2025 Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Interns

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[Visual: Asif Rasha speaking to camera]

I want to be a leading expert in deep space communication and when I go there I want to learn from the experts at JPL, possibly have lifelong professional connections so we can collaborate even when I come back to New Zealand and share my experience and knowledge here.

So my project is in deep space communications, so NASA relies on large antennas to communicate with their spacecrafts and satellites.

So I will work with the team to develop a system that will improve the efficiency of these antennas for long distance communication.

Kia ora koutou, my name is Asif Rasha and I'm a doctoral candidate at the Auckland University of Technology.

My PhD research focuses on developing a surface and optics measurement technique of radio telescopes using a terrestrial laser scan.

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[Visual: Felix Goddard speaking to camera]

I'm really looking forward to working with some of the experts at JPL and drawing on their knowledge and expertise. It really is a world-class research center and an incredible opportunity to build on the knowledge that I've started to grow in my studies so far.

At JPL I'm going to be looking at some new techniques for taking measurements of little particles in the atmosphere from satellites which is really important for figuring out how these particles scatter and absorb light as it passes through the atmosphere and how that affects our climate.

I'm Felix Goddard. I'm a PhD student at the University of Canterbury where I'm studying how microplastics in the atmosphere could be affecting the climate.

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[Visual: Jack Patterson speaking to camera]

I'm really looking forward to learning from some of the best science communicators in the world.

And as well as leveling up my research skills, I want to be able to take the next step and become a better communicator for the general public.

I'm going to be working on applying machine learning techniques to detect anomalies, so problems with autonomous lunar rovers.

I'm Jack Patterson, I'm a PhD student at the University of Canterbury studying computer science and observational astronomy.

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[Visual: Mark Bishop speaking to camera]

I'm looking forward to being able to meet all these amazing researchers at JPL and being in an environment and culture that supports all this science and development.

At JPL, I'll be using state-of-the-art machine learning techniques to process telescope observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, which is the earliest light in the universe.

I'm Mark Bishop, I'm a PhD student from Victoria University of Wellington and I'm studying astrophysics.

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[Visual: Shivam Desai speaking to camera]

I'm looking forward to all the knowledge I'm going to gain.

It's going to be so good to go there, learn stuff that isn't necessarily explored here in New Zealand, bring it back so that you can further develop the sector here.

Ultimately, the goal is to increase access to the sector for younger aged kids, particularly from high school level.

So it's just going to be good to, you know, increase the access and invest in the future of the space sector here in New Zealand. What I'm working on at JPL is the deployment mechanism for a, what you call a W-band antenna.

So W-band refers to the higher operating frequencies that the antenna will communicate in. And what that also entails is the size of the dish unit.

So we'll need quite a big one, but because of that, we have to obviously package it quite small and then deploy it.

And so I'm making sure that the software and hardware that we use deploys it in very tight tolerances so it all fits together very nicely and there's no sort of mismatch between the different segments.

Hi, my name is Shivam Desai. I am a Masters of Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Auckland, and my project
is focused on developing the onboard computer for a, what we call a CubeSat platform, that the university can then use in future missions rather than having to source it externally.

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[Visual: Sophie Claridge speaking to camera]

I'm really looking forward to going to JPL, getting the chance to work with an amazing team over there working on some really cutting-edge space research, it'll be really exciting.

The project I'll be working on is related to the autonomous lunar rover project.

I'll be working on actually a machine learning aspect of this, where I'll be using machine learning to detect anomalous or unexpected scenarios which the lunar rover encounters.

Kia ora, my name's Sophie Claridge, I'm a PhD student at Paihau Robinson Research and Victoria University of Wellington.

My research is focused on trying to use machine learning to monitor superconducting magnets for fusion reactors.

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[Visual: Taran John speaking to camera]

So probably what I'm looking forward to the most at my time at JPL would be working with world-class researchers and translating academic literature to real-world applications.

I'll be working on an AI assistant which will facilitate the interactions between surface instruments and the astronauts.

Kia ora, I'm Taran John, I'm a PhD candidate at the Victoria University of Wellington and I specialize in artificial intelligence.

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