Mechanical engineering student Mason Hodge discusses his summer internship with NASA
Q: Where are you from?
A: Thomasville, GA
Q: What year are you in at Georgia Tech?
A: Fourth-year
Q: What clubs and groups are you involved in on campus?
A: Boxing Club
Q: Why did you choose ME as a major?
A: Generally speaking, my biggest passion is gaining understanding about what makes things work and then applying that to creative problem-solving. I chose ME as a path to pursue that passion.
Q: What was the application process like to work at NASA?
A: The application itself is fairly straight forward. It asks for general info about the applicant and includes some personal essays. There is a common portal to apply for NASA internships at all of the centers.
Q: Where is your internship?
A: Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California.
Q: What are your day to day duties there?
A: The research I am working on is in rotorcraft aeroacoustics. My day to day work involves assisting in ongoing acoustic tests as well as performing analysis on past test results.
Q: What has been the most interesting part of the internship?
A: The most exciting part of the internship has been meeting other students with similar passions, as well as getting to see the fantastic work going on at NASA.
Q: What is the most valuable thing you have learned during your internship?
A: At NASA, I have gained a lot of insight about how to carry yourself and communicate in a research-focused work environment.
Q: Do you have any suggestions or advice for students looking for interesting internships?
A: Apply to a lot of positions and draw on your network to learn about different opportunities.
Q: What do you hope to do when you graduate from Georgia Tech?
A: I am planning to pursue a masters degree.
*Hodge's internship was funded by the Georgia Space Grant.