Inspiration from Mars by Deborah

Inspiration from Mars by Deborah - December 2015 Scholarship Essay

In ten years I hope to be standing on the rolling hills and mountainous terrain of Mars. As I stand there I will be writing history and making discoveries that will further science. I will also be inspiring others to do likewise. It was the last launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery that inspired me. I knew in that moment, as I watched it triumphantly climb, that one day I would either be strapped to a rocket myself or be involved in the creation of one. I hope to be able to inspire others as I was.
In undergraduate school I hope to major in Aerospace Engineering. I have received a phenomenal education in engineering at Engineering and Aerospace Sciences Academy (EASA) at McMinnville High School. EASA has presented me with numerous opportunities to further my skills as a scientist and as an engineer in preparation for my future. For example, every year, through Valley Christian High School and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) we send an experiment to the International Space Station. Last year our team decided to observe if there is a difference between the corrosion process of metals placed in a micro-gravity environment - where high radiation levels are endured on a daily basis - and that which is in gravity and the safety of our atmosphere. As mankind ventures into deep space, it will be vital to understand the corrosive process of the metallic materials we may mine and utilize. My peers and I hoped to not only use this opportunity to further our skills in preparation for our future careers but to further science and inspiration.
EASA has also given me several opportunities to inspire others. At the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, a couple times a month local 5th grade classes come to learn and get excited about physics. I run a station, along with a few of my peers, that allows us to teach these kids the basic Newtonian Laws in a fun and exciting manor. We then challenge them to apply the knowledge they just learned by engineering a parachute. Afterwards, we have the kids split themselves up into groups and go on a tour with us. I love watching the passion come into their eyes as I tell them simple and personable stories about the exhibits before them. They see science and engineering come alive in front of them and go home aspiring to become pilots, astronauts, engineers, technicians, and people who will change the world. And that’s what I want to do: overcome challenges, solve problems, discover, and inspire others to do likewise. I believe by becoming an Aerospace Engineer I can do these things.
During graduate school I plan to engage in an internship with a company in the Aerospace Industry such as NASA, Boeing, and SpaceX. I hope that this internship will then open doors for my career. After three years or so I will then apply to the astronaut program. NASA requires its astronauts to have a degree in a STEM field, three years or so in their professions, and to meet all physical requirements. If accepted to the astronaut program, I will work hard to secure myself a position on a Mars Mission. This mission will allow me to do what I love: discover, overcome, and inspire others.