged spaceflight diet.

Mentorship was integral in making Josie’s internship a rewarding experience. Christina M. Johnson assigned a project that worked with Josie’s career goals and encouraged her to direct research to areas that matched her interests.

‘Focusing on a subject that I was passionate about while supporting NASA objectives was such a gratifying experience. Further gratifying has been the continued connection between me and my mentor post-internship. Although over a year has passed . . . my mentor continues to support me,’ Josie said.

The first growth test of crops in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) aboard the International Space Station. The APH is a growth chamber on station for plant research. It uses LED lights and a porous clay substrate with controlled release fertilizer to deliver water, nutrients and oxygen to the plant roots. Photo credit: (NASA/International Space Station).
The first growth test of crops in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) aboard the International Space Station. The APH is a growth chamber on station for plant research. It uses LED lights and a porous clay substrate with controlled release fertilizer to deliver water, nutrients and oxygen to the plant roots. Photo credit: (NASA/International Space Station).

After Josie’s internship, her research was incorporated into a scientific article, ‘Large-Scale Crop Production for the Moon and Mars: Current Gaps and Future Perspectives.’ She recently attended the American Society for Gravitation and Space Research annual conference and presented on the advantages of microgreen carotenoid composition for space travel.

Josie completed her degree at Drake University in biochemistry and cell and molecular biology. She now studies at Vermont Law School, pursuing food and agriculture law and policy for a sustainable future.

Interested in becoming a member of the team? Check out our website to learn more about the Artemis Generation and find information on eligibility and application steps. Want more content? Check out ten things you can do now to prepare for a NASA Internship.

Claire A. O’Shea / NASA Johnson Space Center

Intern Hopes to Research the Neurological Health of Astronauts During Missions

‘It has been unlike any other time in my life. I wish I had known before my internship that every chance you don’t take is an opportunity lost. I could never have anticipated what I experienced this summer.’’ Sewall interns at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Photo credit: (NASA/Michaela Sewall).
‘It has been unlike any other time in my life. I wish I had known before my internship that every chance you don’t take is an opportunity lost. I could never have anticipated what I experienced this summer.’’ Sewall interns at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Photo credit: (NASA/Michaela Sewall).

As a freshly graduated high school senior with little technical experience in the field, Michaela Sewall contacted Chad Stephens and Dr. Alan Pope, research scientists at NASA’s Langley Research Center (LRC), after reading their published paper on  bio-cybernetic adaptation strategies for human operators interacting with machines or computers.

Curiosity

Michaela was curious about engineering, brain function, physics, space, and medicine — but she was uncertain on how to piece together these areas of study. After landing an internship at NASA’s LRC, she began working on psycho-physiological research for autonomous aviation in the In-Time System-Wide Safety Assurance as part of NASA’s Aeronautics Airspace Operations and Safety Program.

Interning virtually this past summer, Michaela drove to her father’s office in the morning and worked from his conference room. She would set up her Raspberry Pi, a small computer used to learn programming, and biosensors to conduct her research throughout each day.

The Study

‘Everyone is so willing to help and answer any questions you have.’ Michaela studies electrical engineering and neurobiology at Washington University in St. Louis as an undergraduate sophomore. Photo credit: (NASA / Michaela Sewall).
‘Everyone is so willing to help and answer any questions you have.’ Michaela studies electrical engineering and neurobiology at Washington University in St. Louis as an undergraduate sophomore. Photo credit: (NASA / Michaela Sewall).

She directed a study, ‘Investigating the Effects of Passive and Adaptive Bio-Cybernetic Two Dimensional and Virtual Reality Stimulus on Psychophysiological and Cognitive State Reactions,’ and coordinated a team of advocates to communicate complex engineering concepts to non-engineers.

‘It has been unlike any other time in my life. I wish I had known before my internship that every chance you don’t take is an opportunity lost.’

Goals

With goals to become a neuroengineer with a background in electrical engineering, neuroscience, and medicine, Michaela’s career aspirations involve researching the neurological, psychophysiological, and biological health of the astronauts before, during, and after their missions.

‘I have had the opportunity to speak to flight surgeons and center directors all because I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and asked for a few minutes of their time. Everyone is so willing to help and answer any questions you have.’

Do YOU want to be on the NASA team? Check out our website to learn more about the Artemis Generation and find information on eligibility and application steps. 

Claire A. O’Shea / NASA Johnson Space Center

From Star Ceiling Stickers to Mission Design- Lauren Daniels

A picture of NASA Intern Lauren Daniels
‘Boulder is my favorite town on the planet.’ Lauren Daniels pictured on the Lost Gulch Park overlook in Boulder, Colorado. Lauren attends the University of Colorado Boulder as an engineering student. ‘I was determined that a career in STEM would be the right fit for me so I decided on aerospace engineering. This made the University of Colorado Boulder the obvious choice when it came time to pick a school. I couldn’t have made a better decision.’ Photo credit: (NASA/Lauren Daniels).

Lauren Daniels’ interest in space first started when she was a child. In elementary school, her bedroom was adorned with themes of space, complete with ‘glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling’ and posters from a neighbor that had presented about space to her entire first grade class. At the age of 6, Lauren attended a space camp and was selected as commander for the mock base in a simulation mission of ‘lunar explorers.’

Fast forward to high school, she was captivated by math, science, and astronomy, and was third in her class upon graduation. Lauren decided to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering.

NASA Intern Laruen Daniels in front of the flag of the United States and NASA's flag.
‘From the moment I heard the word, I knew I wanted to be an astronaut.’ Lauren Daniels at her NASA Pathways internship headshot photoshoot. Photo credit: (NASA/ Lauren Daniels).

Her intern journey began when she first worked on Orion Spacecraft with Lockheed Martin: the exploration vehicle that will carry human crew to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel, and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities.

‘This experience strengthened my love of all things NASA, and encouraged me to apply for the Pathways Internship Program. I didn’t get in the first time I applied, but I kept applying as often as I could, and eventually I was accepted.’

As an intern at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Lauren works on mission design insight for the Human Landing System (HLS). She runs a trade study that analyzes different times and places that humans could land on the moon, updates the flight plan to match the latest designs, and creates a tool to analyze lighting and communication availability on various landing trajectories.

A concept illustration of SpaceX Starship Human Landing System (HLS).
Illustration of SpaceX Starship Human Landing System (HLS) design that will carry the first NASA astronauts to the surface of the Moon under the Artemis program. Illustration credit: (SpaceX/NASA).

Many students still have some misconceptions when it comes to applying for a NASA internship. We’re here to change that. Take a look at the article to read five common myths debunked from our interns. Do YOU want to be on the NASA team? Check out our website to learn more about the Artemis Generation and find information on eligibility and application steps.

When the Stars Align- Jorge Arturo Levario-Delagarza

NASA Intern Jorge Levario-Delagarza sitting in a mock shuttle cockpit.
Credits: Jorge Levario-Delagarza

My name is Jorge Arturo Levario-Delagarza and I am proudly from El Paso, Texas. To give a bit of insight about me, I lived in different parts of Mexico for few years as a toddler before my parents moved to Dallas, Texas where I grew up. Currently attend the University of Texas at Arlington majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in Biomedical Engineering. 

Being the oldest child and first in my family to go through the United States school system has been a learning curve for my whole family. As a first-generation student, I have learned to adapt to the culture and environment of a new country growing up since my parents grew up in a different country in a different environment.  

Growing up, I remember my grandpa was a NASA enthusiast despite never having visited. My NASA concept as a kid was that NASA was a place where rocket scientists in lab coats and astronauts worked on top secret projects that went to outer space. I knew NASA was an awesome place, but even as a kid, I had a mental barrier that NASA was unattainable. 

My Background 

NASA Intern Jorge Levario-Delagarza working with industrial machinery.
Credits: Jorge Levario-Delagarza

My journey to a NASA internship has not been linear. I was not initially accepted into UT-Arlington and had to write a letter of appeal to be reconsidered. I started in the lowest level math class, college algebra, while working full time. After moving around between Uber driving and working as an undergraduate teaching assistant in the UT-Arlington College of Engineering, I went to a conference that changed my life, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) National Conference in Phoenix. This conference opened my eyes and set off a lot of dominoes. 

After the conference, I became an active member in SHPE UT-Arlington chapter where I gained leadership experience serving as Community Outreach Director, Vice President, and eventually President. I currently serve 40+ SHPE chapters as a Vice Regional Student Representative. 

Through SHPE mentors, I knew I needed technical experience, so I trained my SOLIDWORKS skills to become a Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate in Mechanical Design. After reading “An Inside Account from Curiosity’s Chief Engineer”, I made a life changing decision to join the UT-Arlington ROVER Team. Committing all this time gave me the opportunity to eventually serve as Mechanical Arm Lead and even Chief Mechanical Officer. Most rewarding part was when we as a team qualified for the University ROVER Challenge (URC) for the first time in 4 years. UT-Arlington was one of 15 out of 88 teams worldwide to qualify for URC 2021.  

Getting to NASA 

NASA Intern Jorge Levario-Delagarza standing outside the Orion Capsule.
Credits: Jorge Levario-Delagarza

After this wild ride at URC, I got selected for my first ever internship at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control which only took me 200+ engineering internship rejections and 4 years in college to achieve. 6 months later, I saw an announcement posted on LinkedIn by a NASA mentor. I directly messaged him my resume and portfolio of the projects I had worked on during undergrad. After several interviews within a week, I got the call that I got a NASA internship while I was with my SHPE UT-Arlington group in Orlando, Florida. Sometimes, the stars really do align!  

Next Steps 

I plan on completing my education at UT-Arlington while supporting projects at NASA. My future goals are to eventually become a USAF test pilot, a US Navy Diver, attain a Masters or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, with the end goal to work on Artemis projects full-time at NASA. While my experience getting to NASA has definitely not been linear, there’s always an opportunity for those who persevere and get to work. 

Want to learn more about NASA internships or some of our amazing interns? Visit us online for the latest internship opportunities that are available to both high school and college students. Be sure to check out our guide on How You Can Prepare. Or, read more stories about our amazing interns at the NASA Internship blog. For more information on NASA internships or learn about other amazing NASA intern stories, visit us online at nasa.intern.gov. 

 Written by: Megan Hale