Background
School and Major: Queens College (City University of New York) in New York City, where I am pursuing a master’s in Geological and Environmental Science.
How did you get interested in earth science? What drew you to NASA?
My interest in the Earth Science field began very early on during my elementary school years. Not only was I learning to care for wildlife, such as raising monarch butterflies, frogs, chicks, and our class Gennie pig, we were also given the opportunity to encounter and learn about other animals from sanctuary and conservation centers. These encounters made me realize that there was more to my surroundings than what I saw in front of me and many different creatures that lived in different systems, but all shared the same space as people. It was these encounters that made me want to learn, engage, and protect the environment we all rely on in a way I could contribute to. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew I would find it one day. Plus, envisioning myself in the field made me happy and that I made the right choice to pursue my career goal in Environmental Science, despite some saying that I should choose a different alternative due to my physical disability. During my undergrad years, I wanted to explore opportunities that would allow me to find my niche in the field and gain new skill sets along the way. This led to me interest in water quality management for it is a universal solvent that all life relies on, and I enjoy visualizing data to communicate messages and the organizing of parts to make a goal come true.
I found out about NASA internships, when the agency was at New York Comic Con presenting The First Woman graphic novel in 2021. I was hesitant in applying because I initially associated NASA with Space exploration, engineers, and mathematicians. Their presence at the convention and talking to them about the program made me more confident in applying because there was more to NASA than what they were known for. While reviewing the many projects available, I knew that there was a project that would work towards my interest in Earth Science and that everything was an opportunity to learn new skills and develop new interests.
Describe what your work is like at NASA. What’s your favorite part of the job so far?
My work as a Prizes and Challenges Intern within the Earth Science Applied Science’s Program has led me to engage in several projects, which is challenging and exciting for it provides the opportunity for me to apply what I have learned from one project to another, understanding my strengths, and what I find difficult across project topics. My main focus as a returning intern is analyzing NASA’s history in crowdsourcing to support Earth and Environmental sciences (ES) with the aim of understanding impacts and value added from these projects. This has led to reviewing past competitions within ES and interviewing Prizes and Challenges experts within the field to capture participation metrics and insights to develop a case study on defining success for prize competitions.
My favorite part of the role so far has been practicing my communication skills and learning how to write reports, for I am generally used to writing scientific reports due to the courses I had taken towards my degree. Plus, interacting and coordinating with other interns is amazing. I had learned so much from them because everyone had different stories to tell, insights to share, and different skillsets to learn from.
What are your goals?
My goal during the internship is to continue seeking insights from mentors and peers who share the same interest in me and to improve my data analysis and writing skills. As I work towards the finish line of my degree, I plan to explore opportunities in the water conservation field where I can contribute and practice what I have learned, as well as find my niche in the field for that is still up in the air. However, I have come to learn that goals and interest can change, so I am keeping an open mind to opportunities that may present itself, while keeping true to my ultimate goals.
What are your hobbies?
During my free time, I enjoy organizing, reading, collecting Pokemon cards, and enjoying a relaxing time with my family and pets.