Nineteen students are working on projects related to human health in space as part of the National Space Biomedical Research Institutes Summer Internship Program.
These young scientists and engineers, working alongside NASA space life scientists and space medicine researchers, are getting a taste of health and medical research related to living in space for long periods of time. The 10-to-15 week program provides the opportunity for undergraduate, graduate and medical students to join ongoing research activities at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston, Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, or Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.
NSBRI Summer Intern Class of 2010
NASA Ames Research Center
- Jarret Weinrich, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University
NASA Glenn Research Center
- Jennika Laird, Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne
- Kristen Saad, Case Western Reserve University
- Christina Sulkowski, University of Akron
NASA Johnson Space Center
- Ryanne Brown, Baylor College of Medicine/Rice University
- Erin Chan, Cornell University
- Cheryl Goetz, University of Southern California
- Emily Jernigan, Texas A&M University
- Joseph Jones, Ohio State University
- Alan Kubey, Jefferson Medical College
- Rachel Logan, Midwestern University
- Amy Oliver, Texas A&M University
- Carlos Ramos, University of Texas Medical Branch
- Luis Sandoval, University of Texas at Austin
- Jessica Snyder, Drexel University
- Jessica Stuyvenberg, Johns Hopkins University
- Moriah Thompson, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
- Sophia Traven, St. Marys College of Maryland
- Piotr Truszkowski, Harvard Medical School
"These internships allow high-caliber students to work on the front line of research for human space exploration. The medical challenges being addressed for spaceflight can also be applied to medical care on Earth," said Dr. Jeffrey Sutton, NSBRI director.
Since its inception in 1998, 136 students have participated in the highly competitive program. More than 250 students applied in 2010.
NSBRI interns work on research activities under the supervision of NASA scientists and physicians who serve as mentors. Interns work on projects in a variety of fields, such as space medicine, biomechanics, behavioral performance, food science, exercise physiology and cardiology.
NSBRI, funded by NASA, is a consortium of institutions studying the health risks related to long-duration spaceflight. The Institutes science, technology and education projects take place at more than 60 institutions across the United States.
NSBRI projects address space health concerns such as bone and muscle loss, cardiovascular changes, balance and orientation problems, neurobehavioral and psychosocial factors, radiation exposure, remote medical care and research capabilities, neurobehavioral and psychosocial factors, and habitability and performance. Research findings will also impact the understanding and treatment of similar medical conditions experienced on Earth.