RAPID CITY, S.D. (July 26, 2012) – Ten South Dakota School of Mines and Technology students and one South Dakota State University student have spent recent months immersed in NASA and aerospace industry internships.
The students were placed either in 15-week spring or 10-week summer internships, with about $80,000 in stipends awarded either by the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium (SDSGC), headquartered at the School of Mines, or directly from NASA.
“Of the 60 students who were supported by the Space Grant Consortium this past year with $208,000 in fellowship/scholarship funding, we are very pleased with the fact that 11 of them have conducted internships at NASA Centers and aerospace industries,” said Tom Durkin, SDSGC deputy director. “These types of hands-on, high-tech experiences give our students an excellent taste of what it is like to work at NASA and for NASA contractors after they graduate. These internships also play an essential role in developing our nation’s workforce in the important fields of science, technology, engineering and math.”
School of Mines students placed were:
- Ryan Brown, junior from Rapid City, computer engineering, NASA Johnson Space Center, spring
- Travis A. Davis, junior from Belle Fourche, mechanical engineering, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, summer and fall
- Levi W. Dexter, junior from Amelia, Neb., mechanical engineering, NASA Johnson Space Center, summer
- Jack (James) G. Fowler, senior from Rapid City, mechanical engineering, summer, United Technologies Corp. aerospace company
- Trisha Michael, junior from Rapid City, interdisciplinary sciences (ATM track), summer, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
- Colt Montgomery, senior from Bismarck, N.D., mechanical engineering, summer, United Technologies Corp. aerospace company
- Anna M. Robertson, junior from Ham Lake, Minn., interdisciplinary sciences (ATM track), summer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Carly R. Sandin, junior from Houston, mechanical engineering, summer, NASA Johnson Space Center
- Dustin K. Swanson, sophomore from Hill City, mechanical engineering, summer, NASA Johnson Space Center
- Jacey Wipf, senior from Rapid City, interdisciplinary sciences (ATM track), summer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The SDSU student placed was Daniel A. Nehlich, junior from Sioux Falls, physics, spring, NASA Johnson Space Center.
Nine of the 11 internship students were awarded funds through the Space Grant Consortium for a total of $56,500, while NASA provided about $23,500.
Learn more about the Space Grant Consortium at sdspacegrant.org.
