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MATTHEW ALEXANDER -
A first year recipient, and a resident of
Richmond, Vermont. Matthew is a third year biology student at St. Michael’s
College. He is interested in the human health aspect of the Exploration
Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) and would like to study the cellular and
molecular mechanisms of human cells and apply this knowledge to the
maintenance of proper human cell function in space. He says his learning
experiences have inspired him to attend graduate school, obtain a Ph.D. in
cellular and/or molecular biology, and pursue a career in biomedical
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BARBARA DEWEY - A third year recipient, and a resident of Highgate,
Vermont. Barbara is a third year mathematics student at University of
Vermont. She is a UVM Honors College student, a resident advisor in the
Honors College and is a well respected tutor in math, statistics and physics
classes. She says at some point in her career she would like to work for the
government. This summer she has an internship with a government body. She
will be part of the Director’s Summer Program at the National Security
Agency. She will be working on real problems using higher-level mathematics.
She is very excited about the internship and also the possibilities that it
brings for the future
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KATHERINE GALLO - A first
year recipient, and a resident of Richmond, Vermont. Katherine is a third
year electrical engineering student at University of Vermont. She currently
works for UVM as a TechCat. She trains professors and students in multimedia
software, webct/blackboard, blogging and web design. She also worked as an
intern for the company Hunt Construction Group. She is working on an
undergraduate research project with a CS graduate student at UVM on wireless
sensors. This project is a starting point to learning more about the same
technology that NASA uses in Mars Robot and the Hubble Space Craft. She is
an active IEEE member. She is working on the AERO (Alternative Energy Racing
Organization) project with undergraduate students on designing the
microcontroller for the car. She is a member of Society of Women Engineers.
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GRAHAM HAGEN-PETER - A first year recipient, and a
resident of Underhill, Vermont. Graham is a second year geology student at
University of Vermont. This summer he will be doing research in a limestone
cave system in Italy which is actively forming mostly due to the activity of
microbes that neither photosynthesize nor oxidize organic material, but
instead oxidize sulfur to produce energy. He also works as an operating room
assistant at Fletcher Allen Health Care for the past two and a half years.
He has developed an acute interest in the medical profession. He says this
field is also directly relevant to NASA’s goals. He also says advanced
technology in aeronautics and engineering along with an increased
understanding of the processes of the Earth and life are vital to these
goals. |
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CAITLIN HILL -
A first year recipient, and a resident of
Ludlow, Vermont. Caitlin is a third year mechanical
engineering student at University of Vermont. In
the middle of her junior year, an opportunity arose for a six month
internship with General Electric Aviation in Rutland, VT. Her curiosity in
aeronautics and aviation had grown and the internship would allow her to
learn and gain first-hand experience in the industry. She was offered a
position and gladly accepted. She also decided to apply for a three month
summer internship with GE Aviation in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she would be
able to be more involved with research and design of the aircraft engines.
She hopes to be able to experiment more with robotics. During her
internship, she built a robotic airfoil production cell. She also worked
with materials in her internship. She learned with a profound impact
materials science can have for NASA and the aerospace industry. She hopes
that her work with General Electric Aviation will allow her to make an
impact on the aerospace industry. Her career intentions follow her interests
in aerospace technology. She will return to GE Aviation after graduation.
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PAIGE LEENSTRA - A first
year recipient, and a resident of Hinesburg, Vermont. Paige is a third year
biochemistry student at University of Vermont. She has been working in a
biochemistry lab with Dr. Christopher Francklyn since May 2007. Her project
involves the strategic mutation of an enzyme that usually adds the amino
acid histidine to tRNA, in order to coax the enzyme into adding a
non-natural amino acid instead. She says participating in research has
taught her much about biochemistry, but additionally it has taught her about
thinking outside the box, as the strategies and techniques for what she has
accomplished and what she will accomplish require innovative ideas. She
plans to attend graduate school and gain the knowledge and skills she needs
to become an expert in her field, in the form of a Ph.D. in biochemistry, or
an M.D./Ph.D. program. She says she finds it interesting that through the
quest for outer space, NASA has been able to significantly change medical
technology to improve people’s health. |
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TRAVIS ORR - A first year
recipient, and a resident of Orwell, Vermont. Travis is a first year physics
student at St. Michael’s College. He currently works in the campus Media
Services department and also participates in an Intervarsity Christian
Fellowship group. He says that he is not only challenged by his science and
math studies, but the curriculum requires him to take classes in a wide
variety of subjects. This pursuit of knowledge adds to his view of the
world, both philosophically and scientifically, and opens up his thinking to
new ways of approaching issues. The opportunity to continue his studies in
both physics and mathematics can lead him to many career opportunities in
the future. However, the premiere leading scientific research institute is
NASA, and the opportunity to be part of the team would be an amazing
fulfillment of his academic endeavors. |
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JANET SOLTAU - A first year
recipient, and a resident of South Burlington, Vermont. Janet is a second
year math and education student at University of Vermont. She says she wants
to be a math and physics teacher. NASA is working towards uncovering some of
the secrets of the universe, but without math and physics, the whole
operation would be lost. By teaching students the basics of math and
physics, I hope to inspire them to follow these paths as they decide on
their careers. She says that she was offered a spot at NASA’s Langley
Research Center, but she had already accepted a position with the Center for
Ultra-Cold Atoms through MIT and Harvard. There she will be teaching physics
to middle and high school students in a program called Teaching
Opportunities in Physical Science (TOPS). She is excited to participate in
this program because it will allow her to work with students on a curriculum
that she gets to design with a group of her peers. After graduation she
plans to get a job in the Burlington area teaching high school and earn a
Masters in education. |
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HOPE YU - A second year
recipient, and a resident of South Burlington, Vermont. Hope is a second
year molecular biology and biochemistry student at Middlebury College. She
is a winner of the IBM Watson Scholarship 2007. She is a semi-finalist of
the 2007 Presidential Scholar Program and a member of the National Honor
Society. She was a Gold Medalist at the 2005 Vermont State Science and
Mathematics Fair, and also a winner of the South Burlington Varsity Tennis
Coach’s Award. Hope studies the fields of science, technology, engineering
and mathematics to prepare herself for a career in medical research. This
past year she has decided to partake in the pre-medical program as well as
continue her studies in mathematics. Her hope is that her education at
Middlebury College will enable her to participate in many future research
opportunities through NASA. |