Interstellar Experiences of NASA Interns

A Lakota Perspective on STEM: Caitlin Bordeaux’s Journey to NASA and Beyond

Caitlin Bordeaux’s journey in education began with a strong commitment to both her heritage and her students. Bordeaux is a Sicangu Lakota educator from the Rosebud reservation, now living on Oglala lands in Thunder Valley, South Dakota. She’s been teaching high school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and computer science for eight years, creating culturally relevant curricula that honor Indigenous perspectives.

Alt Text: Caitlin Bordeaux and her team sit together at a large table admiring the comic book pages they collaborated on. Caitlin wears business casual attire and smiles at the camera.

“My work blends education, culture, and STEM, aiming to elevate Indigenous voices and knowledge systems in classrooms and beyond,” said Bordeaux.

With degrees from Black Hills State University and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Bordeaux is now pursuing a Ph.D. in STEM education, furthering her mission to make STEM more inclusive and accessible to underrepresented communities.

Bordeaux’s internship with NASA was a pivotal experience in her career that deepened her dedication to integrating Indigenous perspectives into STEM. Working virtually alongside her mentor, she focused on building partnerships between NASA, local Indigenous organizations, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s education department.

Her role at NASA also reinforced her belief in a holistic approach to STEM. “Being Indigenous has shaped my approach to STEM work, grounded in respect for Unci Maka (Mother Earth). My perspective is focused on cultural connections and holistic learning,” Bordeaux explained. This outlook encourages the integration of Indigenous values into STEM spaces, making them more inclusive and reflective of diverse knowledge systems. By connecting science with culture, Bordeaux believes we can create more accessible and equitable STEM education environments for all students.

Alt Text: A page of a comic book featuring multiple Indigenous women who work at NASA, including Caitlin Bordeaux. The comic page highlighting the different ways in which NASA collaborates with Indigenous communities to blend their knowledge with western sciences. — Alt Text: A page of a comic book featuring multiple Indigenous women who work at NASA, including Caitlin Bordeaux. The comic page highlights the different ways in which NASA collaborates with Indigenous communities to blend their knowledge with Western sciences.

One such effort of Bordeaux’s is her dedication to developing cross-curricular lessons that integrate Indigenous star knowledge with STEM concepts, with a strong commitment to supporting the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and NASA’s Star Knowledge Partnership Program allowing her students to connect with science from their own perspectives.

Bordeaux’s experience also serves as a message to other aspiring Indigenous students: there are opportunities to grow, contribute, and make a lasting impact. “Apply! NASA offers various internships, including virtual ones like I did, which are flexible and accessible,” said Bordeaux. Her experience has influenced her academic pursuits, helping to push her to gain her Ph.D., while also providing her the opportunity to connect with others, including her mentor, who have the same goal for the future of education and STEM.

In her own words, the work is just beginning: “Philamayaye! (Thank you!),” she says, reflecting on the support and opportunities that have shaped her path. Her internship has been a catalyst for her continued work in education and research, to create a more inclusive and culturally relevant STEM education landscape.

Tara Roanhorse/NASA Headquarters

Tara Roanhorse: A Navajo Star Rising at NASA

The first words spoken by Tara Roanhorse at her NASA internship were in Navajo: “Yá’át’ééh shík’éí dóó shídiné’é, shí ei Tara Roanhorse dashijiní. Bítsiigha’ Łichí’í Diné’é Bilagáaná níshłǫ́ǫ, Tsi’naajinii báshíshchíín. Áádóó índá Bítsiigha’ Łichí’í Diné’é Bilagáaná eí dashicheii, áádóó Tó Dích’íi’nii dashínálí. Ákót’éego Diné níshłį́į dóó Kimberling City, Missouri hóólyéédę́ę́’ naashá. Ákót’éego nihich’į’ ádééhósiszįįd dooleeł dííshjį́. Ahéhee’!” A traditional greeting, “Hello my friends and my relations, my name is Tara Roanhorse. I am of Irish heritage, born for the black streak wooded people. My maternal grandfather is of Irish heritage and my paternal grandfather is of the bitter water people. I am from Kimberling City, Missouri. In this way, I am a Navajo woman. Thank you!”

Alt Text: NASA intern Tara Roanhorse poses in a ribbon skirt outside of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. She stands before a large metallic statue of the iconic red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo. Credit: Tara Roanhorse

As an intern in NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, Tara is responsible for helping to reach audiences via social media to get NASA STEM resources into as many hands as possible and ensure potential interns know there is space for them at NASA. Since the beginning, she’s been led by her Native heritage; as a Diné woman, she’s familiar with what it means to feel like an outsider. “Indigenous people and women aren’t very represented in STEM spaces, so it felt like a long shot when I applied,” said Roanhorse. “Aside from my time at my Tribal University, I’m often the only Indigenous person in the room.”

As a STEM Communications intern, Tara shares that her work “includes writing blogs about current and former interns, creating content for the Internships social media accounts and providing support for the NASA STEM social media accounts, and supporting wherever I can with helping to create engaging and informative content across my team. I really enjoy being able to create things that help put STEM in people’s hands in a way that they can understand.There are so many great resources out there for kids, adults, tribes, and schools that haven’t traditionally been so accessible, so my personal goal is to help everyone be able to access the work that’s being done.”

Alt Text: NASA Intern Tara Roanhorse smiles standing with her mother and father after receiving her Associates of Arts degree. She wears a traditional tribal dress and necklace along with her graduation robe and stole as well as multiple honors chords around her neck. Credit: Tara Roanhorse — Alt Text: NASA intern Tara Roanhorse smiles standing with her mother and father after receiving her Associate of Arts degree. She wears a traditional Navajo skirt with a necklace, graduation robe, stole, and multiple honors chords around her neck. Credit: Tara Roanhorse

Although now a familiar face at NASA, Tara had her doubts: “Growing up I was always interested in science and technology but wasn’t always the best at practicing it, but I was good at explaining things to people! That’s why, when I returned to get my college education in my early twenties, I knew STEM communications was something that I wanted to do,” said Roanhorse.

Alt Text: A young Tara Roanhorse smiles infront of a poster on the wall reading “Welcome to the Discovery Club”. Tara wears a light blue sweatshirt with flower embroidery and smiles. Credit: Tara Roanhorse

NASA’s missions are strengthened by the diversity of worldviews of its workforce. According to Tara, “my heritage and culture have provided a different lens through which to see the work that’s being done. My tribe has a holistic and ordered worldview; everything is interrelated and enfolded into the whole.”

Now having led campaigns that have reached audiences in the tens of millions, and supported collaborations with the likes of Megan Thee Stallion, Roanhorse shares some of her advice for others: “Be willing to try something new and scary. Every day, I get the chance to do something different, expanding my knowledge in the best possible ways. And while imposter syndrome is so real, you were meant for great things–you are your ancestor’s wildest dreams come true. No one else has the experiences, outlook, or ideas as you. You are unique, and you have something to contribute to the world and to NASA’s missions.”

If you’re interested in carving your own path like Tara, consider applying for NASA’s internship program at intern.nasa.gov.

Evan T. Flatt/NASA Headquarters

Mission to Inform: How a NASA Intern Brought Space Science to Life

As a summer intern at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, Nora Lowe played a role in supporting NASA’s upcoming flagship mission, the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope. This project is a NASA observatory designed to investigate inquiries about dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics. Lowe was tasked with assisting in the reporting and publicizing of the telescope’s developmental milestones. Her responsibilities included copywriting stories, social media writing, and editing.

“I was lucky enough to stumble upon NASA Goddard’s Science Journalism, Multimedia, and Social Media Internships through the NASA STEM Gateway website,” Lowe recalled. “The role description explained that interns will gain on-the-job experience with a leading team of writers and multimedia producers to create and share content from NASA’s science missions. It was perfectly suited to my career goals.”

Lowe’s internship was not her first experience with NASA. As a high school sophomore, Lowe applied to a NASA-sponsored competition to name the Mars rover later named Perseverance. She named her submission after an animal known for its resilience and ability to survive environmental extremes, which she felt was fitting for a Mars Rover. While her submission was not chosen, she was grateful for the chance to interact with the agency at a young age.

“It progressed past some rounds of review, but was not selected, which I’m ultimately grateful for, because it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. The engineers ultimately etched the 155 semifinalist essays onto silicon chips to launch up with the rover, so my words ended up on the Red Planet nonetheless! That was my first interaction with NASA, and it was so formative that I vowed it wouldn’t be my last.”

Alt Text: Nora Lowe smiles at the camera in a teal blouse and patterned pants. She is seated in a chair positioned to the left of the room, with a television behind her and another on the right, showcasing images of galaxies. Above the right screen, the iconic red NASA worm logo stands out. The room is bathed in deep blue lighting from the ceiling, while a vibrant purple glow radiates from the floor, creating a cosmic ambiance. Image Credit: Nora Lowe

Navigating the complexities of interviewing subject matter experts proved to be a challenge for Lowe, especially within the NASA environment. Lowe turned to her mentors, Science Writer Ashley Balzer and Social Media Lead Courtney Lee, for help. Their expert guidance played a crucial role in easing Lowe’s nerves and enhancing her ability to engage effectively with NASA’s scientific elite.

“Having one-on-one conversations with acclaimed scientists was honestly intimidating,” Lowe said. “It took careful practice, such as conducting several mock interviews with my mentors to feel more at ease when doing the real thing.”

Benefiting from her practice with her mentors, Lowe reflects on some of her favorite pieces. She produced a piece for “Conversations with Goddard” focused on Melissa Harris, a propulsion engineer working on the Roman telescope. Additionally, she authored several articles highlighting the science within NASA.

“I am especially proud of my article on the handheld spectrometer because of the sheer number of logistics I orchestrated,” she said. “Drafting that article felt like completing a 1,000-piece puzzle. I conducted interviews with seven subjects, the most I’ve done for a single story to date.”

Alt Text: Nora Lowe poses with a group of interns and Chief Scientist and Senior Climate Advisor Katherine Calvin on the rooftop of NASA Headquarters. The Capitol building is visible in the background, providing a distinctive Washington, D.C. backdrop. Image Credit: Nora Lowe

Lowe’s internship served as a pivotal moment for her professional journey. She reflects on the wealth of skills she acquired during her session that paved the way for her to grow as a science writer and a young professional.

“I adopted the concept of ‘familiar novelty,’ as cohort guest speakers and authors Howard Mansfield and Sy Montgomery put it. It’s a delicate balance emphasizing the new and exciting parts of a story while using techniques like analogies to make it understandable or familiar to the reader.”

At NASA, Lowe uncovered a new direction for her future, sparking a passion for government and public work in science communication. Her time at the agency proved transformative, solidifying her career ambitions, and illustrating the profound impact of bridging scientific knowledge with the public.

“This opportunity was a powerful way to solidify my ambitions and aspirations, as well as to demonstrate how working in this field benefits society,” Lowe said. “Everyone deserves to be empowered with an understanding of how the world works, and I admire NASA’s fantastic science writers, who act as vital liaisons between scientists and the general public, for helping make that possible.”

Gracie Glover/NASA Headquarters

From Soccer Fields to Space: A Journey to NASA

Growing up in San Miguel, Mexico, Nestor Cano never thought of interning for NASA. Instead, Cano dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player, spending every moment he could on the field learning new tips and tricks—a theme that would continue through his life. While he came from humble beginnings, Cano’s family was always supportive of his dream and did everything they could to help him achieve it.

Alt Text: A portrait of a young Nestor Cano. He smiles with his hair parted and wearing a red shirt. — Alt Text: A portrait of a young Nestor Cano. He smiles, his hair parted, and wearing a red shirt.

“Part of who I am is due to the great support that I have always had from my mother,” said Cano. “She is the greatest support I have had; even when we were economically limited, she always made sure I was able to do my activities.”

At the age of 14, Cano’s parents decided to send him to live with his grandmother in California with the hopes of creating a better future for him. Cano didn’t speak English when he arrived in the United States, so he was enrolled in an elementary school for six months before graduating to his local high school. It wasn’t until his sophomore year of high school that he started to become confident in his English skills and began getting involved with clubs on campus. After graduation, Cano went back to Mexico to begin trials for professional soccer teams, although ultimately he returned to California with his little sister, for whom he was now responsible.

Alt Text: Nestor Cano as a young student. He poses alongside a certificate of achievement and two ribbons he received. He wears a school uniform with a dark tie and matching sweater. — Alt Text: Nestor Cano as a young student. He poses alongside a certificate of achievement and two ribbons he received. He wears a school uniform with a dark tie and a matching sweater.

“For about a year and a half, I was working two jobs, getting only three to four hours of sleep each night,” Cano shared. “Finally, I asked myself if this was a life I wanted to keep pursuing. That’s when I thought maybe I should go back to school.”

After deciding to return to school, Cano had to find a way to pay for his classes, his sister, and his life, which led him to become a plumber and pipefitter. After committing to his plumbing career, Cano discovered a passion for engineering, pushing him to consider it as his future career. Cano spent five years working and attending college before beginning an engineering internship with the same company. Still, Cano knew he could do more, so he researched engineering schools and internship programs until he found the University of California-Berkeley and NASA.

“I went from being a community college student and an intern working on construction engineering, to being a student at UC Berkeley and an intern at NASA,” said Cano, “After three years working towards the requirements, time to apply had finally came. I worked on the application for over two weeks.”

Cano’s internship project is with the Fluid Mechanics Lab at Ames Research Center, where he works with the Laser Spark Evaluating In-flow project (LASEI). The main goal of this research is to develop an optical method for measuring ambient pressure, density, temperature, and flow angularity in wind tunnels. Essentially, the team’s primary objective is to enhance the visual data that is gathered during wind tunnel testing of aircraft and other components.

Alt Text: Nesto Cano, alongside a diverse team of colleagues, poses atop a red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo. Behind them, a sandy volleyball court and hangars make up the background.

As a Hispanic American, Cano feels this internship demonstrates that his ethnicity and cultural background are not barriers. For him, this experience proves that through hard work and dedication, anyone can pursue their dreams, no matter where they came from.

“This internship has introduced me to the research area of engineering, and I have been learning critical aspects of modeling for prototypes and the iterations required to achieve a great product,” Cano said. “Learning from the best engineers in their respective fields is a unique experience, since they have the knowledge, experience, patience, and skill to teach interns like me.”

Tara Roanhorse/NASA Headquarters

Summer of AI: Intern Uses AI to help NASA Employees

You’ve probably interacted with a pop-up virtual agent while shopping online, making reservations, or navigating customer service. These virtual assistants are also a key resource for the over 18,000 civil servants, contractors, and interns at NASA who have human resource questions every day.

That’s where Johnpaul Lopez comes in. Lopez, a computer science and IT student, is interning for NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., as a virtual agent content management intern for the Office of the Chief Human Capitol Officer (OCHCO). His work is integral in embracing and safely integrating AI (Artificial Intelligence) as a platform to serve employees’ needs.

Lopez’s team created a chatbot named NOVA (NASA OCHCO Virtual Agent) designed to help NASA employees get answers to their HR-related questions. It can answer over 60 HR topics, with more to come soon. Every day, Lopez is developing new conversational pathways, revising dialogue flows, conducting AI research, and testing NOVA to make sure its responses are accurate and helpful. Lopez contributes daily to NASA’s goal of incorporating advanced AI-responsive features in the chatbot’s next iteration.

“Joining NASA allows me to be part of the ARTEMIS generation, fostering healthy and exciting relations with fellow interns and mentors I always dreamt to be a part of. Our contributions and mentors pave the path for us to lead the next generation of learners and dreamers,” Lopez shared.

Alt text: In this photo taken in 2014, Lopez poses with two awards. Lopez is in the center of the image wearing a red button-up shirt with a blue lanyard, red tie, and black pants. Credit: Johnpaul Lopez

Lopez was born in Humacao, Puerto Rico, a small town on the eastern coast of the island. As a child, he competed in school science competitions, built with Legos, and watched documentaries. When he was a baby, his parents made the decision to move their family to Florida, leaving everyone and everything they knew behind to provide Lopez with more opportunities. Throughout his life, Lopez has held a passion for technology and public service. Now, as a first-generation college student, he aims to be part of something bigger than himself and help others.

“My family came from Puerto Rico to give me the best educational opportunities and life I can have here in Central Florida. Everything that I am and do is because of them! I’m a culmination of their hopes, dreams, sacrifices, and perseverance through it all, and I strive to bring my dreams to life by delivering the best work I can,” said Lopez.

Alt text: Lopez poses with four of his family members celebrating his acceptance as a Summer 2024 NASA intern. The whole family is wearing black NASA t-shirts. In the foreground of the image is a cake with planets on it, a gift bag, and blue balloons. Credit: Johnpaul Lopez

After his internship, Lopez hopes to continue working in a software role and continue advancing in his career while working on his personal side projects. He aims to stay in the STEM community and help others like him know they can intern for NASA too. Lopez wants future interns to know that the work is hard, but it’s worth it, and while everyone’s journeys are different, if you have the right balance of hope, faith, and trust in the process, you can make it, too.

“NASA is more than just rocket science; it’s a collective of individuals from all fields coming together to tell a story reminding society of our spirit of hope and unity,” said Lopez.

Tara Roanhorse/NASA Headquarters

Making Her Own Place in Space: Caitlyn McClanahan’s HBCU Journey

“My mom always told me she believed that whatever you wanted to do when you were a child is your destiny—what you’re destined to do in life. And when I was a kid, I had every STEM interest.”

Alt Text: NASA intern Caitlyn McClanahan as a young student posing with her younger sister Erin in front of a science fair project, a recreation of the solar system. The two smile holding paper cutouts of stars. Credit: Caitlyn McClanahan

Meet Caitlyn McClanahan, a Weather Data Processing intern at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Growing up, McClanahan always loved studying the sciences. “I had a robotics phase. I had an astronaut phase. I had a weather phase. I had a paleontology phase. I had a chemistry phase,” she said.

Alt Text: NASA intern Caitlyn McClanahan as a young student sitting on a table in a book store smiling with a large history book open upon her lap. Credit: Caitlyn McClanahan — Alt Text: NASA intern Caitlyn McClanahan as a young student sitting on a table in a book store smiling with a large history book on her lap. Credit: Caitlyn McClanahan

However, as a young Black woman living in a Midwestern small town, she often found herself being the only Black woman in predominantly white spaces. “It causes a lot of people to have anxiety, coming into a space and noticing that this is a very white space, a very male space. I’ve found myself throughout life kind of minimizing myself to try to fit into this space that I believe is too big for me.”

After graduating from high school, McClanahan continued her education at Hampton University. Founded in 1868, it is the oldest Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Virginia. Recounting her first days at Hampton, she was surprised to find that her science courses were predominantly attended by women.

“In fact, our teacher told us there were four men majoring in chemistry that year, which was considered a lot more than usual,” McClanahan said. “It was such a stark difference to see so many women, especially so many Black women, who looked like me and had the same interest as me. And it was just such an awesome environment to regain that confidence in myself.”

Alt Text: NASA interns including Caitlyn McClanahan meet with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson at NASA's Langley Research Center. Bill Nelson smiles as he shakes an intern hand the other looking on smiling at him. Credit: NASA — Alt Text: NASA interns including Caitlyn McClanahan meet with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Bill Nelson smiles as he shakes an intern hand the other looking on smiling at him. Credit: NASA

Located just 15 minutes away from NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton University has long had a rich history supporting the space agency. McClanahan quickly noticed how NASA celebrates Black experts, including Black scientists, such as “Hidden Figures” Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary W. Jackson.

Alt Text: NASA intern Caitlyn McClanahan poses with NASA's LOFTID (Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator) within a large hangar at NASA's Langley Research Center. She smiles and wears business casual attire. Credit: Caitlyn McClanahan — Alt Text: NASA intern Caitlyn McClanahan poses with NASA’s LOFTID (Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator) within a large hangar at NASA’s Langley Research Center. She smiles and wears business casual attire. Credit: Caitlyn McClanahan

“I feel welcome here,” McClanahan said. “I remember on my first day on-site I was nervous and walking along and a woman came up to me, stopped me, and chatted with me. Her being a Black woman, and one of the first people I talked to here, really made my anxiety crumble away. Since then, I’ve truly felt that NASA is working to reflect the diversity of America, and I am really excited to get to be a part of that.”

Asked to share advice for others who may follow in her footsteps, she said, “It’s easy to feel self-conscious, but remember that a lot of people have doubts and anxiety. They still fight through it and figure it out. Everyone doesn’t do great their first time. In fact, it took me about six applications to land my internship!”

Celebrate HBCU Students With NASA: Social Media Toolkit

This HBCU Week, Sept. 16-20, NASA is celebrating the contributions of its workforce who attended Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). We’ve put together this social media toolkit to help celebrate our past, present, and future #HBCU interns!

HBCUs have played a crucial role throughout NASA’s history, educating and empowering many talented members of our workforce. Historic figures such as Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary W. Jackson, and Charles “Charlie” Bolden earned their degrees from HBCUs. Show your HBCU pride with the below graphics and hashtags.

Use #NASAInterns or #ArtemisGeneration for a chance to be amplified from the @NASAInternsaccounts.

The provided alt text (alternative text) in posts makes the graphics more accessible to persons with disabilities.

HBCU Week Social Media Graphics

Earth’s Auroras – Download Here

Alt Text: Earth’s colorful auroras dominate the night sky as seen from orbit. Bright shades of green, yellow, and blue illuminate the image. The background of the image is the darkness of space sprinkled with gleaming stars. It transitions to an empty background with text stating “There’s space for me at NASA. Happy #HBCU Week” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

Cityscapes at Night – Download Here

Alt Text: The bright cityscape of North America is seen from orbit with flickers of an aurora in the far distance. It transitions to an empty background with text stating “There’s space for me at NASA. Happy #HBCU Week” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

Earth Zoom Out – Download Here

Alt Text: A bright close-up view of South America illuminated by its city lights zooms out to reveal all of the Earth. It transitions to an empty background with text stating “There’s space for me at NASA. Happy #HBCU Week” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

More Ways to Celebrate HBCU Week With NASA

Check out some of these NASA resources and opportunities this HBCU Week:

The Color of Space: This ongoing NASA+ original series highlights and celebrates the incredible lives and accomplishments of Black NASA astronauts, including astronaut Charles Bolden, who was also the 12^th NASA Administrator and an HBCU alumnus.

NASA Internships HBCU Blog: Read the stories of current HBCU interns at NASA. Learn about their contributions to the agency and how their alma maters have supported them to get to where they are today.

HBCU Week Q&A: Join the live Q&A session on the @NASAInternships Instagram account on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. ET. Have your questions answered live by the NASA Internships team!

MITTIC Opportunities: Apply for MITTIC, NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Innovation and Tech Transfer Idea Competition. This Shark Tank-style competition offers students an opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills and a chance to win money while developing technology to benefit all of humanity.

Evan T. Flatt/NASA Headquarters

100 Don’t-Miss NASA Internship Opportunities to Launch Your Career

Remember: Applications for spring 2025 are due by August 23, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Podcast making, space horticulture, or planetary protection—whatever your interest, there is a NASA internship for you this spring.

Want to share your passion for NASA with the world? Our virtual or in-person audio storytelling internship out of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is the perfect fit for you! Got a green-thumb and want to put it to the test? Design methods to grow vegetables in low-gravity with an in-person internship at NASA’s Glenn Research Center. A team at NASA’s Ames Research Center also needs help cleaning NASA-style; we’re seeking an intern to design methods to ensure spacecraft don’t get contaminated with bacteria. Up to the task? Apply to these internships and more at stemgateway.nasa.gov.

With less than a week left to apply for our spring 2025 NASA internships, we’ve assembled this list of 100 don’t-miss opportunities to help launch your career —all of which you can apply to right now.

List of Opportunities:

Opportunity	ID #	Field
3D Microscope Flight Instrument Maturation and Novel Optical Sensing	19284	Aeronautics
Flight Mechanics Analysis of Magnetohydrodynamics	19437	Aeronautics
Electric Aircraft Hardware Design and Testing – In-Person	19258	Aeronautics
Airfield Project Support-Onsite	19463	Aeronautics
Design and Analysis of Electric Aircraft	19234	Aeronautics
Polymer Aerogels for aeronautic and aerospace applications	19222	Aeronautics
Biological implementation in SAMMS	19449	Biology
Planetary Protection DNA Isolation Study	19206	Biology
Onsite – Microbial Assays for Planetary Protection	19301	Biology
Plant Watering in Low-Gravity (Spring 2025)	19116	Biology
Onsite: Space microbiology hardware design and testing	19302	Biology
Remote sensing of marine debris	19213	Biology
Range and Mission Management Office (RMMO) Business Support Intern	19459	Business
Organizational Development Research and Activities	18976	Business
Project Management Dashboard Development – Spring 2025	19221	Business
Analysis of Inclusion Plan Reviews	19093	Business
Inclusion Plan – best practices	19084	Business
NASA Audio Storytelling Internship	19180	Communications
Sustainability Ambassador – Strategic Communications Support EPFD	19438	Communications
Illustration/Graphic Design Intern	19349	Communications
NASA Archives Description Intern	18891	Communications
Communications and Outreach for Data Science Efforts at NASA	19218	Communications
Electrified Aircraft Interactive Visualization at NASA Graphics Lab	19220	Communications
Ecological Conservation Program Outreach & Communications Intern	19215	Communications
Outreach Support for Scientific Computing Visualization Lab	19217	Communications
NASA Audio Storytelling Internship	19156	Communications
Archives Intern – NASA Johnson Space Center	18889	Communications
JSC Office of Communications Intern within External Relations	19057	Communications
3D Animation Intern	19053	Communications
SPARX Intern	19115	Communications
ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Partners Supporting Hispanic Programs in STEM	19085	Communications (Spanish)
NASA Spanish-language Journalism, Multimedia, Social Media Intern	19182	Communications (Spanish)
2025 Spring Operations Engineer	19307	Engineering
Electrical Test Engineer	19242	Engineering
Engineering Assistant for Power and Propulsion Element (PPE)	19260	Engineering
ONSITE – EPIC Test Engineer	19065	Engineering
JSC Engineering Academy	19227	Engineering
Computational Fluid Dynamics for Urban Air Mobility	19165	IT/Computers
Computational Modeling of Additive Manufacturing Melt Pools	19274	IT/Computers
Validation of Computational Models for Composite Materials and Structures	19107	IT/Computers
Computer Science/Information Assurance Intern	19048	IT/Computers
AR/VR for Science and Engineering	19152	IT/Computers
JWST Exoplanet Spectroscopy Observations	19386	STEM
NESC Loads and Dynamics Technical Discipline Team Apprentice Spring 2025	19390	STEM
Mass Management	19167	STEM
Thermochemistry of Glassy and Molten Silicates	19360	STEM
Composite Radiator Atmosphere Revitalizer	19288	STEM
Design of frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) and antennas for sensing	19120	STEM
Human Landing System (HLS)-GNC Guidance Development and Testing	19137	STEM
Precision Eddy Current Displacement Sensor	19375	STEM
Updating EMTAT Simulink graphical programming language	19174	STEM
Battery Material Intern	19261	STEM
Characterization of a Composite Foldable Antenna Reflector for the Lunar Surface	19368	STEM
MISSE Characterizations	19316	STEM
Machine Learning for Lensless Particle Image Velocimetry	19077	STEM
Magnetic Shape Memory Alloy Actuator for nano-positioning	19376	STEM
New Structural Design Method	19351	STEM
RST Thermal Spacecraft Verification Support	19309	STEM
Advancing the Next-Gen Microshutter Array Technology	19004	STEM
Components & Hardware Systems – GN&C EE/CE/AE Systems Development	19295	STEM
EGS Human Systems Integration Intern	19273	STEM
Lunar Electrostatic and Dust Mitigation Tool	19276	STEM
Method Development for the Conceptual Design of Commercial Supersonic Transports	19293	STEM
SP25 Superconducting	19268	STEM
Biofilm Management in Life Support Systems	19347	STEM
Characterization of high strain composite materials and structures	19371	STEM
Drop Tower Experiments and Construction Spring 2025	19076	STEM
Predicting Thermoelastic Properties of Amorphous and Crystalline Thermoplastics	19170	STEM
Radiation Hardened Display Technology	19271	STEM
Modeling of Chilldown of Cryogenic Transfer Lines	19318	STEM
Thermoplastic Composite Cryotank	19263	STEM
Two Phase Flow Research and Physical Science Web Design Cluster (Spring 2025)	19118	STEM
Develop a verification methodology for fixed-point digital controllers	19374	STEM
Dielectric Energy Storage	19323	STEM
Fast Iterative Thrust Chamber Assembly Tool (FITCAT)	19119	STEM
Human Landing System (HLS)-GNC Deep Space Navigation	19139	STEM
Machine Learning Project for Automated Posture Classification	19279	STEM
Solar Sail Hardware Materials and Testing	19262	STEM
VEC Thermal Analysis and Testing Intern	18855	STEM
Advanced Thermoplastic Composites for Aircraft Manufacturing	19287	STEM
TLT – Robotic Assembly System Design	19230	STEM
CLPS- Astrobotic	19064	STEM
High Temperature Materials and Structures	19245	STEM
Lunar Electrostatic and Dust Mitigation Tool	19275	STEM
Modular Mechanism Control Electronics for Spaceflight Instruments	19373	STEM
Air quality prediction using TEMPO data	19108	Sustainability
Conservation Community Data Needs	19132	Sustainability
Climate Resilience Intern	19286	Sustainability
Water Disinfection Strategies	19164	Sustainability
Satellite & remote sensing data analyst position with NASA GLOBE Clouds	19193	Sustainability
Data mining and analysis for the GLOBE Program	19257	Sustainability
Sustainable Metrics Internship	18940	Sustainability
Wallops Meteorological Systems Enhancement Project	19462	Sustainability
Equity & Environmental Justice Intern	19285	Sustainability
Water Disinfection Strategies	18929	Sustainability
JE – Environmental Management Office (EMO)	18938	Sustainability
Enhancing Climate Resilience at NASA	19311	Sustainability
KSC Energy and Water Conservation and Resiliency	19122	Sustainability
Sustainability & Energy Program Support	19168	Sustainability
Exploring the role of volcanoes on the dynamical response of the atmosphere	19158	Sustainability

Stars and Stories: Intern’s Blogging Journey to NASA

In the fall semester of his sophomore year, former intern Stephan Bellamy applied for his internship after developing a blog, Space by Stephan, during a class at Vanderbilt. After writing posts about NASA and contractors such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, he started exploring communications opportunities at NASA. He received a position as a Science Communications intern focused on the Biodiversity Survey of the Cape (BioSCape) program. BioSCape is a collaborative project between NASA, the South African government, and local organizations to preserve biodiversity in the Greater Cape Floristic Regions.

Image Description: Off the coast of South Africa, phytoplankton bloom colored the waters with a swirl of turquoise, blue and white. The phytoplankton illuminate deep blue water in a spiral shape, similar to a galaxy. Image Credit: Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team. — Alt Text: Off the coast of South Africa, phytoplankton bloom colored the waters with a swirl of turquoise, blue, and white. The phytoplankton illuminate deep blue water in a spiral shape, similar to a galaxy. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team.

“I hesitated to apply because I did not have a zeal for ecology,” Bellamy said. “I fell in love with the project and found a new passion for understanding biodiversity.”

Bellamy focused on redesigning the website. He designed graphics, created, and edited videos, researched the science, and enhanced the website.

“Some specific outputs I made include an updated flowchart of all organizational members and projects, graphic highlights of individual science projects, an edited Space Apps challenge video, and a collage of all institutional partners,” he said. “I took on different priorities, but the core of my work stayed the same: communicating the science of BioSCape.”

Alongside his remodel of the website, Bellamy was tasked with telling the story of NASA’s first biodiversity field campaign. To bridge the gap between the project and the public, Bellamy interviewed his leadership team and others to understand and share the human stories behind BioSCape.

“Hearing about everyone’s unique path to the project has been inspiring, and the heart of constructing this piece is recognizing the humanity of a research project like BioSCape,” he said. “I wanted to give the humans of BioSCape the platform to say something that no data or scientific findings can say for them.”

Image Description: The southernmost tip of Africa dominates the image. Shades of green and browns compile to represent landmarks. Around the tip of the continent is white feathering representing a current and the rest is the rich blue of the ocean. Image Credit: NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Space Systems, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. — Alt Text: The southernmost tip of Africa dominates the image. Shades of green and browns compile to represent landmarks. Around the tip of the continent is white feathering representing a current and the rest of the image is the rich blue of the ocean. Credit: NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Space Systems, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.

Bellamy acknowledges his leadership team as mentors during his internship, with special recognition for his assigned mentor, Keith Gaddis. Gaddis’ trust and flexibility, alongside the leadership team’s constructive feedback and tasks, has propelled Bellamy’s creativity and independence.

Bellamy aspires to be a full-time author. He credits his internship with opening his eyes to new possibilities for his passion for writing.

“I see myself writing sci-fi novels and other creative works, maybe screenwriting if I pick it up or poetry if I’m feeling whimsy,” Bellamy explains. “I know that writing as a career is challenging and taxing, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to achieve my dream.”

Bellamy is thankful for the opportunity presented to him, “as a Black, first-generation student, having the opportunity to work at NASA feels transformational. The offer letter opened my eyes to my place in the workspace. In times like these, I must be cognizant of the systemic and cultural issues at work to prevent someone like me from having a job at a place like NASA. To my community back in Georgia, I am proof that, yes, you can make it here.”

Gracie Glover/NASA Headquarters

Celebrate NASA Internships with Us Using This Social Media Toolkit

National Intern Day is July 25! We’ve put together this social media toolkit to help you celebrate NASA internships this #NationalInternDay. Whether you’re an intern, former intern, intern mentor, or just work with some incredible NASA interns—this toolkit is for you!

Best Practices

Graphics

Our graphic designers compiled a collection of visuals for you to use that pull inspiration from some of NASA’s most iconic recent recordings. Feel free to use them!

Accessibility

We encourage you to utilize the provided alt text (alternative text) to make the graphics as accessible as possible—after all, there is space for everyone at NASA.

Hashtags
Excited to share about NASA internships? Use our official hashtags (#NASAInterns and/or #ArtemisGeneration) for a chance to be amplified from our accounts.

Visual Assets

Artemis Launch Close – Download Here

Alt Text: The top of the Artemis I Space Launch System launches out of the top of the image with a burst of steam. The length of the aircraft ascends through the image. It transitions to an empty background with text stating “There’s space for me at NASA. Happy #NationalInternDay” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

Moon Cycles – Download Here

Alt Text: The Moon fills the center with the black vastness of space on either side. As the Moon rotates, a shadow covers the sphere from right to left. It transitions to an empty background with text stating “There’s space for me at NASA. Happy #NationalInternDay” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

Cityscapes at Night – Download Here

Alt Text: The bright cityscape of North America is seen from orbit with flickers of an aurora in the far distance. It transitions to an empty background with text stating “There’s space for me at NASA. Happy #NationalInternDay” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

Earth’s Aurora – Download Here

Alt Text: Earth’s colorful auroras dominate the night sky as seen from orbit. Bright shades of green, yellow, and blue illuminate the image. The background of the image is the darkness of space sprinkled with gleaming stars. It transitions to an empty background with text stating “There’s space for me at NASA. Happy #NationalInternDay” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

Space Station Aurora – Download Here

Alt Text: The International Space Station orbits over the surface of Earth. High in the atmosphere auroras gleam in shades of bright yellow and green illuminating the dark night skies below. The background of the image is the darkness of space sprinkled with gleaming stars. It transitions to an empty background with text stating “There’s space for me at NASA. Happy #NationalInternDay” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

Artemis Launch – Download Here

Alt Text: NASA’s Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System ascends from its launch pad while overlaid text reads “There’s space for me at NASA.” As the massive rocket approaches the top of the screen, its bright exhaust turns the entire screen white. Once the screen is white, it transitions to an empty background with text stating “Happy #NationalInternDay” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

Saturn’s Rings – Download Here

Alt Text: Saturn and its rings with the Sun in the background. Overlaid text reads “There’s space for me at NASA.” As the graphic zooms out from Saturn, an additional line below the original text states “Happy #NationalInternDay” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

Earth Flare – Download Here

Alt Text: The Earth’s upper atmosphere at night as seen from the International Space Station, overlaid text reads “There’s space for me at NASA”. As the Space Station nears the Earth’s daylight side the Sun’s bright light drowns out the entire image in blue then white. Once the screen is white it transitions to an empty background with text stating “Happy #NationalInternDay” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

Earth Orbit – Download Here

Alt Text: The Earth’s horizon during the day as recorded from the International Space Station. White wispy clouds, blue oceans, and light brown land are seen beyond the horizon with overlaid text stating “There’s space for me at NASA.” The original text fades away and is replaced with text reading “Happy #NationalInternDay” with an animated red, white, and blue NASA meatball logo below the text. Credit: NASA/Greg Lee

Social Media Ideas

Interested in using some of the visuals we’ve created but don’t know where to start? Consider posts on any of these topics.

Current Intern
– How has your NASA internship impacted you so far?

– What is a favorite memory you’ve made during your internship?

– Is there anything you are looking forward to during your internship?

Former Intern

– How did your NASA internship change your life and/or career?

– What was your internship experience like?

– What piece of advice would you share with new interns?

– What surprised you the most about working in this company or industry?

– Looking back, what are you most proud of achieving or contributing to during your internship?

Intern Mentor

– What has it been like supporting interns?
– How has working with interns affected you and/or your mission?

– What have you learned from your interns?

Intern Colleague

– How has working with interns affected you and/or your mission?

– What advice, if any, do you have for interns?

– What is a positive memory you have had with a NASA intern?