Organization:NASA AMES

NASA AMES FACILLITY SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA

When most people think of NASA AMES they see it as a field facility for NASA tests, not as a place for advancement of undergraduates when it comes to research. However, most people are right, NASA AMES is a field center that conducts world class research and development. However each one of those individuals that believes that misses an important part, the 2500 employees that are willing and able to help and develop any student that walks in their door.

NASA AMES Research center today is the leader in nanotechnology, information technology, fundamental space biology, biotechnology, thermal protection systems, and human factors research. Originally a center for Aeronautics, NASA AMES was the center for any and all developments in flight regimes in the 1960’s and 70’s. AMES has now turned into one of the main hubs for NASA to excel and achieve new heights when it comes to the development and implementation of new research.

Well how can this all help undergraduates? It all comes back to those 2500 employees involved in the high level end research. Those 2500 people are willing and able to let students in and help them develop their projects, all the student has to do is ask. To many times students look for an application process, or a list of criteria in order to do something; at NASA AMES that is not the case. When a student has a technological research project, all you have to do is send a NASA researcher an email and they will help you in a heartbeat. If anything this process is better for students as it pushes them to be able to communicate with what is called cold contact communication. Too many undergraduates are afraid of this topic and a lot of them try to look for a way which is structured, but they all forget the most important thing; they are a student. NASA AMES is always willing to help develop and train any student that walks in their door and have been doing it since its creation in 1958.

Overall NASA AMES provides a great platform for any student doing any innovation or research. The people located at this facility know what they are doing and are not hesitant to share their knowledge one bit. For undergraduates NASA AMES requires something a little different, students to take a different type of initiative, cold contact communication. Where a student must be able to email a researcher state their objective and what they would like to see back, this is a skill that not many facilities will be able to teach. Besides the overwhelming support for students NASA AMES also has an internship program which brings students to AMES over the summer and lets them get involved in the research projects that are going on. NASA AMES is truly a gift basket to any undergraduate seeking