Interstellar Experiences of NASA Interns

In the fall semester of his sophomore year, former intern Stephan Bellamy applied for his internship after developing a blog, Space by Stephan, during a class at Vanderbilt. After writing posts about NASA and contractors such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, he started exploring communications opportunities at NASA. He received a position as a Science Communications intern focused on the Biodiversity Survey of the Cape (BioSCape) program. BioSCape is a collaborative project between NASA, the South African government, and local organizations to preserve biodiversity in the Greater Cape Floristic Regions.

“I hesitated to apply because I did not have a zeal for ecology,” Bellamy said. “I fell in love with the project and found a new passion for understanding biodiversity.”

Bellamy focused on redesigning the website. He designed graphics, created, and edited videos, researched the science, and enhanced the website.

“Some specific outputs I made include an updated flowchart of all organizational members and projects, graphic highlights of individual science projects, an edited Space Apps challenge video, and a collage of all institutional partners,” he said. “I took on different priorities, but the core of my work stayed the same: communicating the science of BioSCape.”

Alongside his remodel of the website, Bellamy was tasked with telling the story of NASA’s first biodiversity field campaign. To bridge the gap between the project and the public, Bellamy interviewed his leadership team and others to understand and share the human stories behind BioSCape.

“Hearing about everyone’s unique path to the project has been inspiring, and the heart of constructing this piece is recognizing the humanity of a research project like BioSCape,” he said. “I wanted to give the humans of BioSCape the platform to say something that no data or scientific findings can say for them.”

Bellamy acknowledges his leadership team as mentors during his internship, with special recognition for his assigned mentor, Keith Gaddis. Gaddis’ trust and flexibility, alongside the leadership team’s constructive feedback and tasks, has propelled Bellamy’s creativity and independence.

Bellamy aspires to be a full-time author. He credits his internship with opening his eyes to new possibilities for his passion for writing.

“I see myself writing sci-fi novels and other creative works, maybe screenwriting if I pick it up or poetry if I’m feeling whimsy,” Bellamy explains. “I know that writing as a career is challenging and taxing, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to achieve my dream.”

Bellamy is thankful for the opportunity presented to him, “as a Black, first-generation student, having the opportunity to work at NASA feels transformational. The offer letter opened my eyes to my place in the workspace. In times like these, I must be cognizant of the systemic and cultural issues at work to prevent someone like me from having a job at a place like NASA. To my community back in Georgia, I am proof that, yes, you can make it here.”

Gracie Glover/NASA Headquarters

National Intern Day is July 25! We’ve put together this social media toolkit to help you celebrate NASA internships this #NationalInternDay. Whether you’re an intern, former intern, intern mentor, or just work with some incredible NASA interns—this toolkit is for you!

Best Practices

Graphics

Our graphic designers compiled a collection of visuals for you to use that pull inspiration from some of NASA’s most iconic recent recordings. Feel free to use them!

Accessibility

We encourage you to utilize the provided alt text (alternative text) to make the graphics as accessible as possible—after all, there is space for everyone at NASA.

Hashtags
Excited to share about NASA internships? Use our official hashtags (#NASAInterns and/or #ArtemisGeneration) for a chance to be amplified from our accounts.

Visual Assets

1. Artemis Launch Close – Download Here

2. Moon Cycles – Download Here

3. Cityscapes at Night – Download Here

4. Earth’s Aurora – Download Here

5. Space Station Aurora – Download Here

6. Artemis Launch – Download Here

7. Saturn’s Rings – Download Here

8. Earth Flare – Download Here

9. Earth Orbit – Download Here

Social Media Ideas

Interested in using some of the visuals we’ve created but don’t know where to start? Consider posts on any of these topics.

Current Intern
– How has your NASA internship impacted you so far?

– What is a favorite memory you’ve made during your internship?

– Is there anything you are looking forward to during your internship?

Former Intern

– How did your NASA internship change your life and/or career?

– What was your internship experience like?

– What piece of advice would you share with new interns?

– What surprised you the most about working in this company or industry?

– Looking back, what are you most proud of achieving or contributing to during your internship?

Intern Mentor

– What has it been like supporting interns?
– How has working with interns affected you and/or your mission?

– What have you learned from your interns?

Intern Colleague

– How has working with interns affected you and/or your mission?

– What advice, if any, do you have for interns?

– What is a positive memory you have had with a NASA intern?

National Intern Day is celebrated annually to recognize and highlight the contributions of interns throughout different industries and fields of work. At every NASA center nationwide, interns play a critical role in our mission success.

The work of interns at NASA reaches far and wide.  Whether they’re contributing to our social media presence, supporting an engineering project that will one day return humanity to the Moon, or even chronicling NASA’s rich history, our interns’ contributions make us proud.

Looking to join in the celebration this National Intern Day? Here are seven ways for interns, mentors, and past interns to celebrate NASA internships.

1. Ask Questions in Our Instagram AMA (Ask Me Anything)

“What’s it like being a NASA intern? What is the day-to-day of an intern at NASA? What are some of the coolest things interns get to see during their internship? How do you become a NASA intern?”

We’ve got your answers! Join our Instagram Ask Me Anything session on @NASAInternships story, where current interns, former interns, and mentors will answer your questions live.

2. Use Our Celebration Toolkit

Are you loving your NASA internship experience? Were you a former intern who now works at NASA full-time? Have you mentored interns and enriched the lives of others?

Explore our Celebration Toolkit on our blog! This resource features unique visuals crafted for social media, perfect for commemorating #NationalInternDay and showcasing your NASA internship’s impact on your journey and career.

3. Hear From Interns Past and Present About Working at NASA

   

Celebrate NASA Intern Week with us at our virtual intern event on July 26, 2024, at 12:00 pm EST! Join current NASA interns and mentors for insights into life at NASA, valuable advice from mentors, program details, and an interactive Q&A. This virtual event is open to everyone.

4. Have a Networking and Career Guidance Discussion

   

Take advantage of this moment to seek valuable career advice from your mentor! Build a sturdy foundation to launch your future career post-internship with networking skills and advice gained from a more experienced mentor. Whether you’re curious about which NASA centers specialize in your field of study or seeking guidance on creating a resume for future applications, your mentor is poised to offer tailored insights and guidance.

5. Share Your Internship Accomplishments

Did you find a planet orbiting two suns at once, discover a new aurora shape, create accurate flight simulations for the public, or design and test prototype space washing machines? Share your successes and accomplishments as a NASA intern with the world using #NASAIntern and #ArtemisGeneration.

7. Get Involved with NASA STEM

Engaging with NASA STEM lays the framework for applying to a NASA internship in the future. By participating, you can gain firsthand exposure to NASA’s mission and projects, which enhances your understanding of the agency’s goals and operations. Active engagement often includes networking opportunities with professionals already working at NASA.

Learn more about how you can get involved: stem.nasa.gov.

8. Apply for a NASA Internship

   

Now that you’ve seen the behind-the-scenes fun of a NASA internship, we hope you’ll consider becoming a NASA intern yourself — or, if you’re already part of the team, continuing your internship for an additional session. As a friendly reminder: our Spring 2025 OSTEM Internship applications close on August 23, 2024.

Growing up along the Southwest Florida coast, Audrey Berlie has always been surrounded by and enjoyed nature. She credits her mom, who homeschooled her, with fostering her love for science and the environment. But the sadness she felt from seeing plastic pollution and red tides in her backyard became her call to action.

“When you see something that you love and grow up with being affected, every day it instills something in you,” said Berlie.

Berlie was involved in conservation work throughout high school and is currently undertaking dual degrees in environmental science and environmental business as an Environmental Fellow at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida.

As an intern at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Berlie supports the Center Operations Directorate’s Sustainability Team to implement sustainability projects in collaboration across divisions including logistics, planning, security, environmental, and facilities management. During her internship, she designed and wrote the Sustainability Snapshot report for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 and streamlined Johnson’s greenhouse gas accounting system. Berlie also organized Climate and You, monthly talks with experts from Johnson and industry on how climate change is impacting natural and human systems in Texas and beyond.

“How I got to NASA was really just an accident, in all frankness,” Berlie said. “I saw a posting for NASA internships on LinkedIn, and I was like, ‘they’re not going to have anything for me.’”

To her surprise, Berlie discovered a sustainability internship position at Johnson that perfectly matched her interests and skillset.

Since accepting her internship, she’s discovered an unexpected interest in space sustainability as a future career path.

“My expertise has been focused on Earth,” she said. “But after going to all the talks and the different events at NASA and hearing about development in space, I started thinking, ‘Wow, this is repeating what we’ve seen on Earth.’”

Reflecting on her previous internships, NASA stands out as one of the strongest programs she has ever experienced.

“It’s a well-oiled machine. I haven’t talked to any NASA interns [who] have felt like they had nothing to do,” Berlie said “[NASA] makes sure that you’re learning from and getting the most out of your internship.”

When asked about her favorite part about being a NASA intern, Berlie points to the culture.

“NASA is truly people-focused and mission-focused,” she said. “I have met the most amazing people here because all of them are so ambitious, intelligent, kind, innovative, and creative. They’re all looking to make the world a better place. That’s who NASA attracts.”

Looking back, Berlie noted, that though her path to NASA seems linear and planned in hindsight, it didn’t feel as straightforward in the moment—and that’s okay.

“I felt like everything was collapsing in on itself and I was just going from thing to thing without a story to tie it all together,” she said. “But even if you don’t have a goal in mind, as long as you’re taking initiative and pursuing your passions, you’ll end up where you need to be.”

Heidi Pan/NASA Headquarters

NASA is entering a new era of space exploration. Through the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and person of color on the Moon. The advances made in our return to the lunar surface will later pave the way for human exploration of Mars—taking humanity further than ever before.

Helming this new era of exploration is the Artemis Generation. Like the Apollo Generation before them, these star-sailors are the pioneers of tomorrow and bring forth a new golden age of space discovery.

The Artemis Generation begins now, with us. The NASA interns of today are the Artemis leaders of tomorrow. We interviewed two current interns to better understand their thoughts on the future of NASA and their roles with Artemis.

MACKENZI HAUB | Pathways Intern at NASA’s Johnson Space Center

How has your internship at NASA contributed to your understanding of the Artemis mission and Artemis Generation? 

As an intern, I have had the opportunity to meet some of the most courageous, quick-witted, observant problem solvers in the world. For example, my mentor, Jerry Condon, taught me more about Artemis and space travel than I could have ever imagined I would learn in a three-month timespan. Every time we spoke, I felt like I had learned a new component of spaceflight and mission planning. I learned about lunar craters, rocket propulsion, moon dust, and so much more.

During my project, I learned about lighting on the lunar surface and how it will affect Artemis III mission availability due to visibility issues during the landing of the Human Landing System (HLS), the vehicle that will bring humans back to the lunar surface for the first time in over 50 years. Jerry gave me a lot of control over the project and was very encouraging through all the learning curves I faced. He is a perfect example – one of many– of how NASA is fostering the Artemis Generation.

Interns come in with new minds and new ideas on how to solve problems. This is encouraged and celebrated at NASA. A new idea is never frowned upon. The Artemis Generation has a lot of work to do, and past NASA generations are doing a great job paving the way for us to contribute to the next several years’ worth of spaceflight innovation.

In what ways do you think the Artemis program is shaping the future for the next generation of space enthusiasts and professionals?

In a world where everything is fast paced and viewed on a screen, we need to make sure the Artemis program continues to be filmed and presented to the younger generations. Photos of the Moon from Orion during Artemis I, live feed of the Space Launch System rocket during launch, videos of the Artemis II crew training to return to the Moon… these are all essential in growing the next generation. Nothing excites my nephew more than the fire from a rocket as it leaves Earth. He doesn’t know exactly how important that fire is yet, but as long as we continue showing the younger generations the wonder that is spaceflight, I have no doubt that he will itch to learn more one day.

DOMINIQUE CRESPO | Pathways Intern at NASA’s Johnson Space Center

How has your internship at NASA contributed to your understanding of the Artemis mission and Artemis Generation? 

Throughout my internship, I have seen the Artemis II crew go through many milestones, from the day they were announced, to their media opportunities around the world, and their growth as astronauts and individuals every day here at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The Artemis program’s integrity has immersed itself in my everyday life – I see the impact the program has on students and the NASA workforce as the human contribution to meet such an advanced end goal has become an inspiration to many. Inspiring the youth to reach for the stars has become a prominent duty of mine. As a part of the Artemis Generation, I believe this program and its missions will change the future of space exploration and become the blueprint for young dreamers to take us further and further.

How has your experience as an intern in this program influenced your career aspirations and interest in the field? 

Being an intern in public affairs has changed my mindset in many ways, especially since I work so closely with our astronaut corps. The Artemis program has inspired me to push further in my career and has given me the opportunity to see the power and intelligence humans hold in space exploration. I feel honored to be able to be one of the people behind the scenes who shares Artemis with the public, and the program itself is something that I am extremely proud to be a part of. As an intern, I view myself as one of the many reasons why students think it is possible to be a part of the agency, and I take pride in knowing that I give our youth hope in their futures as a part of the space program.

Want to join us and play a leading role in the Artemis Generation? Apply for a NASA internship at intern.nasa.gov

Gracie Glover/NASA Headquarters

1. Head to stemgateway.nasa.gov and log in or create an account.
2. Copy and paste the six-digit unique ID number for a role from the list below into the search bar.
3. Review the specific details of the opportunity to see if you’d be a good fit.
4. If interested, click the large apply button in the top right of the position listing.
5. Repeat. (You can apply to more than one opportunity!)

Do you have any question about NASA’s internships that you can't find in our FAQ? Send us an email and we’ll do our best to answer your question.

Over the past two years, NASA’s newest class of astronaut candidates has undergone extensive training. Together, they’ve practiced for spacewalks in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, flown in T-38 jets, familiarized themselves with the International Space Station, learned the Russian language, and more. 

This class of twelve graduates includes a former NASA intern-turned-astronaut, Deniz Burnham. Burnham, who interned at NASA’s Ames Research Center, cites becoming an astronaut as a lifelong dream, and her internship as an important step in that process.

“That internship for me was such a wonderful experience too, because I was like, you know, hey, even if I don’t become an astronaut, I always wanted to be a part of NASA,” she said. 

In addition to her experience as a former NASA intern, Burnham is a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a master’s in mechanical engineering. She’s also an experienced leader in the energy industry, having managed onsite drilling projects and oil rigs for over a decade, including the Arctic in Alaska, Northern Alberta in Canada, and Texas. 

In fact, she shares the experience she gained in oil fields as a part of her advice for others who wish to become astronauts. 

“Try to be your own person. There are so many skillsets and backgrounds that could lead to [becoming an astronaut],” Burnham said. “It’s how you articulate your skillset. Focus on something that other operators will recognize. [For example] working in remote locations and making time-critical decisions.”

When asked about her favorite part of her astronaut candidate training, she shared, “I’d say the favorite for me, just in terms of like a core memory, was getting to try on the suit for the first time. It’s something that you always picture in your mind. As a child, you know, you try to see yourself in the suits because you get to see all these pictures and then you actually get to try it on for yourself. And it was pretty incredible.” 

Want to learn more about our newest class of astronauts? Hear from the rest of Astronaut Group 23 “The Flies” in the latest episode of our Houston We Have A Podcast.

Interested in becoming an astronaut yourself? Check out these resources we’ve prepared on how to start down your path to space.