The National Space Club Scholars Page

This page provides details of the most recent Scholars Program class, including the names and school affiliations of the student interns at both the Goddard Space Flight Center and the Wallops Flight Facility. For the two preceding years, the class group picture, selected responses to the program questions, and the program evaluation matrix will be posted here. Thus, you will find here the complete information for 2006, and the summary data for 2005 and 2004. They will be rotated as each new Scholars class is activated, and the oldest one will be removed. Each of these sections can be easily accessed by using the navigation buttons in the left margin.

In addition, items of interest concerning the Club's Youth Education activities in general and those involving past NSC Scholars, will be posted under the section heading NSC Scholars News immediately below.

Annual Youth Education Luncheon

The Annual Youth Education Luncheon took place at the Goddard Employees Welfare Association's "Barney and Bea Recreation Center", NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, on Tuesday, August 1, 2006. This event takes place each year near the conclusion of the six-week internship of the NSC Scholars Program, and provides the opportunity for the students, their families and their mentors to mingle and share stories of the experience, and for the National Space Club to honor the achievements of these talented young people. In addition, the winners of the regional Science Fairs, judged by officers and friends of the National Space Club, are included in this celebration of the Club's activities in youth education in support of science and engineering.

Over 120 students, family, mentors and friends enjoyed a lunch prepared by Barney and Bea themselves, as can be seen in this view of the dining area.

A short program followed lunch, introduced by Dr. Laurie Leshin, Director, Sciences and Exploration Directorate, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Program Coordinator Diane Cockrell then introduced the two student speakers, Sarah Morrison and Michael Kuhlman, who offered their views of "The Internship Experience", reproduced below. Diane Cockrell then awarded Certificates of Achievement to the 2006 Scholars, signifying the conclusion of their summer experience. The happy crowd is shown here.

Marc Johansen, the National Space Club's Youth Education Chairman, next presented certificates to the regional Science Fair winners. He also recognized the many officers and friends of the Space Club who had judged the Science Fair competitions, with the following eight winners, five of whom were at the luncheon to receive their certificates and are shown in the picture beneath the list of names. These talented students also each received a $500 award from the National Space Club in recognition of their achievements.

   Megan Ammirati*
   Amanda Andrei*
   Michael Cohen
   Anh Nguyen*
   Frederick Olson
   Charles Lee Schilling
   Julie Walker
   Patrick Wilshere

* Not available for the group picture

Closing remarks were made by Dr. Robert Gabrys, Education Officer for the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and the program was concluded by Diane Cockrell.

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Sarah Morrison offered these comments on her internship experience:

"Hello, my name is Sarah Morrison and I am a 16 year old rising senior at Atholton High School. When first coming to NASA Goddard I have to admit I did not really know what to expect. As a lowly high school intern, I anticipated that I would have to complete menial tasks instead of being able to immerse myself in scientific research like I wanted. But oh, how mistaken I was.

"The very first day my mentor, Dr. Frey, suggested a project concerning crater counts on Mars. It sounded interesting at the time, and here I am six weeks later with cumulative frequency curves that might provide evidence for secondary impacts from the ejecta of very large impacts that formed the Hellas and Argyre impact basins in the Martian southern uplands. Not only have I developed visible and buried crater counts, but also I have compared crater populations with Dr. Frey to determine the geological history of areas on Mars.

"Throughout my stay here at Goddard, the Goddard library and Dr. Frey himself have been invaluable resources for my research. This internship has given me work experience as well as renewed enthusiasm for hard work and learning. I see direct and obvious results of my labor, showing that an internship is worth as much as one puts into it. Since I have been enjoying myself all summer, the crater count work has not been menial drudgery, but intriguing hints at the geologic past of Mars.

"This internship brings me a new perspective into my future college major of physics. I have seen different applications and specialized fields, helping me to differentiate between the occupations of the classic geophysicist, astrophysicist, cosmologist, and others. It has also shown me an “insider’s” glimpse of how NASA operates. I imagine I will look back on this summer with a feeling of content nostalgia; if given the chance I will definitely return next summer and may participate in the NASA Co-op program in college. I urge other students to remember all of the opportunities they have been given here and consider returning as well. I especially thank Dr. Frey, Diane Cockrell, and the National Space Club for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to learn and get a taste of work in the field of planetary geophysics. Thank you."

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Michael Kuhlman's remarks are provided here:

"As you heard, my name is Michael Kuhlman, part of the National Space Club Scholar’s program. I’m a returning student to the program, and have had the opportunity to work with the Earth Observing System here on East campus and with the Optics Branch in the applied engineering directorate over on the Main campus.

"It is quite common that during my summer people ask me where I’m working. When I respond with the word “NASA,” people are impressed. Very impressed. One begins to take for granted the credibility of the world’s finest space program.

"NASA has given me many experiences that I would’ve never been able to gain during high school. What comes to mind first is all the programming skills I’ve learned here at NASA for the two summers I’ve been here since both internships involved a lot of programming. This year I also took part in some lab work. Few high school students are allowed into facilities and are actually allowed to touch things. The other day in search of a regular Phillips screw driver I was pushing aside all kinds of fine instruments used to build satellite components.

"But the technical skills learned here are only a small part of what’s learned. My first year at NASA was my first exposure to the work environment. You learn what is expected of you from your boss and from your co workers.

"During my first year I spent the majority of my time on team projects. I was a part of the Earth Observing System, or EOS, where they would collect data from earth orbiting satellites and package it up for the public to use. My project was to design PowerPoint presentations for EOS to determine what satellite data products should be kept and what ones should be scrapped. In other words, how many people ask for rainfall data in the Western US? Would they care if that information was no longer available? Everyone knows how many cuts the budget has had.

"In order to create these PowerPoint presentations, not only did I have to do a lot of number crunching, but I needed input from the team as to how I display that data. During all those long meetings, I learned the workplace’s dirtiest little secret. People actually enjoy meetings deep down inside, no matter how much they gripe about it on the outside. You actually have a sense of accomplishment when you leave that meeting.

"The second year I was much more independent on my work. Instead of going to people for help, I usually had to research my problem since no one in the office did what I was doing. My project this year was to figure out how to “convert” old FORTRAN code by wrapping it in C++. This newly wrapped C++ code could then be used in the latest computer programs, such as Mathcad, a step down from Matlab.

"Another thing I learned was how important it was to DOCUMENT EVERYTHING, so that if you forget how you did something, you don’t have to redo it. My notes saved myself many hours of work this summer.

"With all these engineers and scientists around, it almost comes naturally to ask them about what they do for a living. You learn a lot about yourself then, thinking about what you want to do with your life after college. The opportunity to be able to ask so many engineers what engineering and science is really about is rare for people our age. Being at NASA gives us a small glimpse as to what our future has in store for us.

"In addition to the technical skills learned and the work experience gained, there is also that uplifting feeling from working at NASA. Holding a $1000 check that you had to work hard to earn gives money a different value. The gratification felt after completing a task that you know will actually help real scientists do their jobs is great.

"To think that I have some computer programs that I developed in the room next door to where the world’s most advanced satellites are built is mind boggling. And I did that while still in high school. Hopefully the programs I created during my two years here will benefit NASA for years to come. We’ll see.

"I thank NASA for the experience it has given me these past two summers. Thank you."

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Notes from a former NSC Scholar

Patrick Bass was a two-year member of the NSC Scholars classes of 1999 and 2000, working with Chuck Hanchak in 1999, and with Dr. Eugene Waluschka in 2000. Patrick recently sent the following email note to Chuck Hanchak, and it indicates the significance that the program can have on the course of a young person's life.

"Hello, I'm hoping you remember me from a while back, my name is Patrick Bass and I used to intern for you through the National Space Club Scholars. I just wanted to say thank you for giving me the opportunity, those many years ago, to learn some of what goes on at NASA. I am about to graduate from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a bachelors in aerospace engineering and a lot of what has gotten me here is because of what I learned from you. I will be commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the USAF upon graduation and be a Communications and Information officer. Though I did not receive an engineering job in the Air Force, I do plan on pursuing my masters in aerospace engineering at Auburn University and hope to start a career in this field after I have served my time in the military. I am looking forward to my future and I owe a great deal of thanks for getting me here from the opportunities that I had from working with you. Thank you again and I hope to stay in touch. Sincerely, Patrick Bass"

Patrick graduated in May 2005 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force. He sent the following additional comments when asked for permission to post his remarks on this web site: "As for the Space Club program, I think it is a great opportunity for students to get involved in science and learn about the kind of great things they can get into when they get older. It is a very good stepping stone into the real world of science and engineering. I had the privelage to be an intern in this program for two summers. ...I had a great time being a Space Club Scholar and would love to do it again."

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The 2006 National Space Club Scholars Program at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD and NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA ran from June 26 through August 4. Here is a group picture of the 2006 scholars.

The 2006 NSC Scholars and their schools are listed below, and for those who have graduated, their college or university.

Goddard Space Flight Center

   Adam Beier, River Hill H.S./Duke University
   Ian Byrnes, DeMatha Catholic H.S./St. Mary's College
   Henry Chen, River Hill H.S.
   Greg Dion, Archdiocese of Washington
   Edwin Fernandes, Paint Branch H.S./UMCP
   Kenneth Getzandanner, Catoctin H.S./Embry-Riddle Aero. Univ.
   David Gu, Urbana H.S.
   John Hooff, Thomas S. Wootton H.S./University of Michigan
   Laura Huang, Centennial H.S.
   Pooya Khorrami, Springbrook H.S.
   Theresa Kummerer, Annapolis H.S.
   Michael Kuhlman**, La Plata H.S./Clarkson University
   Neil Lagola, Hammond H.S.
   Jesse Marder, Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School
   Michael Medeiros, Winston Churchill H.S./Princeton University
   Sarah Morrison**, Atholton H.S.
   Joseph Nicholas, Washington International School
   Jordan Sawadogo, Springbrook H.S.
   William Schoenfelder, Montgomery Blair H.S.
   Jennifer Sichler, Howard H.S./UMCP
   Jeff Stanford, Mount Hebron H.S.
   Jack Stopak, Washington International School
   Alicia Walker, Thiomas Stone H.S./UMCP
   Adam Yozwiak, Atholton H.S.
   Joseph Zwicker, Madison H.S.

Wallops Flight Facility
   Nancy Franklin, Snow Hill H.S.
   Trevor Savage, Broadwater Academy/College of William and Mary
   Benjamin Simko, Arcadia H.S./Virginia Tech
   Elizabeth Timmons, Pocomoke H.S.
   Thomas Wilson, Ardadia H.S.

** Scholars sponsored through the generous donation to the NSC Youth Education Support Campaign by Joel Achenbach, from the Washington Post, of his honorarium as guest speaker at the 2006 Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner, .

2006 Scholars' Comments

Selected comments on the program from the 2006 Scholars class will be posted here as soon as they are available following wrap-up of the program for the year.

2006 Scholars' Evaluations

The evaluation ratings of the program from the 2006 Scholars class will be posted here as soon as they are available following wrap-up of the program for the year.

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The 2005 National Space Club Scholars Program at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD and NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA ran from June 27 through August 5. Here is a group picture of the 2005 scholars.

2005 Scholars' Comments

The scholars were asked for their comments and responses to several questions related to the program. Two of the questions, and some of the responses, are given below.

Briefly list the major duties you performed during your National Space Club Scholars experience.

* While an intern here at NASA I worked on a program called Gridview, which has been under development for almost a decade. Gridview is designed to view and take calculations of the topography, crustal thickness, and other data from planets, especially Mars. I specifically created a few shortcut buttons in the main window of gridview, helped to add functionality for .JPEG images, and worked on an image overlay feature which automatically created a color scheme for a set of data and used it to "overlay" the original grayscale image.

* After a crash course in the history of ionospheric research and various types of wave resonances, I analyzed data from the IMAGE satellite's Radio Plasma Imager (RPI). I worked with various types of plasmagrams and dynamic spectra, and compiled the data I analyzed in various spreadsheets and graphs. I presented my findings at several data meetings and teleconferences that involved all scientists who work with the RPI instrument.

* During my National Space Club Scholars Experience, I programmed various motions for the arm of a TET-walker, a new type of rover that can potentially traverse the rocky landscapes of other planets. I used Java code to create XML scripts, which basically set up the structures and commanded them to move according to the numbers that I inputted. Using various formulas for curvatures and sine waves, I created a twisting motion, where the arm "hooked" and then twisted 360 degrees, an inch-worm motion, where the arm lay sideways and imitated a worm moving, and a snake motion, where the arm imitated a snake moving like a sine curve.

Please list what you think were the most valuable aspects of the Program.

* I think that having the opportunity to work with real scientists and engineers in a real scientific environment is really awesome. Even if the work seems boring or tedious sometimes, it really makes you appreciate the work that these people do, and allows us to decide if this is really what we want to do with our lives. I also enjoyed being part of the NASA community for two summers, where the employees are very nice and enthusiastic about their jobs. I also thought that it was really cool that we were exposed to so many different aspects of science and given a very honest portrayl of the space program.

* Working directly with scientists who work in a field which interests me was amazing. My mentor was great. Making numerous contacts within NASA will surely come in handy in the future. I learned many things about the inner workings of NASA and the efforts of people from all nations to explore space.

* The most valuable aspects of the Program were being able to apply what I had learned in school and being able to make connections to real employees at Goddard Space Flight Center. It was a rewarding experience to actually use the programming skills and calculus skills I had learned in high school in order to create computer simulations. It was always good to communicate with Goddard employees and see what opportunities were available to me, should I choose a career at NASA.

* I think that the most valuable aspects of NSCS is just getting hands-on experience by working at the Goddard Space Flight Center. By being able to work with a mentor and perform the tasks that they themselves do, you get a better understanding of NASA and the workplace. The experience will greatly help me in the future, and it has opened my eyes to possible careers that I may pursue with NASA.

2005 Scholars' Evaluations

The Scholars are asked to provide an evaluation at the end of the program each year, indicating their degree of agreement with a series of evaluation statements. Using a ratings scale of 5=strongly agree, 4=agree, 3=neutral, 2=disagree, 1=strongly disagree, 0=no rating, the average ratings for the 2005 survey were:

Statement	Rating
The Program was a valuable experience	4.96
The presentation/session was well organized	4.67
Because of the Program, I am encouraged to continue in science, mathematics, or engineering studies	4.58
Please rate the Program Staff	5
Please rate the Program	4.71
What kind of recommendation would you make to someone who asks you about applying to this Program?	4.83

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The 2004 National Space Club Scholars Program at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD and NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA ran from June 28 through August 6. Here is a group picture of the 2004 scholars.

2004 Scholars' Comments

The scholars were asked for their comments and responses to several questions related to the program. Two of the questions, and some of the responses, are given below.

Briefly list the major duties you performed during your National Space Club Scholars experience.

* During my National Space Club Scholars experience, I worked on creating and updating the Magnetic Petrology Database which will be displayed online for public viewing. Goddard's database will be combined with that of the USGS (United States Geological Survey) in the near future, creating the largest Magnetic Petrology Database ever. I worked with many new computer programs in order to do this.

* During my National Space Club Scholars experience I was constructing a new website for the Cassini CIRS (Composite Infrared Spectrometer) website. The main aspects of this include research, updating the website's content, updating and constructing new images, and enhancing the website in general.

* Research on the advanced materials to be used in the ANTS solar sail craft. Design of an opening and closing mechanism to be used to maneuver the ANTS solar sail craft. Research on the physics involved in solar sailing.

Please list what you think were the most valuable aspects of the Program.

* The most valuable aspects of the program were, for me, the insight into my mentor's real scientific research, the exposure to new software, and the ability to pretend, for a month and a half, that I was a space scientist, and to see how I liked it. Another valuable aspect of the program was seeing the way a government agency functions, and the opportunities that are open to students of all levels at Goddard.

* I think the pure fact that I was able to work at an esteemed government establishment rather than a fast food restaurant gave the program value in and of itself. Above and beyond that the colloquia and symposia were extremely interesting. The program was a great asset and extremely valuable.

* One of the most valuable aspects of the program I would believe would be the time you would get to spend with the real NASA scientist and engineers. Not many students get to experience this and are lucky enough to get the opportunity to explore potential career fields in this way. One of the more important aspects of this program is that it helps the students make some of the essential decisions they will have to make in their scholarly careers The program also focuses on ways to extend the relationship of the interns with the organization after high school with introductions to Cooperative Education and other career motivating programs for college students.

* The most valuable aspect of this program is the ability to work on exciting problems with the guidance and support of a well experienced and capable engineer. I cannot think of another place where I would have been given an opportunity to work on similar projects with co-workers of the same caliber. This created a challenging yet productive environment. Before this program, I considered myself very capable in the field of computer science, yet I believe that with the help of this program I have almost doubled my knowledge and ability.

* Networking was a critical aspect of the program. Here at the NASA GSFC, I worked with several excellent co-workers. I was surrounded by other students who attend or will attend good engineering colleges. I was even able to meet with the Division and Branch heads and associate with many engineers. As a result, I learned a lot of what I will soon need for my own college experience. In addition, the information I learned on the technology of NASA is also invaluable. This was my first taste on how a government division operates.

2004 Scholars' Evaluations

The Scholars were also asked to provide an evaluation at the end of the program each year, indicating their degree of agreement with a series of evaluation statements. Using a ratings scale of 5=strongly agree, 4=agree, 3=neutral, 2=disagree, 1=strongly disagree, 0=no rating, the average ratings for the 2004 survey were:

Statement	Rating
The Program was a valuable experience	4.83
The presentation/session was well organized	4.42
Because of the Program, I am encouraged to continue in science, mathematics, or engineering studies	4.67
Please rate the Program Staff	4.88
Please rate the Program	4.67
What kind of recommendation would you make to someone who asks you about applying to this Program?	4.65

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