Page 2 - Aerotech News and Review, August 20, 2021

NASA internships completed virtually

Reader’s
Sarah Mann
NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center
Services
Imagine getting a dream internship at NASA.
There is so much to look forward to from the
How to contact
exciting new discoveries, to meeting the brilliant Aerotech News and Review
engineers and scientists, and learning from men-
tors about potential careers. • E-Mail: editor@aerotechnews.com
• Phone: (661) 945-5634
Then the pandemic hits and the majority of
NASA employees are required to work from • Fax: (661) 723-7757
• Website: www.aerotechnews.com
home — including students. For two interns at
NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in
Edwards, Calif., the learning experience was Advertising
complicated by working in a virtual environment. Corporate Headquarters:
Internships are an important part of NASA’s (877) 247-9288
STEM engagement and as part of the recent Email: sbueltel@aerotechnews.com
National Intern Day, Juan Battaglia and Gra-
cie Awalt described their experiences.
Many NASA internships are hands on in a lab Subscriber Services
and working completely remote made learning Subscriptions to Aerotech News
and Review are $59 for six
those new skills difficult, Battaglia said. His in- months or $89 for one year. For
ternship at NASA Armstrong focused on develop- more information, contact the
ing a climate control circuit for the micro Fiber subscription department at:
Optic Sensing System (micro FOSS) unit. Batta- (661) 945-5634
glia was specifically tasked with designing a cir-
cuit that would heat and cool the device in ex-
treme conditions. Courtesy photographs Story ideas, letters, editorials
Battaglia is a junior at the University of Cen- Juan Battaglia’s virtual internship during 2020 took place at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Please send all letters and editorials to
tral Florida, who is studying electrical engineer- Center in Edwards, Calif. His internship focused on developing a climate control circuit for the micro Stuart A. Ibberson, editor,
ing. Without the commute to work, he had time Fiber Optic Sensing System (micro FOSS) unit. at editor@aerotechnews.com.
to not only complete his internship, but also his
schoolwork. The remote internship had its chal- “Daily meetings do a lot to make you feel more positive aspects of her virtual internship was her
lenges, but the NASA Armstrong team worked to integrated, and being able to call your co-workers ability to discipline herself and mange her intern-
include Battaglia as much virtually as he would at any time is great for when you get stuck on a ship tasks which gave her a new skillset to later Web Site
have been in person. problem,” said Battaglia. “I would call at least manage her final year of college remotely. Access the Aerotech News web
one of my mentors individually about once a “I think I learned new skills working remote- site at www.aerotechnews.com
day, depending on what kind of problem I was ly, and I handled it well after I got used to it,” Submissions for upcoming events, air
dealing with. They were always very helpful and said Awalt. shows and museums
seemed genuinely interested in what I was doing, She planned out her day by checking a spread- should be emailed to
and how I was thinking about a problem.” sheet she created that listed her daily tasks, as editor@aerotechnews.com.
Battaglia said he learned the skills needed to well as major project tasks she was working on For questions concerning the web site,
complete his assigned tasks. over time. contact the webmaster at
“Being able to arrive at a solution after lots of “It gave me perspective on what I needed to webmaster@aerotechnews.com.
brainstorming and research gave me a sense of accomplish in the future, and what I’d already
accomplishment despite not being able to see it achieved,” shared Awalt.
all come together in person,” he said. Many internships for college students
“The most important things that this intern- Where you can get
ship gave me are the confidence in my skills as a were cancelled during the pandemic, however, Aerotech News and Review
professional and as an engineer, and perspective NASA adapted and made them happen remotely. For information on
on what the engineering industry is really like,” Just like the NASA workforce was adapting to Aerotech distribution, call
said Battaglia. “I was really impressed by how working from home, so were the interns. (661) 945-5634 or visit
much my mentors cared about what I was doing On learning of her acceptance for her NASA www.aerotechnews.com/distribution.
and what I was thinking. They trusted the interns internship, Awalt shared, “I felt amazing, it felt
to complete their projects, and that gave us a huge like fate. I was not mad that it was happening
sense of responsibility”. during the pandemic at the time, because I was Aerotech News and Review is published
For Awalt, it took some adjustment to get grateful to be doing anything at all, let alone every other Friday, serving the
used to a remote internship, but once she did, something that literally contributed to something aerospace and defense industry of
Gracie Awalt provided support to the Office of she thrived. as impactful and inspiring as NASA missions.” Southern California, Nevada and
Strategic Communications on the Low Boom She provided support to the Office of Strate- Internships at NASA Armstrong continue to Arizona. News and ad copy deadline
Flight Demonstrator X-59 during her 2020 virtual gic Communications, specifically working on the thrive and are again taking place this year in the is noon on the Tuesday prior to
internship at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Low Boom Flight Demonstrator X-59, during virtual environment. To learn more about NASA publication. The publisher assumes no
Center in Edwards, Calif.
her virtual internship last year. One of the many internships visit the https://intern.nasa.gov/. than space used. Your comments are
responsibility for error in ads other
Plane Crazy Saturday set for Aug. 21 welcomed and encouraged. Write to
the address below.
The August 2021 Plane Crazy Saturday runs 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Aug. 21 at the Mojave Air and
Space Port. • Publisher ....................Paul Kinison
Sponsored by the Mojave Transportation Museum, this month’s event features Diane Barney • Business Manager ....... Lisa Kinison
sharing her exciting flying adventure to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisc. • Editor .................... Stuart Ibberson
Barney’s presentation begins at 11 a.m. in the MASP Board Room. Please R.S.V.P. to • National Advertising
info@mojavemuseum.org, or call 661-824-8417. Manager .....................Paul Kinison
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sure to wear a hat and sunscreen. This event is kid friendly.
Historic aircraft forms will be signed during the event. Attendees are reminded that the only Aerotech News and Review
animals allowed on the flight line are service animals, and the flight line is a no-smoking area. e-mail: editor@aerotechnews.com
The Museum would like to thank the sponsors of this event: the Mojave Air and Space Port, Visit our web site at
Aerotech News and Review, The Loop Community Newspaper, Scaled Composites, Comfort Inn
& Suites, Golden Queen Mining Company, The Rosamond News, Mission Bank, Karl’s Hardware www.aerotechnews.com
— Mojave, Rosamond and Boron, Thom Lapworth — CivMil support, and Voyager Restaurant.
For more information, visit www.mojavemuseum.org, or visit the Facebook page. Diane Barney
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