Fifteen students are spending the summer at NASA Johnson Space Center, working alongside space life scientists and space medicine researchers as part of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute’s Summer Internship Program.
As the International Space Station nears completion, these young scientists are getting a taste of health and medical research related to living in space for long periods and to sending humans back to the moon. The 10-to-15 week program provides the opportunity for undergraduate, graduate and medical students to join ongoing research activities at NASA.
The 2008 NSBRI Summer Interns and their home institutions are:
- Teresa Ai, Duke University
- Justin Barba, Texas A&M University
- Michelle Bruner, Mars Hill College
- John Cackler, Stanford University
- Pushan Dasgupta, Harvard University
- James Fiedler, Iowa State University
- Lauren Frost, West Virginia University
- Jennifer Hirt, University of Kansas Medical Center
- Stephanie Horsfield, Ohio University
- David Lindsay, Syracuse University
- Kathryn Montgomery, Rice University
- Ji Son, University of California, Los Angeles
- Man Ying Wong, New York Medical College
- Abigail Young, Saint Louis University
- Matthew Young, Arkansas Tech University
"These students are participating in research for space exploration and learning about the numerous Earth applications of their work," said Dr. Jeffrey Sutton, NSBRI director. "We hope this experience inspires them to pursue careers related to the nation’s space program."
NSBRI interns work on research activities under the supervision of NASA scientists and physicians. The students are paired with mentors working on projects assessing muscle performance and changes in lean body mass, balance and orientation disturbances during and after gravitational changes, the effects of radiation on bone, and software for enhanced analysis of the heart’s electrical activity.
NSBRI, funded by NASA, is a consortium of institutions studying the health risks related to long-duration spaceflight. The Institute’s 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, and neurobehavioral and psychosocial factors, and habitability and performance issues such as sleep cycles and lunar dust exposure. Research findings will also impact the understanding and treatment of similar medical conditions experienced on Earth.