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Matthew Kowalewski: Aerospace Engineer and Curious About Everything
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By NASA
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement at Johnson Space Center offers Texas high school students a unique gateway to the world of space exploration through the High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) program. This initiative gives juniors hands-on experience, working on projects that range from designing spacecraft to planning Mars missions.
Nearly 30 participants who have been hired by NASA in the past five years are HAS alumni. Their stories highlight the program’s impact on students—inspiring innovation, fostering collaboration, unlocking their potential as they move forward into STEM careers.
Discover how the HAS experience has shaped these former students’ space exploration journey.
Jaylon Collins: Designing the Future of Spaceflight
Jaylon Collins always knew he wanted to study the universe but HAS shifted his perspective on what a STEM career could be.
“HAS brought a newfound perspective on what my STEM career could look like, and that shift led me to where I am today,” Collins said. “The coursework, NASA-led seminars, and space exploration research showed me that I could do direct design work to aid humanity’s exploration of the cosmos. I didn’t want to only learn about our universe—I wanted to help explore it.”
Jaylon Collins with his parents at the University of Texas at Austin after being accepted as a student class of 2028. “HAS showed me that a career in STEM doesn’t require a label, only your passion,” Collins said. “I saw that STEM could lead to endless career paths, and the guide was whatever I was most passionate about.”
He saw firsthand how engineers tackle the challenges of spaceflight, from designing spacecraft to solving complex mission scenarios. His strong performance in the program earned him an invitation to Moonshot, a five-day virtual challenge where NASA scientists and engineers mentor students through an Artemis-themed mission. His team developed a Mars sample return mission, an experience that taught him valuable lessons in teamwork.
“We combined our knowledge to design solutions that fit our mission profile, and I learned how problem-solving goes beyond the obvious tools like math and science,” he said. “Instead, it entails finding unique methods that trade off certain elements to bolster others and finding the optimal solution for our problem. HAS taught me to listen more than talk and take constructive feedback to create a solid plan.”
Now studying aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, Collins credits HAS with building his professional network and opening doors to NASA internship opportunities.
“I learned so much from seminars, my peers, and my Moonshot mentors about not only my academic future but also my prospective career,” he said. “My HAS experience has granted me a web of internship opportunities at NASA through the Gateway Program, and I hope that I can leverage it soon in L’Space Academy’s Lucy Internship.”
Jaylon Collins at Johnson Space Center with the 2024 astronaut graduate class. Collins hopes to contribute to NASA’s mission by developing solutions for deep space travel. Beyond that, he wants to inspire the next generation.
“I believe that the goal of universal knowledge is to reverberate the passions I have onto other curious dreamers,” he said. “Having mentors who teach the curious is the way we progress and innovate as a society, and I am dedicated to being one of those mentors one day.”
Erin Shimoda: Guiding Astronauts to Safety
Erin Shimoda’s path to becoming an aerospace engineer did not start with a clear vision of her future. Growing up in a family full of engineers and scientists, she was already on the STEM path, but she did not know where to focus. HAS changed that.
“HAS exposed me to so many different things that an aerospace engineer does,” she said. “I learned about the history of humans in space, NASA’s missions, how to design 3D models, how to apply equations from math class to real-life scenarios.”
During the program’s summer experience, she and her team designed a mission to send humans to Mars. She credits the program with inspiring her to earn an aerospace engineering degree.
Official portrait of Erin Shimoda. NASA/Josh Valcarcel The HAS program also reshaped her understanding of what a STEM career could look like. “My mentors were incredible. They talked about their projects with such energy and passion. It made me want to feel that way about my own work,” she said. “I didn’t realize before how exciting and innovative working in STEM could be.”
Shimoda said every person she met through HAS was inspiring. “Just knowing that those people existed and worked at NASA helped push me to persevere and succeed in my undergraduate career. I had plenty of bumps in the road, but I had a goal in mind that others had achieved before me, so I knew I could, too.”
One of the biggest lessons she took from the program was the power of collaboration. In high school, she often felt like she was carrying the load on group projects, which left her with a negative view of working on a team. HAS changed that perspective.
“During HAS, everyone was very passionate about accomplishing our goal, so I was consistently supported by my peers,” she said. “That’s so true at NASA, too. Not one single person can build an entire mission to the Moon. We’re all so passionate about accomplishing the mission, so we always support each other and strive for excellence.”
Shimoda also saw firsthand how diverse perspectives lead to better results. “There are many ways to come to a solution, and not every solution is right,” she said. “Collaboration leads to innovation and better problem-solving.”
Erin Shimoda stands in front of a presentation on the Launch Abort System for NASA’s Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket.NASA/Robert Markowitz Now, Shimoda plays a key role in NASA’s Orion Program, ensuring astronaut safety through comprehensive ascent abort planning and procedures, and supporting Artemis recovery operations. She works on guidance, navigation, and control, predicting where the crew module and recovery hardware will land so teams—including the U.S. Navy—are in the right place at the right time.
“It’s exciting because we get to go ‘in the field’ on a U.S. Navy ship during training. Last year, I spent a week on a Navy ship, and seeing everything come together was incredible,” she said.
Her advice for students exploring STEM? “Try every opportunity possible! I joined almost every club imaginable. When I saw the HAS poster in front of my high school’s library, I thought to myself, ‘Well, I’m not in anything space-related yet!’ and the rest is history.”
Looking ahead, she is eager for what is to come. “I’m especially excited for Artemis III, where I’ll be directly involved in recovery operations,” Shimoda said. “I hope that all this work propels us to a future with a sustained human presence on the Moon.”
Hallel Chery: Aspiring Astronaut and Emerging Leader
Hallel Chery is a high school senior who will pursue a degree in mechanical engineering and materials science at Harvard College, with her sights set on becoming both an engineer and an astronaut.
She completed all three stages of HAS: the online course, the virtual Moonshot challenge, and the five-day on-site experience at Johnson. Balancing the program with academics and leading a school-wide tutoring club pushed her limits—but also broadened her confidence.
“I learned that I could take on a tremendous amount of work at one time,” she said. “This realization has helped me become more ambitious in my future plans.”
A portrait of Hallel Chery during her time in the High School Aerospace Scholars program. Moonshot was her proving ground. Tasked with redesigning a module for NASA’s future Gateway lunar space station, she led a team of eight HAS scholars—none of whom she had met before—through an intense, weeklong mission. Their work was presented to NASA scientists and engineers and her group landed among the top teams in the challenge.
“The experience strengthened my confidence in my abilities as a leader,” said Chery. “I learned that I thrive under pressure and am well prepared to tackle any challenge, technical or interpersonal, no matter how difficult it is.”
“Moonshot exposed me for the first time to true, deep teamwork,” she said. “Interacting almost non-stop with the same people over one week in a high stakes situation truly taught me about the dynamics of how teams work, the value of teamwork, and being an effective leader. This, coupled with the program’s emphasis on the importance of teamwork have firmly ingrained in me the essentiality of this core NASA value.”
While at Johnson, Chery toured the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility, watched astronauts suit up at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, and visited the Mission Control Center. “Spending only a few days at Johnson, I can truly say that as an aspiring astronaut, being there felt just like home,” Chery said.
Hallel Chery in a spacesuit mockup at Johnson Space Center. “Because of HAS, I directly visualize myself working in a team to solve the problems I wanted to tackle instead of primarily focusing on the individual accomplishments that will solve them,” she said. “The program taught me how essential teamwork is to effective problem solving and innovation.”
The advice she has for the next generation is to keep exploring and to answer the question: What do you want to contribute for the good of the world?
HAS also introduced her to professional networking early in her academic career. Engaging with NASA professionals provided insight into the agency’s work culture and internship opportunities.
Now, as she prepares for her future in mechanical engineering and materials science, Chery is determined to apply what she has learned.
She is particularly grateful for the mentorship of NASA consultant Gotthard Janson, who provided encouragement and guidance throughout the HAS journey.
“The opportunity to connect with great professionals like him has provided additional wisdom and support as I grow through my academic and professional career,” she said.
Looking ahead, Chery aims to design space habitats, create innovative exercise solutions, and develop advanced materials for use in space.
“I want to help propel humanity forward—on Earth, to the Moon, Mars, and beyond—while inspiring others in the Artemis Generation,” she said. “Building and launching my rocket at Johnson felt like launching my future—one dedicated to contributing to NASA and humanity.”
Johnson Space Center will showcase its achievements at the Texas Capitol for Space Day Texas on Tuesday, March 25. The High School Aerospace Scholars program will have a booth, and NASA will have interactive exhibits highlighting the programs and technologies that will help humanity push forward to the Moon and Mars.
Learn more about NASA’s involvement here.
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By NASA
3 Min Read Career Spotlight: Engineer (Ages 14-18)
What does an engineer do?
An engineer applies scientific principles to design, build, and test machines, systems, or structures to meet specific needs. They follow the steps of the engineering design process to ensure their designs work as planned while meeting a variety of requirements, including size, weight, safety, and cost.
NASA hires several types of engineers to help tackle a range of missions. Whether it’s creating quieter supersonic aircraft, building powerful space telescopes to study the cosmos, or developing spacecraft to take humanity to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, NASA pushes the boundaries of engineering, giving us greater knowledge of our universe and a better quality of life here on Earth.
What are the different types of engineering?
Aerospace engineer: Applies engineering principles to design hardware and software specific to flight systems for use in Earth’s atmosphere or in space. Chemical engineer: Uses chemistry to conduct research or develop new materials. Civil engineer: Designs human-made structures, such as launch pads, test stands, or a future lunar base. Electrical engineer: Specializes in the design and testing of electronics such as computers, motors, and navigation systems. Mechanical engineer: Designs and tests mechanical equipment and systems, such as rocket engines, aircraft frames, and astronaut tools. How can I become an engineer?
High school is the perfect time to build a solid foundation of science and math skills through challenging academic courses as well as extracurricular activities, such as science clubs, robotics teams, or STEM camps in your area. You can also start researching what type of engineering is right for you, what colleges offer those engineering programs, and what you need to do to apply to those colleges.
Engineering roles typically require at least a bachelor’s degree.
How can I start preparing today to become an engineer?
Looking for some engineering experiences you can try right away? NASA STEM offers hands-on activities for a variety of ages and skill levels. Engineering includes iteration – repeating something and making changes in an effort to learn more and improve the process or the design. When you try these activities, make a small change each time you repeat the process, and see whether your design improves.
NASA’s student challenges and competitions give teams the opportunity to gain authentic experience by taking on some of the technological challenges of spaceflight and aviation.
NASA also offers paid internships for U.S. citizens aged 16 and up. Interns work on real projects with the guidance of a NASA mentor. Internship sessions are held each year in spring, summer, and fall; visit NASA’s Internships website to learn about important deadlines and current opportunities.
Advice from NASA engineers
“A lot of people think that just because they are more artistic or more creative, that they’re not cut out for STEM fields. But in all honesty, engineers and scientists have to be creative and have to be somewhat artistic to be able to come up with new ideas and see how they can solve the problems in the world around them.” – Sam Zauber, wind tunnel test engineer
“Students today have so many opportunities in the STEM area that are available to them. See what you like. See what you're good at. See what you don't like. Learn all there is to learn, and then you can really choose your own path. As long as you have the aptitude and the willingness to learn, you're already there.”
Heather Oravec
Aerospace and Geotechnical Research Engineer
“Joining clubs and participating in activities that pique your interests is a great way to develop soft skills – like leadership, communication, and the ability to work with others – which will prepare you for future career opportunities.” – Estela Buchmann, navigation, guidance, and control systems engineer
Additional Resources
Explore NASA+ Engineering Resources Learner Opportunities – NASA Science Career Aspirations with Hubble Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
Careers in Engineering
Join Artemis
NASA App
For Students Grades 9-12
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By NASA
The National Society of Professional Engineers recently named Debbie Korth, Orion deputy program manager at Johnson Space Center, as NASA’s 2025 Engineer of the Year. Korth was recognized during an award ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 21, alongside honorees from 17 other federal agencies. The annual awards program honors the impactful contributions of federal engineers and their commitment to public service.
Debbie Korth received the NASA 2025 Engineer of the Year Award from the National Society of Professional Engineers at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Image courtesy of Debbie Korth Korth said she was shocked to receive the award. “At NASA there are so many brilliant, talented engineers who I get to work with every day who are so specialized and know so much about a certain area,” she said. “It was very surprising, but very appreciated.”
Korth has dedicated more than 30 years of her career to NASA, supporting human spaceflight development, integration, and operations across the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, and Orion Programs. Her earliest roles involved extravehicular and mission operations planning, as well as managing spaceflight hardware for shuttle missions and space station crews. Working on hardware such as the Crew Health Care System in the early days of space station planning and development was a unique experience for Korth.
After spending significant time in Russia collaborating with Russian counterparts to integrate equipment such as a treadmill, cycle ergometer, and blood pressure monitor into their module, Korth recalled, “When we finally got that all delivered and integrated, it was a huge step because we had to have all of that on board before we could put crew members on the station for the first time. I remember feeling a huge sense of accomplishment and happiness that we were able to work through this international partnership and forge those relationships to get that hardware integrated.”
Korth transitioned to the Orion Program in 2008 and has since served in a variety of leadership roles. In her current role, Korth assists the program manager in the design, development, testing, verification, and certification of Orion, NASA’s next-generation, human-rated spacecraft for Artemis missions. The spacecraft’s first flight test around the Moon during the Artemis I mission was a standout experience for Korth and a major accomplishment for the Orion team.
“It was a long mission and every day we were learning more and more about the spacecraft and pushing boundaries,” she said. “We really wrung out some of the core systems – systems that were developed individually and for the first time we got to see them work together.”
Korth said that understanding how different systems interact with each other is what she loves most about engineering. “In systems engineering, you really look at how changes to and the performance of one system affects everything else,” she said. “I like looking across the entire spacecraft and saying, if I have to strengthen this structure to take some additional landing loads, that’s going to add mass to the vehicle, which means I have to look at my parachutes and the thermal protection system to make sure they can handle that increased load.”
The Orion team is working to achieve two major milestones in 2025 – delivery of the Artemis II Orion spacecraft to the Exploration Ground Systems team that will fuel and integrate Orion with its launch abort system at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and the spacecraft’s integration with the Space Launch System rocket, which is currently being stacked. These milestones will support the launch of the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration, with liftoff targeted no earlier than April 2026.
“It’s going to be a big year,” said Korth.
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By NASA
4 Min Read What is an Engineer? (Grades K-4)
This article is for students grades K-4.
Engineers solve problems. They use science and math to create new things or make things work better. There are different kinds of engineers. They work on different kinds of projects. Some engineers design buildings or machines. Others find ways to move heat, power, or water from one place to another. Some create new tools.
NASA needs engineers. They design the things humans need to fly in space or on airplanes. Engineers make great ideas become real.
What do NASA engineers work on?
NASA has many missions. These missions need different kinds of engineers. Here are some of the ways engineers help NASA get the job done.
Spacecraft: These are vehicles that fly in space. NASA engineers decide how a spacecraft should be built and what it should do. They also make sure it will keep astronauts safe. Airplanes: NASA engineers work on airplanes. They design how the plane will look, how fast it will fly, and how much fuel it will use. Telescopes: Telescopes help us see space objects like stars and planets. Some telescopes are placed in orbit for the best view. NASA engineers design them to work in space. Computers: Computers can do complex tasks faster than people. NASA engineers write code that tells computers what to do. Anthony Vareha, NASA flight director Why is it fun to be a NASA engineer?
At NASA, engineers get to work on cool projects. They use science and creativity to find new ways to reach big goals. Here are some of the reasons they like their work.
“Being an engineer is like solving a huge puzzle or building something cool with building blocks. The difference is that the things we make help make the world better and improve people’s lives.” – Othmane Benefan, materials research engineer “I like being an engineer because I get to learn new things almost every day. Most of the engineering projects at NASA are super unique because we are building satellites that study new places all over the solar system (planets, asteroids, even the Sun), and it’s really fun to learn all the ways that we can use robots to explore.” – Phillip Hargrove, launch mission integration engineer “I love to build and create things. At NASA, there’s always something to do, and I get to work with people I enjoy.” – Jenna Sayler, aerospace engineer “I love being an engineer because I love trying to understand how things work. There’s a lot of stuff in our universe. Engineering is the tool I’ve chosen to help make sense of it all.” – Brian Kusnick, mechanical engineer Elaine Stewart, contamination control engineer What are some things I can do to help me become an engineer?
Be curious and excited to learn new things. Learn more about how different types of machines work. Practice making, building, or tinkering with things. Work hard in math and science classes. When you get to middle school or high school, try a NASA student challenge or apply to be a NASA intern. Students over age 16 can apply for NASA internships. Interns work on real projects. NASA team members help guide interns as they learn. Wendy Okolo, Ph.D., aerospace research engineer How can I try engineering today?
NASA has fun engineering activities that you can do at home. Here are a few to try:
Make and color a paper airplane. Let your imagination fly! Build a tower with pasta! How tall can you build it? Make a paper Mars helicopter. See which design works best! Build a new spacecraft using items in your house! A CubeSat is a small satellite. Try to build a CubeSat in this online game. When you do these projects, try them more than once. Make a small change each time. See if it makes your design work better. Engineering is all about testing ideas!
Learn More
JPL Education: Student Projects (Grades K-4) NASA Space Place Explore More for Students Grades K-4 View the full article
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By NASA
Electrical engineer Scott Hesh works on a sub-payload canister at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility near Chincoteague, Virginia. The cannister will be part of a science experiment and a demonstration of his Swarm Communications technology.Credits: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility/Berit Bland Scott Hesh, an electrical engineer at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, was announced Nov. 2 as the FY22 IRAD Innovator of the Year, an award presented by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
“An electrical engineer with an insatiable curiosity, Scott Hesh and his team have worked hand-in-glove with science investigators since 2017,” said Goddard Chief Technologist Peter Hughes. “He developed a technology to sample Earth’s upper atmosphere in multiple dimensions with more accurate time and location data than previously possible with a sounding rocket.”
Related: NASA Sounding Rockets Launch Multiple Science Payloads
Newly proven technology developed at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility near Chincoteague, Virginia, turns a single sounding rocket into a hive deploying a swarm of up to 16 instruments. The technology offers unprecedented accuracy for monitoring Earth’s atmosphere and solar weather over a wide area.
Engineers Josh Yacobucci (left) and Scott Hesh test fit a science sensor sub-payload into a Black Brant sounding rocket at Wallops.Credits: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility/Berit Bland The Internal Research and Development (IRAD) Innovator of the Year award is presented by Goddard’s Office of the Chief Technologist to individuals who demonstrate the best in innovation.
“Scott has this enthusiasm for what he does that I think is really contagious,” Sounding Rocket Program technologist Cathy Hesh said. “He’s an electrical engineer by education, but he has such a grasp on other disciplines as well, so he’s sort of like a systems engineer. If he wants to improve something, he just goes out and learns all sorts of things that would be beyond the scope of his discipline.”
Mechanical engineer Josh Yacobucci has worked with Scott Hesh for more than 15 years, and said he always learns something when they collaborate.
“Scott brings this great perspective,” Yacobucci said. “He could help winnow out things in my designs that I hadn’t thought of.”
“For his interdisciplinary leadership resulting in game-changing improvements for atmospheric and solar science capabilities,” Hughes said, “Scott Hesh deserves Goddard’s Innovator of the Year Award.”
By Karl B. Hille
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
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