What is your next adventure?
I will be researching nuclear thermal propulsion at MIT this fall for a master's degree. I received the NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities (NSTGRO) Fellowship that will cover my graduate education. I had to write a research proposal, and it was focused on nuclear thermal propulsion and that will be my research focus while pursuing my master's degree.

I also foresee a space start-up in the future, either starting one or working at one. 

What about your next adventure are you most looking forward to?
I’m passionate about the subject matter of my research. So, it will be nice to dive in and have some control over it. I’ll be simulating the entire engine system as a whole, and from starting it to shutting it down. I’m also looking forward to the entrepreneurship opportunities from MIT after I earn my degree.

Did you have any previous co-op, internship, or research experience in this area?
In the fall of 2022, I had an internship at NASA Marshall. It was virtual, but it was in Nuclear thermal propulsion. The research that I proposed for my graduate fellowship is on the very same engine that I was working on for my internship. So, it's sort of an extension of that research. It's not exactly what I was working on, but it's related.

I also worked in the Sensing Technologies Lab during my freshman year. I spent most of the rest of my time in the High-Power Electric Propulsion Laboratory under Dr. Walker, I've been in that lab since spring 2022.

How did your educational experience at Georgia Tech help you to achieve your goals?
The classes are a good starting point to understand the concepts to apply in industry, but they are only the tip of the iceberg. I learned the fundamentals in class, and the professors are good, too. However, I think the best learning opportunities are outside of the classroom and make a huge difference. Georgia Tech offers undergraduate students the opportunity to do research early. My undergraduate research took me to the next level. I also learned so much working in the Yellow Jacket Space Program (YJSP). It doesn’t have to be YJSP because some people may choose other engineering design teams. People who want to get into supersonics will join the Georgia Tech Supersonics Club, and people who want to get into aircraft will join Design, Build, Fly (DBF), but these types of organizations are the key. 

What advice would you give to an underclassman who would like to follow the same path?
Place a lot of value on the learning activities outside of class and the extracurricular learning activities at Georgia Tech that prepare you for your career. Getting involved is probably the best thing that you can do to learn, educate, and prepare yourself for the type of career that you want.