A Santa Clarita high school student ended the 2022 school year prepared to pursue discovery beyond the earth’s surface– with a nationally coveted National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) summer internship.
Katelyn Waugh, a student from Trinity Classical Academy in Santa Clarita, is one of the 1,100 students who applied for the STEM Enhancement in Earth and Space Science held at the University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Space Research, and was among the 92 applicants from around the world who were selected.
“We strive to understand the Earth’s atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and biosphere as a single connected system,” read a statement from NASA. “Our planet is changing on all spatial and temporal scales. The purpose of NASA’s Earth science program is to develop a scientific understanding of Earth’s system and its response to natural or human-induced changes, and to improve prediction of climate, weather and natural hazards.”
The nationally coveted program, sponsored by NASA’s Texas Space Grant Consortium, selects students with a passion for science, technology, engineering and math to work alongside scientists and engineers in a pursuit of discovery beyond the earth’s surface.
About The Intern
Through a curriculum analyzing both earth and space, Waugh is planned to conduct authentic research from data received from NASA’s earth observing satellites, all while designing Mars habitats, expanding Lunar Exploration and analyzing images from the International Space Station, according to NASA.
During the two-week program, the student-athlete is expected to conduct hands-on activities, field investigations, attend NASA-led presentations and work on various NASA missions.
The 16-year-old basketball and tennis player at Trinity Classical Academy has a history of achievement, particularly through her work earning a Silver Award for Santa Clarita Girl Scout Troop 186 in a project that garnered media traction during the 2020 fire season.
While making strides in both her athletic and educational goals, the NASA internship is Waugh’s next step in reaching her desired potential as a student and researcher.
“The SEES internship proves that the excitement students feel about space science is a critical step in enriching science, math, engineering, and technology,” read an internship description from NASA. “The internship will provide students the rare – and for most, unique – opportunity to spend two weeks working with professional scientists and engineers at the cutting edge of space exploration.”
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