Over the summer, SNU students had the opportunity to participate in an internship at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), undergoing a research project led by SNU professor, Dr. Franca, and Dr. Erika Podest, who works at JPL. Devin Rovito, Natalie Shreffler, and I truly enjoyed our time at JPL and have gained valuable skills and insight to share with others.
When entering a new environment, there can be a lot of uncertainty and expectations going in. I asked Natalie Shreffler, a recent environmental science graduate, how she felt as she began working at JPL. Shreffler replied, “I was a bit intimidated at the prospect of working at JPL at first, but once I got there I was excited about all the opportunities that were available.” There were many times when we would walk to our office or the cafe and remind ourselves of how cool it was to be at JPL. We are surrounded by people who have made great contributions to our knowledge of the universe and our planet, so, it can feel a bit overwhelming yet inspiring.”
I asked Devin Rovito, a senior computer science major, what his expectations were coming to JPL. Rovito stated, “I didn’t have many specific expectations when I came to JPL. I knew it was a big opportunity, so I wanted to keep an open mind and experience everything as it came.”
Over time, we became more accustomed to life at JPL. The beautiful scenery, flexible work schedule, and 9-hour workdays with every other Friday off were aspects of the job that we all enjoyed, as it gave us extra time on the weekends to explore the Los Angeles area or stay in and rest. Another aspect that we enjoyed was the culture of JPL. We had multiple opportunities to connect with faculty at JPL and hear about the work they do and their journeys to their current careers. We all shared the same sentiments as Rovito, who remarked, “Being surrounded by JPL faculty and staff and having the opportunity to connect with them was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was also great to be around other interns, hear their stories, and share our excitement about being there.”
When asked about what it was like to work at JPL, Shreffler stated, “It truly gave me a perspective of the space industry beyond what makes the news. It is a place where people from different backgrounds– engineers, earth scientists, physicists, astronomers, and chemists– can work with one another on multiple different projects.” JPL fostered an atmosphere of inclusivity and collaboration, where everyone was learning from each other.
We have since departed and returned to campus, but we are left with valuable skills and awesome memories. Rovito’s most vivid memory of the experience was “seeing the NASA logo every day as I entered and left work. It served as a constant reminder of the significance of the work being done and the privilege of being part of it. This experience taught me the importance of not taking opportunities for granted and strengthened my commitment to pursuing excellence in my work.”
For Shreffler, her favorite memory happened one night as we were leaving the office to go home. She explains, “As we were walking up the stairs, there were deer up ahead standing at the top of the stairs (about 5 feet away from us). They seemed completely unbothered by our presence.” There were multiple deer sightings throughout the internship, but the thing that never failed to surprise us and made it so memorable was how nonchalant the deer were.
To be honest, I was hesitant to join this project in which I would have to do some things I had never done before and that didn’t directly relate to my major (such as coding). For computer science majors like Rovito, this was right up his alley. However, I was able to conquer the unfamiliar territory, and I surprisingly enjoyed it. Shreffler shares a similar sentiment and said that her time at JPL has given her some perspective on her career path. She states, “ I couldn’t see myself working in data analysis every day, but I can say that I learned quite a lot while I was here. Not every step you take needs to be towards your goal directly because you never know where you might end up. I encourage my fellow peers to take opportunities as they come, no matter how relevant they are to your path in life. You may just find your new passion or might learn something at the very least.”
As we begin the fall semester, I encourage you to get outside of your comfort zone and embrace opportunities as they come. You never know how much an experience can impact the direction of your life.
Photos by: Victoria Peter