SaSa Program
Participants in the Student Airborne Science Activation Program gain hands-on research experience in all components of a scientific research campaign, including flying onboard the NASA P-3 research aircraft to collect land, ocean, and atmospheric measurements.
TODAY
Participants per class
Eligible Universities
The Student Airborne Science Activation (SaSa) program selects highly motivated early-career undergraduates at eligible universities to participate in an 8-week summer research experience. The full-time, paid internship includes a competitive stipend, housing, and travel, for each of its 25 participants.
About SaSa
The word “sasa” in Kiswahili, means, “now”; it was adopted here to convey the urgency of our mission. SaSa is also an acronym: Student Airborne Science Activation.
The SaSa program draws on NASA SMD’s (Science Mission Directorate’s) unique assets (aircraft, aircraft sensors and experts) to create an effective learning environment, where students take part in a paid summer internship for eight weeks. They receive experiential learning experience delivered by NASA subject matter experts and guest lecturers, covering different topics such as basic remote sensing principles, basic atmospheric thermodynamics, atmospheric stability, and data analysis. Students also receive professional development training including scientific abstract writing, comprehensive literature review, networking and professional presentations (oral and poster). More importantly, students are connected to bridge programs (e.g., NASA internships, NASA Pathways, and NASA Student Airborne Research Program (SARP)), and receive guidance and science counseling to keep them motivated and engaged in the Earth science field through graduation and beyond, including proceeding to a graduate school or taking up a STEM career.
SaSa Class of 2022
Annalyse Belton
Shanell Bush
Muyang Chunga
Neima Dedefo
Isaiah Dornelus
Eric Ekey
Trisha Joy Utulo Francisco
Michelle García
David Goba
Learn about those of the NASA corps who make “space sailing” their career profession.
Jonathan Hale
Learn about those of the NASA corps who make “space sailing” their career profession.
Daniel Harrison
Vanessa Hua
Kailyn Hyman
Tochi Iwuji
Mya Johnson
Daniel Khan
Camila Hernández Pedraza
Sophia Ramirez
Stephanie Marie Ortiz Rosario
Angelica Stewart
Ananda Turner
Romina Cano Velasquez
Kennedi White
Kiara Wilson
SaSa has four main objectives:
- Create a student geoscience learning ecosystem enabling effective student engagement with NASA scientists & engineers, academic advisors, peers, and the local communities.
- Provide students with new skills to work with NASA science equipment and real data from field/airborne campaigns and satellites.
- Provide students with problem solving skills in the areas of instrument development, operation and mathematical tools and methods to analyze field data.
- Provide research, mentoring, and networking opportunities for early-career undergraduates to address the shortage of individuals from historically underrepresented groups graduating with STEM degrees from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and a need to prepare these students to enter STEM graduate programs as well as the NASA and research workforce.
In the last 40 years, minority representation in geosciences (comprised of ocean, atmosphere and earth sciences) has remained relatively low despite its increase in the proportion in the US population. The lack of ethnic and racial diversity among geoscientists is clearly reflected in the NASA workforce, especially in Earth science. This indicates that there is a desperate need for improvements in: (1) increasing the number of STEM degrees from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), and (2) preparing students from MSIs to enter the STEM workforce. If we want to broaden the ethnic and racial diversity of scientists, we first need graduates who can fill the positions.
In the News:
- Local students participate in NASA’s Airborne Science Program
- NASA Aircraft Conducting Study Over DC and Baltimore
- NASA Aircraft Conducting Atmospheric Studies Over DC to Baltimore
- SaSa Selects 25 Students from Minority Serving Institutions
2022 Graduate Student Mentors
The SaSa program benefits greatly from the experience and contributions of graduate mentors.
Graduate mentors are currently pursuing Ph.D.s in a variety of related fields, at universities across the country.
Full list of graduate mentors
MSI Partners
SaSa partners with a number of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)
Each MSI identifies existing courses and research programs (and facilities where applicable) and designs a means by which NASA content, including NASA subject matter experts will inspire participation and promote understanding.
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NASA Partners
The SaSa program partners with NASA Ames, Langley, and Goddard.
Research team members and a variety of instrumentation from all three centers support the program, providing a breadth of expertise from across the country.
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Learning Activities
The SaSa Program is split into three learning modules.
Participants start with workshops and training on fundamental concepts, before moving on to in-depth field work and mission planning, finally concluding with academic advisement and career mentorship.
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