NDSU students explore new horizons as NASA interns

For three NDSU students, this summer was less about textbooks and more about rockets, spacecraft and hands-on engineering at NASA. Their internships at some of the agency’s most prestigious research centers highlight both the importance of practical learning and NDSU’s growing reputation as a launchpad for future innovators.

Seniors Emily Mikhail and Turner Person, and junior Terrence Andre San Gabriel spent the summer immersed in advanced research, collaborating with NASA scientists and engineers while contributing to projects with real-world impact. For all three, the experience reinforced not only their career ambitions but also the value of the academic preparation and mentorship they’ve received at NDSU.

Mikhail, a senior double major in mechanical engineering and physics from Rochester, Minnesota, interned with NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia. She worked on the stereo cameras for lunar plume surface studies project, a payload that flies on lunar landers to study how rocket exhaust interacts with the moon’s surface. One of her main assignments was designing and developing a prototype Particle Image Velocimetry system that could one day be used on the moon.

“It was so exciting to help design a system that could potentially be used on the lunar surface,” Mikhail said. “I got to witness how a NASA team works on current and upcoming missions and how they use lessons from real flights to improve the next one. That’s a skill I’ll carry into my own research.”

Mikhail also credited her NDSU research experience and faculty mentors for preparing her to succeed.

“I’ve really appreciated my professors at NDSU, especially Dr. Jordi Estevadeordal. His mentorship has been instrumental in my success, and it was exciting to realize he once worked closely with one of my mentors at NASA,” she said. “I believe I’m where I am today because of the support from NDSU faculty and peers.”

San Gabriel, a junior from Bismarck majoring in mechanical engineering with minors in computer science and physics, also worked at Langley. His project combined computer modeling with hands-on analysis. What stood out most, he said, was NASA’s collaborative culture and how approachable the experts were.

“NDSU is big enough for research and resources but small enough for mentorship,” San Gabriel said, noting that the same qualities he appreciates at NDSU were echoed in his internship.

He credited NDSU faculty for fueling his curiosity and helping him stretch beyond the classroom. Professors like Luke Gibbon and Jason Boynton, he said, made technical subjects engaging while also investing in student success.

Person, a senior double major in mechanical engineering and physics from Brainerd, Minnesota, interned at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland after previously completing a placement at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

This summer, he worked on a cryogenic heat pipe test setup and a lunar regolith thermal vacuum chamber experiment, projects requiring him to blend thermal modeling, CAD design and LabVIEW coding.

“I wanted to focus on thermal and propulsion-related systems,” Person said. “Being able to contribute to those projects was incredible.”

At NDSU, Person leads the High-Power Rocketry Team and works in the Hybrid Rocket Research Group, experiences he says gave him the confidence to dive into ambitious projects at NASA.

“The mentorship and student-led research culture at NDSU really set me up for this opportunity,” he said.

While their day-to-day tasks differed, all three students agreed that the summer underscored the value of internships. San Gabriel pointed out that learning to tackle brand-new challenges gave him confidence. Person emphasized how hands-on projects at both NASA and NDSU have prepared him to keep advancing in aerospace.

And together, they had a message for other students considering NDSU: opportunities like this are possible because of the university’s unique blend of strong academics, accessible faculty and early research opportunities.

“Internships show you what’s possible,” Person said. “At NDSU, you’re encouraged to take initiative and that opens the door to experiences like NASA.”

To see where an NDSU degree can take you, Schedule a visit or apply today.