What led you to meet with a mentor in the MIR program? 

I met Mentor Josh Ingersoll through the Brooke Owens Fellowship, and he informed me of the Mentors-in-Residence program.

I met with Josh Ingersoll to get support navigating the internship search as an international student. He taught me how to frame and consolidate experiences, skills, jobs, and previous experiences. He has an extensive network in industry and academia and wants to share his resources/network with students.  

I also met with mentors Sandy Magnus, Niya Perry and Gary Weissel. 

They gave me insight on how I can use the skills learned in college to determine which jobs would be a good fit, and they gave me perspective on what to anticipate in my first full time position post-graduation.  

How can other students maximize their time with a mentor?

• Go in prepared for the mentor meetings
• Tailor questions for the mentor based on their background
• Let the conversation flow
• Be respectful of the mentor’s time
• Expect to learn a lot (even beyond what is on the mentor’s bio page)

Would you recommend other students meet with mentors?

Yes, the mentors want to help. They have been in our shoes. They can help students envision where their careers are headed. Help you build your network.  Mentors can also help you get out of your shell. Help you demystify the intensive process it takes to land an internship or job in industry. Give you a better understanding of the different roles in the industry. Inform your choices. 

Fun Facts about Sindhu

• Hometown: Doha, Qatar
• Trilingual: Fluent in English, Hindi, and Kannada (novice in French and Arabic)
• Favorite food is Baklava 

Outreach and Community Involvement

I am a proud member of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC). I was recently appointed to be the National Point of Contact – Qatar. In this role, I advocate and represent Qatar on an international platform, collaborate with international partners and non-profits to create resources and use educational initiatives and to inspire the Qatari youth to pursue careers in the space industry.

Recently, I was also nominated to the ACCESS - Middle East and Central Asia Subcommittee (MECA) which is a part of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and aims to shape the future of the MECA region and contribute to building a sustainable and collaborative space ecosystem.