ALUMNI TESTIMONIALS
ANNA C. KELLEY
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“My professional background includes two internship rotations at Boeing and a co-op rotation at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. I've designed structure parts for the F-15 fighter jet, I've chosen instrument placements for the Europa Clipper spacecraft, and I've studied design practices for engines on commercial aircrafts. All of these experiences have given me a great technical foundation for my future career, and I have learned a lot from my internships in the aerospace industry, but none of them challenged me in the way this program did. I have never had such freedom before to really make a project my own. As project manager of my L’SPACE group, I was given as a responsibility to my project and teammates that I had yet to experience. It was up to me to make sure deadlines were met, that people had the resources they needed, and that everyone was motivated to do their work. This project has inspired me to continue to work hard in everything I do so that human exploration can continue to advance. From the first guest speaker to the last, I walked away from every L’SPACE meeting learning more about NASA missions, team dynamics, and future career paths than I ever could have imagined. I am so grateful for the real-world work experience that was given to me through this program. I know that so many students have and will benefit from this type of content.”
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Anna C. Kelley is a senior at Ohio University studying mechanical engineering. She recently completed the L’SPACE Mission Concept Academy in the summer of 2020. She is an advocate for women in STEM and is highly involved with the Society of Women Engineers. She also served as treasurer and president for the Ohio University section and is currently a Leadership Development Program coordinator for the society. When Anna is not studying or working on a project, you can find her on the golf course.
Noah Negron
This experience provided me with a firm foundation on how space missions are accomplished in the real world. As the lead systems engineer for my team, I was provided with an understanding for not only engineering systems, but also an understanding for what science goes into the instrumentation used for the missions. I also learned a lot more about team management, planning, and technical writing. Being able to interact with these cross-functional team members really opened my eyes to a new way of perceiving projects in the space industry. Along with this, applying the skills that I was taught in the skill modules to the actual project, allowed for a lot of technical and personal growth. I am proud of what this journey became and thankful for the friends I made along the way.
Yasmeen Shah
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Grateful for the Academy for providing me with the opportunity to enhance my mission writing style and learn every advanced skill within the mission planning process this Summer! This program has also taught me the importance of being a team player while leading my team. Together, we successfully completed our Preliminary Design Review as a unit.
Jennifer Montero
For those of you that are interested or still undecided about pursuing a field related to space, I definitely recommend you to apply to this program! I had a great experience meeting such a wonderful team, and collaborating with them regarding our research. As a planetary geologist and mechanical engineer, I enjoyed conducting research and proposing ideas on how we can collect samples on another planet. Overall, it was such a great experience working with my team and learning new skills from both the webinars and the skill badge training.
William Hanson
This experience has been both challenging and enriching, providing me with a deeper understanding of space science and technology. I am very grateful to the dedicated professionals at NASA for sharing their knowledge and insights which helped hone my abilities during this semester. As a Project Manager, I was able to lead our team in the development of a mock-mission with a budget cap of $300 million, aiming to design a rover equipped with scientific tools to be sent out to Ceres to gather geological data on the dwarf planet. My team and I were then tasked with developing and presenting a 180 page Preliminary Design Review for a standing review board.
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Jennifer Montero
For those of you that are interested or still undecided about pursuing a field related to space, I definitely recommend you to apply to this program! I had a great experience meeting such a wonderful team, and collaborating with them regarding our research. As a planetary geologist and mechanical engineer, I enjoyed conducting research and proposing ideas on how we can collect samples on another planet. Overall, it was such a great experience working with my team and learning new skills from both the webinars and the skill badge training.
Nathnael Minuta
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in one of my most challenging yet rewarding experiences. After dedicating four months to the Academy, I'm thrilled to announce that I've successfully earned my Certificate of Completion! During this program, I had the privilege of receiving all seven attainable skill badges. These badges have provided me with a wide range of abilities necessary for my professional career, ranging from trade studies to leadership, teamwork, and system engineering techniques, CAD and more.
Ryan Kappes
Wow, what an incredible journey. Today I received my NASA L'SPACE Certificate. Four long months of hard work and countless hours. I learned a tremendous amount about projects, project management, NASA requirements, teamwork and many more things that I can't list here.
MONICA LEE
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“I learned about the L'SPACE Program via the NASA Ambassador at my school, Eduardo. As a non-traditional student, I was intimidated to apply and really wasn't sure where I would fit into the academy. I ignored the emails last semester, because I did not think I was qualified to work with a NASA program. But I was completely wrong and I'm extremely thankful that Eduardo encouraged me to apply. I ignored my fears, applied, and it's been a truly PHENOMENAL experience for me! Software Development has always been my passion and I've always loved Space. Participating in this program has renewed that love. This process has given me valuable skills that I can't wait to apply in the real world. It has clarified my goals and aspirations, while giving me the motivation to create new ones. I can honestly say, this process has been life changing and I would encourage every STEM student to experience it, if at all possible!”
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Monica is studying computer engineering at Houston Community College. She completed the NASA Proposal Writing and Evaluation Experience Academy in spring 2020. She enjoys software engineering, programming, traveling, reading, and aspires to continue her education with a Masters and PhD.
LUKE MARTIN
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“L'SPACE makes you feel like you have a shot at doing something amazing. The program gives you the opportunities to apply the skills you have while learning new ones as you complete fun and challenging projects. Not only does it give you opportunities, but it gives you the support you need to keep you going. Teammates to motivate you, Mentors to guide and reassure you, and Experts to educate you. I couldn't be more thankful for my L'Family."
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Luke attends Century Community College in Minnesota with Plans to transfer to Arizona State University to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He participated in the 2019 L'SPACE MCA and NPWEE Academies, and was also a Lucy intern at ASU in the summer of 2019. Outside of school Luke is a big animal lover, and enjoys reading, hiking, video games, and woodworking.
DAVID DEZELL TURNER
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"I am currently studying aerospace engineering at MIT, and I have had the fantastic opportunity to participate in both the L’SPACE Mission Concept Academy and the NASA Proposal Writing & Evaluation Experience. These programs not only gave me the chance to lead an engineering team in designing solutions to actual problems NASA is currently trying to solve, but also the opportunity to become an ambassador for NASA’s Lucy Mission.
As soon as the Ambassador program was announced, I threw myself headfirst into asteroid research. I quickly realized that people almost exclusively talk about asteroids in the context of them potentially impacting Earth, and the Lucy Mission seemed like an effective way to demonstrate that asteroids are so much more than cosmic speed bumps. I remembered a video I had submitted with my college applications in which I used time-lapses of my own Etch-A-Sketch drawings to explain the history of calculus, so I began working on a similar Etch-A-Sketch video to explain the Lucy Mission. At first, I wasn’t sure if it was the kind of content my advisors were looking for, but thankfully, they really enjoyed it and encouraged me to continue making videos. I’m excited to continue educating the public on the ins and outs of asteroid research, and I have the L’SPACE Program to thank for the wonderful opportunity."
ZUNI CURRAN
"The L'SPACE Program provided me with the essential skills, training, and amazing experiences that have helped me realize a non-traditional student like myself can work for NASA one day."
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Zuni is a senior at the University of Nebraska- Omaha studying physics with a minor in mathematics. She got her start with L'SPACE in 2019 as a student in the Mission Concept Academy and was also an intern for the Lucy Summer 2019 Internship at ASU. She also participated in the Proposal Writing and Evaluation Experience Academy in the fall of 2019.
JOHN MARK READLE
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"I am a proud alum of the L'SPACE Program and am now and intern at NASA. I currently live in Houston, and work at Johnson Space Center on a project called 'Evaluate Architecture and Protocols for Space Wireless Proximity Meet Networks.' I am examining and testing the newest advances in Wi-Fi and LTE technology. This involves setting up, analyzing, then breaking some of the latest and greatest wireless networking devices to see if/how/when they could be fit for use on the ISS, Artemis, or Gateway. I have found all of the project management experience that I gained in L'SPACE to be incredibly applicable to my current position, and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to participate and glean from the knowledge of the organizer and all the special guests in the Academy who were willing to share their time and insight."
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John Mark started with the L'SPACE Program Mission Concept Academy in the fall of 2019 and was the Project Manager of his team. He studies electrical engineering at CU Denver and is currently at a year-long NASA Internship at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
KORI ELIAZ
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"During my time as a Lucy intern, I was constantly exposed to industry standards and best practices and asked to uphold those standards. Working on a deep space project at Lockheed Martin means following the routines and processes that have labeled it as the most successful aerospace corporation in the world. I was put on the spot and expected to follow the rigorous testing and evaluation processes that veterans of the corporation used. During those ten weeks, I was an engineer on Lucy with a goal and a purpose and a timeline. Being a Lucy intern propelled my career, not just because of the amazing resume boost it gave me, but because of the confidence it gave me and myself, the confidence it gave me to say I’m writing code that will protect the spacecraft. I know exactly how it works. I know how to test it, and I know how to take these ideas out of my head and make them into a reality. "
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Kori Eliaz is a sophomore at Colorado State University, pursuing her B.S. in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Physics. She is a Lucy Mission Ambassador, deputy principal investigator of the award-winning Space Swiffer L'SPACE project, and a summer intern at Lockheed Martin.
WILBERT RUPERTO ​
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"The L’SPACE Program has been, literally, a catapult to my academic success and professional development. Aside from all the technical knowledge that I acquired in my many experiences in the program, the Academy empowered me to be a leader in my community and to inspire my colleagues and the next generation of students to pursue a career in the field of space exploration. My main goal in life is to become an astronaut and I believe that being part of this program has put me many steps ahead towards reaching outer space.”
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Wilbert Ruperto is a third-year student at the University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez where he is pursuing his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Aerospace Engineering. He completed the Mission Concept Academy and the Proposal Writing and Evaluation Experience Academy. This led him to be an intern in the Lucy Internship at ASU in the summer of 2019 and he is now part of the Lucy Asteroid Ambassador program. Following his Lucy Internship, he accepted a Fall 2019 Internship at NASA Ames Research Center in California.
MOLLY CHILDERS
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"The L'SPACE Program has truly changed the trajectory of my life. I was admittedly a bit lost before the Lucy Internship last summer and had no idea what I wanted to do after college. I always had my sights set on working in space travel, but I was never sure where I would fit. Now, My goals and aspirations are clearer than ever and I only hope the rest of my life will be just as enjoyable and exciting as the L'SPACE program has been."
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Molly is a third-year student at the University of Virginia studying Astronomy and Computer Engineering. She is a Lucy Mission Ambassador and also has completed the Mission Concept Academy, the Proposal Writing and Evaluation Experience Academy, and was an Intern in the Summer 2019 Lucy Internship at ASU. After learning coding and working as her teams computer engineer during the Lucy internship, she found a new passion and switched her major from Astronomy and Math to Astronomy and Computer Engineering.
JORGE MONTES
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"The L'SPACE Program allowed me to dream and to believe that I could find a career in NASA. I lost my dream through years of school and twists in everyday life. I am grateful for the skills and encouragement I received from L’Space faculty and guest speakers. Now I hope I can touch minds that dream of space as I once did, through the Lucy Ambassador Program."
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Jorge is a Lucy Mission Ambassador and has completed the Mission Concept Academy and Proposal Writing and Evaluation Experience. During these academies, he was motivated and inspired by the many NASA guest speakers, the L’SPACE staff, and by the projects he worked on. This made him believe he could one day work at NASA. Now he wants to bring the same motivation to the next generation of curious minds.
Chelsie Henderson​
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"It is not an exaggeration to say that participating in the L'SPACE program was the single best thing that I have done for myself in my life. Looking towards the future, I hope to make more fond memories during my time as a Lucy Ambassador. And if I'm lucky, I can help inspire the next generation to become the scientists, astronauts, and engineers of tomorrow."
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Chelsie participated in the L'SPACE Mission Concept Academy and was also a Lucy Summer 2019 intern at ASU. After Chelsie completed her Summer 2019 internship she decided to pursue a new goal in life, to study Astrobiology and Biogeosciences. She will be transferring to the School of Earth and Space Exploration at ASU in the Fall of 2020.
Shawn Cvetezar
"The L'SPACE Program was one of the best programs I've had the honor to be apart of. Not only has the knowledge been incredibly valuable, the experience that I have gained, participating in projects and remote, collaborative, cross-disciplinary teamwork has been priceless to me. L'SPACE is my family and I couldn't be more honored to be a part of it."
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Shawn is a mechanical engineering student at the University of California, Irvine. He joined the Mission Concept L’SPACE Academy in the Summer of 2019 and is currently participating in the NASA Proposal Writing and Evaluation Experience Academy. Shawn has a dynamic background as an automotive technician and has a strong passion for mechanics, manufacturing technologies and 3D modeling and design.
Amanda Frazier
"L'SPACE has been such a crucial part of my development as a student and future engineer and changed my life in so many ways. The academy incorporated many skills such as scheduling, teamwork, budgeting, designing and technical report writing. Throughout those few months my team became more like a family, and we were all so motivated to help each other succeed. The combination of those things made it one of the best experiences of my life, and I know I will carry all those lessons with me into my career. It was an honor to be chosen to be part of the L’FAM and I hope that someday I can work with the L’SPACE team again! "
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Amanda is a student at Washington State University, Vancouver studying mechanical engineering. She first got her start with L’SPACE in the spring of 2019. She has also participated in NCAS and got her start with NASA when she was chosen to visit the Armstrong Flight Research Center to compete in a Rover design challenge!
Alberto Meunier
"Participating in the L'SPACE Program helped me realize my interests in engineering and also helped me connect with other engineering students."
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Alberto is an Aerospace engineering student from Santa Monica College. He participated in the 2019 Mission Concept Academy. When he first got involved with L’SPACE he was still a freshman just getting started with Aerospace engineering courses. Alberto also participated in the SMC STEM Program at his school, which is where he first learned about the L’SPACE Program.
