Jaylon Collins always knew he wanted to study the universe but HAS shifted his perspective on what a STEM career could be. <\/p>\n
\u201cHAS brought a newfound perspective on what my STEM career could look like, and that shift led me to where I am today,\u201d Collins said. \u201cThe coursework, NASA-led seminars, and space exploration research showed me that I could do direct design work to aid humanity\u2019s exploration of the cosmos. I didn\u2019t want to only learn about our universe\u2014I wanted to help explore it.\u201d <\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\u201cHAS showed me that a career in STEM doesn’t require a label, only your passion,\u201d Collins said. \u201cI saw that STEM could lead to endless career paths, and the guide was whatever I was most passionate about.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
He saw firsthand how engineers tackle the challenges of spaceflight, from designing spacecraft to solving complex mission scenarios. His strong performance in the program earned him an invitation to Moonshot, a five-day virtual challenge where NASA scientists and engineers mentor students through an Artemis-themed mission. His team developed a Mars sample return mission, an experience that taught him valuable lessons in teamwork. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWe combined our knowledge to design solutions that fit our mission profile, and I learned how problem-solving goes beyond the obvious tools like math and science,\u201d he said. \u201cInstead, it entails finding unique methods that trade off certain elements to bolster others and finding the optimal solution for our problem. HAS taught me to listen more than talk and take constructive feedback to create a solid plan.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Now studying aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, Collins credits HAS with building his professional network and opening doors to NASA internship opportunities. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI learned so much from seminars, my peers, and my Moonshot mentors about not only my academic future but also my prospective career,\u201d he said. \u201cMy HAS experience has granted me a web of internship opportunities at NASA through the Gateway Program, and I hope that I can leverage it soon in L\u2019Space Academy\u2019s Lucy Internship.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/figure>Collins hopes to contribute to NASA\u2019s mission by developing solutions for deep space travel. Beyond that, he wants to inspire the next generation. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“I believe that the goal of universal knowledge is to reverberate the passions I have onto other curious dreamers,\u201d he said. \u201cHaving mentors who teach the curious is the way we progress and innovate as a society, and I am dedicated to being one of those mentors one day.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Erin Shimoda: Guiding Astronauts to Safety<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Erin Shimoda\u2019s path to becoming an aerospace engineer did not start with a clear vision of her future. Growing up in a family full of engineers and scientists, she was already on the STEM path, but she did not know where to focus. HAS changed that. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cHAS exposed me to so many different things that an aerospace engineer does,\u201d she said. \u201cI learned about the history of humans in space, NASA\u2019s missions, how to design 3D models, how to apply equations from math class to real-life scenarios.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n During the program\u2019s summer experience, she and her team designed a mission to send humans to Mars. She credits the program with inspiring her to earn an aerospace engineering degree. <\/p>\n The HAS program also reshaped her understanding of what a STEM career could look like. \u201cMy mentors were incredible. They talked about their projects with such energy and passion. It made me want to feel that way about my own work,\u201d she said. \u201cI didn\u2019t realize before how exciting and innovative working in STEM could be.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Shimoda said every person she met through HAS was inspiring. \u201cJust knowing that those people existed and worked at NASA helped push me to persevere and succeed in my undergraduate career. I had plenty of bumps in the road, but I had a goal in mind that others had achieved before me, so I knew I could, too.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n One of the biggest lessons she took from the program was the power of collaboration. In high school, she often felt like she was carrying the load on group projects, which left her with a negative view of working on a team. HAS changed that perspective. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cDuring HAS, everyone was very passionate about accomplishing our goal, so I was consistently supported by my peers,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s so true at NASA, too. Not one single person can build an entire mission to the Moon. We\u2019re all so passionate about accomplishing the mission, so we always support each other and strive for excellence.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Shimoda also saw firsthand how diverse perspectives lead to better results. \u201cThere are many ways to come to a solution, and not every solution is right,\u201d she said. \u201cCollaboration leads to innovation and better problem-solving.\u201d <\/p>\n Now, Shimoda plays a key role in NASA\u2019s Orion Program, ensuring astronaut safety through comprehensive ascent abort planning and procedures, and supporting Artemis recovery operations. She works on guidance, navigation, and control, predicting where the crew module and recovery hardware will land so teams\u2014including the U.S. Navy\u2014are in the right place at the right time. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s exciting because we get to go \u2018in the field\u2019 on a U.S. Navy ship during training. Last year, I spent a week on a Navy ship, and seeing everything come together was incredible,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Her advice for students exploring STEM? \u201cTry every opportunity possible! I joined almost every club imaginable. When I saw the HAS poster in front of my high school\u2019s library, I thought to myself, \u2018Well, I\u2019m not in anything space-related yet!\u2019 and the rest is history.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Looking ahead, she is eager for what is to come. \u201cI\u2019m especially excited for Artemis III, where I\u2019ll be directly involved in recovery operations,\u201d Shimoda said. \u201cI hope that all this work propels us to a future with a sustained human presence on the Moon.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Hallel Chery: Aspiring Astronaut and Emerging Leader<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Hallel Chery is a high school senior who will pursue a degree in mechanical engineering and materials science at Harvard College, with her sights set on becoming both an engineer and an astronaut. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n She completed all three stages of HAS: the online course, the virtual Moonshot challenge, and the five-day on-site experience at Johnson. Balancing the program with academics and leading a school-wide tutoring club pushed her limits\u2014but also broadened her confidence. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI learned that I could take on a tremendous amount of work at one time,\u201d she said. \u201cThis realization has helped me become more ambitious in my future plans.\u201d <\/p>\n Moonshot was her proving ground. Tasked with redesigning a module for NASA\u2019s future Gateway lunar space station, she led a team of eight HAS scholars\u2014none of whom she had met before\u2014through an intense, weeklong mission. Their work was presented to NASA scientists and engineers and her group landed among the top teams in the challenge. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe experience strengthened my confidence in my abilities as a leader,\u201d said Chery. \u201cI learned that I thrive under pressure and am well prepared to tackle any challenge, technical or interpersonal, no matter how difficult it is.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cMoonshot exposed me for the first time to true, deep teamwork,\u201d she said. \u201cInteracting almost non-stop with the same people over one week in a high stakes situation truly taught me about the dynamics of how teams work, the value of teamwork, and being an effective leader. This, coupled with the program\u2019s emphasis on the importance of teamwork have firmly ingrained in me the essentiality of this core NASA value.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n While at Johnson, Chery toured the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility, watched astronauts suit up at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, and visited the Mission Control Center. \u201cSpending only a few days at Johnson, I can truly say that as an aspiring astronaut, being there felt just like home,\u201d Chery said. <\/p>\n<\/a><\/figure><\/a><\/figure><\/a><\/figure>