Space Sciences Internships
Students participating in space sciences projects typically spend at least one summer working on their research as a Carthage Summer Undergraduate Research Experience fellow. Students are then encouraged to apply for a Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium or NASA internship or continue their research on campus.
space sciences internship opportunities
The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) at Carthage offers students in all majors the opportunity to engage in collaborative full-time research with professors. Students work closely with faculty mentors on a new or developing line of research.
Students selected to participate in SURE spend 10 weeks doing research full time (40 hours per week) with a faculty mentor. SURE fellows receive a stipend and campus housing/meals.
All SURE students and faculty mentors maintain regular communication with one another, during which students present their progress. At the end of the program, students are required to write a project report and display their findings at a poster session for the Carthage community.
NASA Center internships are intensive residential experiences at a NASA Center. These take place over the summer and/or for a school semester.
The Academies are intensive educational programs emphasizing group activities, teamwork, research, and creativity. The curriculum balances direct contact with science and engineering R & D with an awareness of the managerial, political, financial, social, and human issues faced by aerospace professionals. Included are seminars, informal discussions, evening lectures, supervised research, visits to other NASA Centers, and facilities, group project/s, tours, posters/presentations, and assessment. Additionally, most weekends are filled with group activities, team building, and off-site trips.
Through generous funding from the NASA Science Mission Directorate Bridge Program, Carthage students are invited to participate in a year-long program to build research skills and career readiness for participating in the space industry. Selected students participate in collaborative research and career preparation through both on-campus coursework and laboratory research at Carthage and at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Program specifics:
- Application-based cohort of five physics students per year
- $8,000 stipend for one summer of research at Johnson Space Center Power and Propulsion division
- Participation in The Aspire Center internship and MAP badge programs
- Research in next-generation systems for in-space propellant transfer between high-pressure tanks and venting of those tanks to space
Students will work with NASA subject matter experts (SMEs) Kevin Crosby and Eric Hurlbert on the study of acoustic control of helium bubble dynamics and ullage formation in high-pressure tank systems. Ultimately, this work informs the problem of transferring propellant from a service tank to a client tank during an in-space refueling operation.
Program calendar:
| Work Period | Location | Course Requirements | Research/Lab Experience | Commitment |
| Fall Semester | Carthage College | GNR 1100 Introduction to Internships | Carthage Space Sciences Lab: Introduction to Acoustics; High-speed imaging of bubbles | 6 hours/week in-lab; 1 hour/week course meetings; 1 hour/ week homework; Participation in The Aspire MAP program |
| Spring Semester | Carthage College | Carthage Space Sciences Lab: Introduction to Acoustics; High-speed imaging of bubbles | 6 hours/week in-lab; 1 hour/week course meetings; 1 hour/ week Mentor meetings; Participation in the Aspire MAP program |
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| Summer Semester | John Space Center, Houston | NASA Center training needed | Work at the JSC EP Division laboratories on concept implementation and testing | 10-week full-time paid Center internship |
GNR 1100 Introduction to Internships
This course will increase student knowledge of internship opportunities centered around personal interests, skills, and values. Students will gain valuable skills in self-assessment and internship research. Topics covered include the following: professional document development (resume, portfolio, LinkedIn profile, etc.), internship search strategy, resources for the internship search, interview preparation, goal setting, and professional skills to be utilized in the professional internship experience.
My Aspire Program (MAP) Badge
The Aspire Program at Carthage provides a comprehensive four-year career preparation program, which helps students develop a dynamic approach to goal-setting and life skill-building with emphasis on building skills in career development, entrepreneurship, leadership, and creativity. The program, MAP, tracks students’ progress through the nine competencies of the program and helps them document and connect their engagement inside/outside the classroom to these competencies. This allows students to reflect on their experiences eliciting growth related to these competencies.
Sierra Space provides industry experience to full-time students attending a Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC) academic affiliate institution. Many of these students go on to work in the aerospace sector. WSGC works with other industry members to offer similar opportunities.
Each year, WSGC awards $25,000 to Wisconsin companies providing a 1:1 Industry Internship Award. Awards range from $2,500 to $15,000.