The NASA International Internship Program (NASA I²) is a structured agency-wide program that provides a collaborative environment in which Non-U.S. interns (university undergraduate level students) or fellows (university graduate level students)
are able to work alongside international peers. Following the signing of an agreement between NIHERST and NASA in 2012, the NASA I² program was developed to facilitate a structured educational exchange between NASA's science and engineering
workforce and visiting university students from Trinidad and Tobago. NASA I² gives future workforce an opportunity to function as a member of a multinational team by partnering with international peers at a NASA facility. The visiting students
will work side by side with US and other foreign interns under a NASA mentor.
The program is intensive with an emphasis on group work, teamwork, research and creativity. The content balances science and technology with issues of management, finance, and social and human issues faced by aerospace professionals. Students
take part in seminars, informal discussions, evening lecture, supervised research, group projects and visits to NASA centres and laboratories.
Through NIHERST, Trinidad and Tobago was the first participating country with such an agreement; the second is now Mexico via its Agencia Espacial Mexicana (AEM).
Research Project Areas:
Students/Fellows will be required to undertake research projects at the NASA Ames in one of following areas:
- Advanced Life Support
- Bio-mimetic Optical Sensor for Real-time Measurement of Aircraft Wing Deflection
- Biosensor Development
- Computer Science Programmer
- Data Mining and Analysis for Sustainability Base
- Developing an Intelligent Integrated Control and Alarm System for Sustainability Base
- Electronics Prognostics: Application to Capacitors
- Elucidating Skeletal Responses to the Spaceflight Environment
- Human Nutrient Production in Space
- Human System Integration in the National Airspace (NAS)
- Laboratory Research in Microbial Ecology and Space Biology
- Metabolic Control for Adaptation to Spaceflight Environment
- Nanotechnology in Electronics and Sensor Development
- Power Electronics Prognostics
- Prognostics and Health Management
- TechEdSat Project
- The Effects of Mechanical Unloading on Biological Function
- Upgrading a Space Debris Simulation Software for Planetary Defense Assessments
N.B. - The research project areas are subject to change and will be confirmed by NASA during NASA’s final ranking and selection of candidates.
Criteria for Application:
To apply for a NASA internship, you must:
- Must be a citizen of T&T;
- Must be currently pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics
(STEM) in a topic relevant to NASA’s mission priorities;
- Must meet a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0, or equivalent standard if university does not use GPA;
- Must complete the application form;
- Must have a high academic standing and a demonstrated interest in the space program; and
- Must show proficiency in English.
Upon completion of their NASA Internship, the interns/fellows will be required to:
- Submit a full report on the research project undertaken to NIHERST and their tertiary level institute;
- Conduct two presentations within four (4) months – one on the research undertaken and one on the experience of the internship; and
- Conduct additional research towards his/her undergraduate/postgraduate thesis, where possible.
Participating international students will also be required to participate in required officer education activity by NASA.
Applications to the Summer Internship 2015 are now closed. However we urge interested individuals to seek the 2016 cycle.