Background
School and Major: University of Southern California, studying for a B.S. in Economics + Mathematics and an M.S. in Applied Data Science
How did you get interested in Prizes & Challenges? What drew you to NASA?
After experiencing working for corporate this past summer, I decided I really needed to try something else. I figured NASA would be a refreshing shift from that, as a government agency. I actually wasn’t sure what Prizes & Challenges completely entailed before I started working in it, but the idea of open innovation intrigued me, so I leapt in—and I’m glad I did.
Describe what your work is like at NASA. What’s your favorite part of the job so far?
Since the start of my internship a few months ago, I’ve learned so much and have met a lot of amazing people. My work is always interesting, and I feel like I’m not only gaining an understanding of new content, but also acquiring new ways of thinking and engaging with material. And even though my work is remote, I feel connected with everyone I work with! I was worried it would be hard to integrate myself with the time zone differences and online meetings, but my team has been incredible with welcoming me as a part of them. They’re my favorite part of my job :)
What are your goals?
Right now, I’m in my last year of my bachelor’s degree, which feels like a weird transitionary period in my life. I still am not sure of what I really want to do career-wise, but as of now I’m just trying out different things and gaining fresh experiences—both professionally and in my personal life. I think my goals for the near future are that I want to travel as much as I can and hear from a wide range of people’s perspectives, learning about myself and the world as I do this.
What are your hobbies?
I’ve always had an affinity toward art! Any type of visual art: sketching, painting, sculpting, etc; anything to do with my hands. I’ve been pretty busy recently so admittedly I haven’t made any art for a while, but I’m trying to motivate myself to make time for it. Other than that, I love studying at cafes, ice skating, hiking, longboarding, and fueling my fruit tea addiction.