Undergraduate Profile

From stargazing to aerospace engineering

Jeff Zehnder — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:01:40 +0000

From stargazing to aerospace engineering Jeff Zehnder Thu, 10/08/2026 - 10:01

Name: Marah Azzam
Program: Aerospace Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's Student

My name is Marah Azzam, I grew up in Nazareth, the holy land. As you might imagine it is a beautiful place full of rich history, people and tourists who are interested in the region. However, I was always looking up to the sky admiring the universe rather than the land.

This admiration became tangible, when an astrophysicist came to my fifth grade class and opened my eyes to the beauty of the stars, planets and galaxies, and the human mind that allows us to design and innovate systems that enable us to explore those wonders of the universe.

From that point on it was clear to me that designing spacecraft for space exploration is my dream, therefore I needed to pursue aerospace engineering.

Fast forward seven years: I am in twelfth grade and I know I want to study aerospace engineering, the question is where. I started researching my options, and realized how advanced the USA is in higher education especially in the aerospace field.

Therefore, I decided to leave the holy land, and head to the land of the free. The only thing left is to decide what colleges to apply to.

The research began again. I laid out my options based on my preferences, the acceptance rates, and the deadlines for each (little did I know I was doing a trade study). Naturally, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder was my top choice, since it offers an outstanding curriculum for aerospace full of hands-on experiences, research opportunities, and the vast number of astronauts who graduated from �鶹��Ѱ��obviously pushed the university to the top of my list.

The dream is finally on its right path, I got into �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder to pursue my bachelors degree in aerospace engineering. During those years, I gained significant technical knowledge in my field, built a versatile network around me full of professors who I worked with in teaching as a facilitator, in research as an assistant and from my classes.

Additionally I made life long friends who inspire me and push me to do my greatest. This safe, encouraging, intelligent environment that �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder offers is not found anywhere else, and it allowed my love for aerospace to grow bigger each day, that I decided to stay and pursue a master’s degree in aerospace engineering.

I got into the master’s program as a BAM student (Bachelor’s - Accelerated Master’s) with a focus in Bioastronautics and completing a certificate in satellite system design. Right now, I am in my first year of full graduate courses, taking graduate projects and working with sponsors who directly produce the spacecraft I dreamed about in my fifth grade class.

Little me didn't realize that I would reach this point, but here I am still looking up, still admiring space, but with knowledge and achievements that �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder allowed me to do.

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Making my aerospace dreams a reality

Jeff Zehnder — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:54:45 +0000

Making my aerospace dreams a reality Jeff Zehnder Mon, 09/28/2026 - 14:54

Name: Dakota Kelly
Program: Aerospace Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's Student

My hometown is Wilton, Connecticut, but I lived in Los Angeles until I was 11, which is where I first gained an interest in aerospace engineering.

When I was 8 years old living in LA, it was all over the news that the Space Shuttle Endeavour would be retiring to the California Science Center. It blew my mind that something that had been to space was now roaming through the streets I grew up on making its 12 mile final journey from LAX to the California Science Center.

After seeing the space shuttle in the museum, my love for space was solidified. From that very moment, I wanted to be an astronaut and that’s what I’ve wanted to be ever since!

Throughout my schooling, math and science were always my strongest subjects which reassured me that I wanted to go into engineering when it came time to apply to colleges.

I was also able to get my Private Pilot’s License in high school after discovering my passion for aviation when I heard many astronauts had their pilot’s license. This passion for aviation in addition to human spaceflight reassured me that aerospace engineering was the right path, as I was previously also considering mechanical engineering.

Throughout my undergrad, I was able to join numerous bioastronautics related research projects which lead me to pursue an MS in Aerospace Engineering with a focus in Bioastronautics. I am a student in the Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's program so I was able to have 6 credits count from my undergrad towards my master’s.

I am currently taking off a semester from school as I’m interning at NASA in Houston, TX on their space suit testing team. I plan to return to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder to continue my master’s in the spring.

I decided to come to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder specifically for their highly ranked aerospace program. I also knew �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder was a top-tier research program and the #1 public university for NASA research funding. I also thought it was very unique that they offered a Space Minor. It also didn’t hurt that the campus is gorgeous and there’s plenty of skiing nearby!

I love �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder so much that I decided to stay for my master’s too! I think one of the greatest parts about �鶹��Ѱ��is how much the professors want you to get hands-on research experience. They have so many research opportunities that allow you to discover your specific passion. The friends I’ve made along the way are also friends I know I will have for life so I am very grateful to �鶹��Ѱ��for that!

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Conducting space research as an undergrad

Jeff Zehnder — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 15:18:32 +0000

Conducting space research as an undergrad Jeff Zehnder Mon, 01/26/2026 - 08:18

Jeff Zehnder

Hernandez holding a high altitude balloon launch payload
she built which reached 89,245 ft. in altitude.

Diana Hernandez is performing research using data from a sun-orbiting space probe as an undergraduate sophomore.

It is an impressive job for a student who only recently completed her first thermodynamics course.

A first-generation student at the �鶹��Ѱ�� and Lattice Scholar, Hernandez is modeling t space dust impact data from NASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP).

Undergraduate Research

While dust on Earth is a nuisance, in space it is a building block for planets and stars. Studying it can help us better understand how our solar system developed.

Space dust can also cause problems. Though the particles are very small, they are electrically and magnetically charged. Impacts with space probes can create electronic disruptions. PSP carries a special instrument suite designed to measure signals from these impacts using three search-coil magnetometers.

Hernandez with Polaris Dawn astronaut and
�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder alumna Sarah Gillis (AeroEngr'17).

“You would not expect that dust in space could have such a big impact. It’s really cool,” Hernandez said.

Her efforts, in the lab of aerospace Professor Zoltan Sternovsky, were part of the Discovery Learning Apprenticeship and Fundamentals of Undergraduate Research Program programs, which offer students the chance to conduct hands-on research as undergraduates.

“It’s amazing work and the people in the lab have helped me step-by-step to become a researcher; how to look into what the data’s telling you and when you come to a dead end, how to get out of it to come to a conclusion,” she said.

Through DLA, Hernandez was recently selected to present her research at the the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) this spring in Richmond, Virginia.

Hidden Figures

Hernandez’s aerospace path began nearly a decade ago, when she first saw the film Hidden Figures, about the Black women at NASA in the 1950s and ’60s who solved the complex computational problems that landed astronauts on the Moon.

“Watching the movie in middle school with my Dad, he said he wanted me to be like the first Black women in NASA. Becoming an astronaut became my goal. When I started looking at colleges, I researched where astronauts went to school,” Hernandez said.

Reaching Out

Hernandez is excelling in her classes today, but when she first enrolled at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, it took time to find her place on campus.

Hernandez (fourth from left) with members of ROTC.

“I didn’t do so well freshman year and failed two classes,” Hernandez said. “I didn’t know how to study. I love math and science, but my high school was pretty easy. I’m the very first one my family to ever set foot in a university, and I didn’t know how to ask for help.”

A heart-to-heart with her scholarship advisors connected Hernandez with the Campos Student Center, peer mentoring resources, and other students with similar experiences. Participation in ROTC also helped her build discipline.

“I started going to peer academic tutoring and now, a year later, I’m serving as a mentor for incoming freshmen. I’ve learned more about myself and am creating a positive impact on other students,” she said.

When Hernandez began at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, her intention was to earn a bachelor’s degree and then commissioned as an officer in the Air Force. Exposure to research has her moving in another direction, toward graduate school.

“I really fell in love with the idea of grad school,” Hernandez said. “I have so much curiosity. Grad school could open so many opportunities. I also want to show my three little siblings you can get a bachelor’s degree and even go for a master’s.”

Diana Hernandez is performing research using data from a sun-orbiting space probe as an undergraduate sophomore. It is an impressive job for a student who only recently completed her first thermodynamics course.

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Hernandez with a poster on her space dust modeling research.

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AISES student leader inspired at NASA internship

Jeff Zehnder — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:56:52 +0000

AISES student leader inspired at NASA internship Jeff Zehnder Mon, 11/03/2025 - 09:56

Shellene Redhorse took her passion for aerospace engineering beyond the classroom to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) this past summer.

Redhorse, a fourth-year aerospace engineering student and president of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s chapter of Advancing Indigenous People in STEM (AISES), spent her internship at one of the world’s most renowned research centers.

Redhorse joined the Spacecraft Mechanical Engineering Division at JPL, where she worked on VenSAR, a Venus synthetic aperture radar that will launch aboard the European Space Agency’s EnVision mission in the early 2030s. The instrument, built in partnership with NASA, will map the planet’s surface and study its volcanic and geological activity.

“It’s incredible to be part of something that will orbit Venus one day,” Redhorse said. “Knowing that even a small piece of what I worked on will help us understand another planet is surreal.”

She worked with several teams that specialized in deployables, structures and thermal engineering giving her hands-on experience in spacecraft design and testing. She modeled test setups in CAD, worked with Nomex honeycomb tiles, conducted structural testing and even helped cycle thermal samples through high and low temperatures in a HALT chamber.

“I learned a ton about CAD and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing which was challenging but rewarding,” Redhorse said. “It’s one thing to design something on a screen, but it’s another to know that hardware you helped create will actually be manufactured and tested.”

While her internship was technical, it also had moments that brought wonder.

Redhorse toured the massive JPL campus located in Pasadena, California where legendary missions like the Mars rovers and Voyager spacecraft were born. One highlight was visiting the Mars Yard, where researchers tested rover replicas like OPTIMISM, a twin of Perseverance, and Scarecrow, a lighter model designed to mimic Martian gravity.

Another favorite moment was seeing one of the earliest color reconstructions of Mars, created by NASA engineers using data transmitted as numbers and colored in by hand.

“They only had bits of numbers and made a color-by-number image using crayons,” Redhorse said. “Seeing that creativity reminded me that science and engineering are human experiences.”

Representing Native excellence in STEM

As one of the few Native interns at JPL, Redhorse carried a sense of purpose throughout the experience. While the internship was a dream experience, Redhorse was excited to pave the way for more Native representation in science and engineering.

“There are few Natives, but we’re strong,” she said. “I met another intern from the Navajo Nation. It felt powerful to represent and be proud of who I am and where I come from.”

What brings me joy is supporting other Native students and learning about aerospace. I love sharing knowledge, lifting each other up and finding happiness in community.

After graduating, Redhorse is considering graduate school where she hopes to continue exploring aerospace, robotics or mechanical engineering. She’s been inspired by mentors who’ve shown her what’s possible. One of those is Aaron Yazzie, a Diné mechanical engineer at JPL, whose story originally motivated her to pursue aerospace.

Redhorse says one thing remains constant for her — determination to keep helping others along the way, especially Native students.

“Grab as many opportunities as you can, even if they feel outside your comfort zone, just go for it,” Redhorse said. “People are more supportive than you might think and there’s a strong community here at �鶹��Ѱ��Engineering and the Campos Student Center to help you along the way.”

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My landlord is in space: life as a NASA intern

Jeff Zehnder — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 19:22:21 +0000

My landlord is in space: life as a NASA intern Jeff Zehnder Wed, 10/02/2024 - 13:22

Jeff Zehnder

Above: Storm in Flight Operations at Johnson Space Center.
Header Photo: Storm and other NASA interns at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory astronaut training facility.

Anthony Storm is hard at work at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, developing plans for upcoming tests that will support astronauts in future missions.

An aerospace junior at the �鶹��Ѱ��, Storm is gaining hands-on experience through the NASA Pathways Program, an internship where participants collaborate with front-line NASA engineers and astronauts.

“I’ve gotten to do training with astronauts going up to the International Space Station, and you get on a first-name basis with them,” Storm said. “For Crew 6, I went to their cake cutting when they were certified for space flight, which is a NASA tradition.”

Across each internship, participants spend time in three different areas at NASA. The locations vary depending on student interests and availability, but for Storm, he began in flight operations at JSC, then moved to White Sands doing propulsion testing, and is now back at JSC in pyrotechnics.

As students often come long distances for the program, NASA helps participants find a place to live, with landlords who are literally out of this world.

“JSC has an internal website called Space City Housing. NASA certifies employees who have rooms available and you can rent directly from them. I’m renting from Tracy Dyson and her husband. She just came down on the Soyuz MS-25 after six months in space,” Storm said.

Although many internships take place during the summer, NASA requires a portion of Pathways be completed during the fall or spring semesters, which means participants must delay college graduation, typically by a year.

Storm playing basketball with astronaut and former Navy SEAL Jonny Kim.

“It was a hard decision, but the opportunities Pathways gives me, the career building and resume building is absolutely incredible,” Storm said. “It is absolutely worthwhile to work in this environment.”

Most pathways students also subsequently earn full-time jobs at NASA.

“Half of the civil service employees at JSC came through the Pathways program. It's a huge deal at NASA. Basically everyone you work for in the program has the opportunity to send you a job offer,” Storm said.

Storm is a non-traditional student. Now age 26, he joined the Marines after graduating high school.

“When I graduated I wasn’t really going anywhere. I didn’t have the best grades, but I am pretty patriotic, so I enlisted and became an 0351 Assaultman, which is an infantry man specializing in demolition and rocket launchers,” he said.

He spent four years in the Marines and after his term was up in 2021, enrolled at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder. Although a native of California, his family has long ties to Colorado – he is a fourth generation �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder student. His great-grandmother, grandfather, and father all are Buff alumni.

“�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s aerospace program is really good, and I’ve always been a space nerd,” he said.

Storm has also become the third generation in his family to work or intern at JSC, after his grandfather and uncle.

Storm is a strong advocate for the Pathways program. He and two peers have started �鶹��Ѱ��Gateway, a student organization to help students with applications and the interview process.

“I applied to Pathways because another student came on a whim to talk to our class about it,” Storm said. “Now I’ve been through it, and the application and interviews are hard, so I wanted to show people the opportunities that are available and how cool this program is. During breaks, I get to play dodgeball with astronauts. It’s amazing.”

Storm during his service in the Marines.

Anthony Storm is hard at work at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, developing plans for upcoming tests that will support astronauts in future missions. An aerospace junior at the...

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From building Legos to aerospace engineering

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 22:43:42 +0000

From building Legos to aerospace engineering Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 04/24/2024 - 16:43

We sat down with fourth-year aerospace engineering student Ada Forsner, who is also minoring in space and engineering management, to share about her �鶹��Ѱ��Engineering experience!

Ada serves as the Internal Coordinator for the Women of Aeronautics and Astronautics (WOAA) at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder for the 2023-2024 school year.

What inspired you to pursue a STEM-related major?
In high school I enjoyed taking vehicle shop classes and introductory engineering courses which really got me interested in what engineering could be. Growing up with Legos and playing with trucks and tow cars got me really interested in STEM in general.

When did you know that aerospace engineering was meant for you?
I always loved space, but I never knew to what extent until I took an astronomy course in high school back in Illinois and fell in love with the idea of space. That’s how I knew I would go try to pursue aerospace engineering.

What are some of your future plans after graduating?
I hope to be a systems engineer, which is a kind of engineering that requires a top down view of the entirety of any project. I love airplanes, spacecraft and space itself, as well as studying atmospheric effects and other planets. Becoming a systems engineer allows me to pretty much work on any aspect of aerospace.

What has been an eye opening experience as a student leader of WOAA?
Our first conference we organized in the Aerospace Building during the fall semester was one of the biggest memorable experiences. Being a part of planning the conference opened my eyes to what we can provide for other students and how I can help them grow in ways that I want to grow, as well. Hosting that conference allowed us to learn how to communicate and interact with professionals working in industry, which are important for all of us to gain.

Why should someone join WOAA?
We create a really open community to all women in STEM, not just those studying aerospace. This might be cliche, but literally joining a club, any club, does make a difference and it helps you gain leadership experience. Most freshmen may not have too much on their resume, but being part of WOAA and other clubs can help you build your resume. We make sure to provide opportunities for students to put themselves out there by talking with professionals and getting in contact with them. It can be scary at times, but it doesn’t have to be!

What are other campus organizations you’re a part of?
I used to be a part of the Hiking Club, which I highly recommend anyone join. That club inspired me to do more of my own hiking. Being a course assistant for a freshman engineering projects course has helped me become a leader in the classroom and provide guidance for younger students.

What has been an intriguing engineering class you’ve taken so far?
This one was hard to answer! I would have to say engineering economics, which is part of my engineering management minor. At first, I thought I was not going to enjoy it, but I've actually ended up learning so much from it. It’s encouraged me to do my own research on finance, sustainability, business and how it connects with my personal life and engineering.

Anything else on your �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder bucket list you hope to check off?
This one’s embarrassing, but I haven’t been to a �鶹��Ѱ��football game yet! I have one more fall season to figure it out.

We hear you’re an avid reader. Any shameless plugs on a book you recommend for others?
Last semester, I read “True North” by Bill George. The book has helped me find my path in life and I’ve learned to follow a path no matter what other people make you think. That really opened my eyes and has made me more confident with who I am.

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From international acrobat to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder aerospace engineer

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0000

From international acrobat to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder aerospace engineer Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/01/2023 - 09:00

Jeff Zehnder

Sasha Gladkova during her internship at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Astronaut Scholarship winner charts her own path

Sasha Gladkova has always loved science and space, but she never imagined work in those fields could become her career.

She had done well in high school math, completing multiple levels of calculus, but was dedicated to another future: gymnastics and acrobatics. It was an area where she had excelled to the highest levels competing internationally for the United States as a teenager.

“I’ve been a gymnast my whole life. I was super serious. The last five years of it I was traveling around the world for competitions,” Gladkova said.

In 2019 – during her senior year of high school – she applied to the �鶹��Ѱ��’s aerospace program. She did not really expect to attend here, planning intending instead to continue training at her local acrobatics gym in the Washington D.C. metro area while attending the University of Maryland.

“�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder was the first place I toured though and I instantly fell in love with the campus. This was my top choice, but in a dream, in a life I didn’t have. Then COVID happened and everyone’s life changed. I could see acrobatics wasn’t going to return to normal any time soon and I decided to retire from gymnastics and come here instead,” she said

Today, as an undergraduate senior in aerospace engineering sciences at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, Gladkova is equally passionate about the world of aerodynamics, space missions, and astrophysics research. Over the last three years, she has been part of internships and jobs at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics, and the Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy.

“I’ve done research in a lot of different areas in the space field. I have so many interests. Space is just really crazy,” Gladkova said.

In 2021, she applied to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation – an organization founded by the Mercury 7 Astronauts and sustained by successive generations of NASA astronauts. She was recognized with their scholarship award in both 2022 and 2023, which provided significant tuition assistance and outstanding professional development opportunities.

“It’s overwhelming,” she said. “All of a sudden you have all these resources and a new branch of your life opens. They have a mentorship program where each scholar is paired with an astronaut. I’ve gotten to meet so many astronauts I can’t keep track anymore.”

As she has advanced in her education, Gladkova has only found more things to love about aerospace engineering.

“Every place I’ve worked you have the people you work with directly, but I also talk to everyone else there to find out about their job and what they do. That is how I found out I’m really interested in mission operations,” she said.

Mission operations is the only most recent on a growing list of future job tracks Gladkova is considering. Graduate school is also a possibility as are other options in industry or research. One position not immediately on the list: astronaut. Despite being an astronaut scholar, she plans to keep her feet on terra firma, for now

“I had a nightmare where I was an astronaut and was all by myself, everyone was really far away, and it was the most gut-wrenching lonely feeling I’d ever had. It’s stuck with me,” she said. “I have more things to do on Earth first.”

Sasha Gladkova has always loved science and space, but she never imagined work in those fields could become her career. She had done well in high school math, completing multiple levels of calculus, but was dedicated to another future: gymnastics and acrobatics. It was an area where she had excelled to the highest levels, competing internationally for...

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A winding road to aerospace excellence

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 18:06:11 +0000

A winding road to aerospace excellence Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/27/2022 - 12:06

Name: Liza Graybill
Hometown: Lititz, Pennsylvania
Major: BS in Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Year: Sophomore

Where did you grow up, and when did you first show an interest in aerospace?

I grew up in Lititz, Pennsylvania, and I fell in love with aerospace when I visited Kennedy Space Center after I graduated from high school. Seeing Space Shuttle Atlantis in person was the first time I can definitively say I became interested in aerospace.

I loved space growing up and spent many nights stargazing, but I had never considered aerospace, or engineering in general, until that moment in Cape Canaveral.

How did you come to the decision to major in aerospace?

The decision to major in aerospace took quite a bit of time to reach. The major I had chosen right out of high school was not as good a fit as I had imagined, so I left after a semester and restarted with some community college classes. I took my time, taking just one or two classes a semester while I figured out what I really wanted to do.

I started tutoring math at my community college and tried an introductory engineering class at the suggestion of a professor. Long story short, I graduated with my associates in pre-engineering from Pima Community College in Arizona and transferred to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder to continue in aerospace.

I finally combined my childhood love of space with engineering and made that a reality here at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder.

Why did you decide to come to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder?

I decided to come to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder because I knew this program would challenge me.

The faculty is incredible, there are so many resources available to support students, and I knew that �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder would show me new opportunities and possibilities that I otherwise would not have thought to pursue. That support and encouragement led me to applying and earning a spot as a 2022 Brooke Owens Fellow.

What do you love about �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder?

I love that people care. There’s passion and collaboration among peers to reach success, and students are excited to learn.

The atmosphere in the aerospace building is unlike anything else on campus. It’s an incredible environment to learn in and be a part of.

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Division 1 student athlete and �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder aerospace engineer

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 16:09:11 +0000

Division 1 student athlete and �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder aerospace engineer Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 06/15/2022 - 10:09

Babcock-Chi on the soccer field.

Name: Jade Babcock-Chi
Hometown: Del Mar, CA
Major: BS in Aerospace Engineering, Minor in Computer Science
Year: Senior
Mentor/Lab: Dennis Akos

I grew up in Del Mar, California, which is a city in north San Diego. From a young age I have always been very interested in science and math, and always looked forward to those classes the most.

Math came the easiest, and from 5th grade on I was always a year or two ahead. I finished high school having completed Calc I-III and Linear Algebra as well as having taken two to three years of computer science (CS) classes. For the longest time I thought I was going to do Bioengineering, or something related to biology because I loved it and didn’t enjoy computer science or physics as much at the time.

I am a D1 Women’s Soccer player on scholarship for �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, but when I committed to this school for soccer, I knew that my academics actually came first.

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder has a strong bioengineering program, but my mom works in this field, so it inspired me to branch out and consider other majors. That led me to seriously consider the aerospace engineering program.

When I committed here for soccer, I had just finished my sophomore year of high school, but I was already confident that doing aerospace at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder was going to be a good fit based on my high school background and academic interests.

My coaches still don’t really understand what it’s like to be the only engineering major on the team, let alone aerospace engineering, but I am more than grateful they are able to accommodate me.

Babcock-Chi on the ski slopes.

Being able to play D1 soccer as well as get an amazing education is more than I could have hoped for.

I also love Boulder because I can be very active, and I usually go skiing most weekends in the winter and hike all the time in the summer and fall all around Colorado. The location of Boulder and the atmosphere here was something that definitely drew me in.

What’s made this experience extra special is being able to work with such great classmates and professors in and out of the classroom. I have been doing undergraduate research with Dr. Dennis Akos in the Radio Frequency & Satellite Navigation Laboratory for over a year now and he has helped me find what I am interested in as well as give me amazing opportunities outside of class.

I am going into my Senior (4th) year and planning to begin my MS this fall through the Bachelor’s Accelerated Master’s program (BAM).

Being able to get a BS in Aerospace Engineering, a minor in CS, and an MS in Aerospace Engineering all within five years of coming to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder is an amazing opportunity and I know it will prepare me for success, whether I go into industry or pursue a PhD.

I grew up in Del Mar, California, which is a city in north San Diego. From a young age I have always been very interested in science and math, and always looked forward to those classes the most. Math came the easiest, and from 5th grade on I was always...

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Sophomore lands full-ride SMART Scholarship and post-graduation job

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 16:48:17 +0000

Sophomore lands full-ride SMART Scholarship and post-graduation job Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/26/2020 - 10:48

Jeff Zehnder

Teagan Browne

It was mid-March and stress was high at the �鶹��Ѱ��. Due to the COVID pandemic, courses had transitioned online and students were moving out of the campus dorms. As one of her newly Zoom-based classes let out, Teagan Browne’s phone rang.

It was a Florida number. She did not know anyone in Florida, but decided to answer the call anyway.

On the other end was an Air Force official, with news that Browne was a finalist for the prestigious Department of Defense SMART Scholarship.

“Who would call me from Florida? Eglin Air Force Base in Destin," Browne said. "They wanted to talk to me about being a SMART Scholar there. It was good news in a bad week."

SMART Moves

Browne, a sophomore aerospace engineering sciences student, has now been officially selected for the exclusive program, which provides a full-ride academic scholarship, summer internships and a job commitment upon graduation.

The program is designed to create a highly skilled pipeline of STEM graduates for the Department of Defense workforce. Honorees get all college costs covered and make a commitment to the DoD – for each year of education funding, they agree to work a year at a federal facility as a civilian employee.

Although Browne is just a sophomore, it effectively means she already has a job lined up once she graduates.

"It means a lot for job security. I’ll be a flight test engineer, which I want to do anyway. I'll be working on the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft," Browne said.

The program provides a clear career trajectory for Browne, but she has had a strong interest in engineering for a long time - at least since age 4.

"When my parents would put me in a stroller, instead of looking at the scenery, I would look over the side to watch the wheels turn. I really like the way things move," Browne said.

Browne is particularly interested in using aerospace engineering to make a difference.

"Working with the military, that means keeping our pilots safe and improving fuel economy on jets so they can fly longer," she said.

Aerospace Dreams

She would also like to improve civilian aviation. Growing up, she spent many an hour squished in the middle seat on airlines and is interested in making such experiences much, much shorter in duration.

"I think a lot about ways to improve commercial airlines. It impacts travelers, businesspeople, everyone," Browne said. “I really want to bring back the Concorde.”

A new supersonic jet could cut flight times on long trips in half, and as an aerospace engineer, Browne would be able to contribute to plane designs to tackle the bane of breaking the sound barrier - loud sonic booms.

“NASA has done research on sonic booms to pick or better project where to have them happen," Browne said. "That could make a real difference. And on a San Francisco-to-Asia flight, which is 16 hours right now, it’s over the ocean, and you can fly there without dealing with sonic booms.”

As a student, Browne is also aiming to make a difference as a member of the TORUS project, a multi-university initiative that uses unmanned aerial vehicles to better understand supercell thunderstorms and tornadoes.

She has been serving with the team as a lab assistant and was looking forward to spending part of summer 2020 with TORUS chasing storms across the Great Plains. Unfortunately, that dream was delayed to 2021 due to COVID.

“We think tornadoes are getting stronger and more frequent, so this research is important to saving lives,” she said.

The pandemic has put a damper on things for now, but Browne is looking forward to the future and all that she can do as an aerospace engineer.

"I want to be hands-on and have things that I can hold and touch and see work. It's part of why I chose aerospace over other majors," she said. "And I really want my work to do something for the world."

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Undergraduate Profile

From stargazing to aerospace engineering

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Making my aerospace dreams a reality

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Conducting space research as an undergrad

Undergraduate Research

Hidden Figures

Reaching Out

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AISES student leader inspired at NASA internship

Representing Native excellence in STEM

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My landlord is in space: life as a NASA intern

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From building Legos to aerospace engineering

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From international acrobat to �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder aerospace engineer

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A winding road to aerospace excellence

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Division 1 student athlete and �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder aerospace engineer

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Sophomore lands full-ride SMART Scholarship and post-graduation job

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From international acrobat to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder aerospace engineer

Division 1 student athlete and �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder aerospace engineer