University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Aerospace Engineering
Bachelor of Science, May 2006
NASA Academy Research Project:
NTP Engine System Evaluation and Conceptual Design
Principal Investigator: Karl Nelson
Academic and Research Experience
Solar Airship Team, Charlottesville, Virginia 2003
Assisted in developing design for teams solar powered airship including discussion of shape, materials, and aerodynamic quality. Airship participated in national competition
Robotic Design Showcase, Charlottesville, Virginia 2002
Designed and programmed a musical robot that marched, played music, and danced in unison with other robots
Microgravity Research Team, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio 2001
Team awarded microgravity research competition and was given opportunity to research at NASA facility. Studied combustion of cotton in a microgravity environment Designed and conducted experiment using drop tower and analyzed results and presented findings
Advanced Space Academy, NASA Space Camp, Huntsville, Alabama Summer 1999-2001
Participated in mock astronaut training and scientific lectures about space and aerospace development
Memberships and Activities
Sigma Gamma Tau Honor Society for aerospace engineers, secretary 2005-present
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, member 2003-present
Alpha Delta Pi sorority, committee chairman 2003-present
Society of Women in Engineering, member 2002-present
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, executive board 2002-present
Club Lacrosse Team, defensive wing, 2002-present
Skills and Certifications
Proficient in Japanese
Studied abroad in Japan and Peru.
C++, Visual Basic, MathCAD, Minitab, Matlab, finite elements, Microsoft Office
Certified SCUBA diver
Honors and Awards
National Collegiate Scholars, membership by invitation
Intermediate Honors, top 20% of engineering class after two years of study
Jefferson Scholar, finalist, 2002
University of Virginia Book Award, 2002
Hobbies and Interests
Sports and athletics (running, lacrosse, soccer, baseball, etc), Traveling, Space and planes, marine biology, scrapbooking, and baking.
Personal Statement
I've always wanted to fly. When I was three, I walked into the cockpit of the airplane carrying me and my family to Florida, made friends with the pilots, touched every button imaginable, and cried when my parents made me leave. Since then, I have been captivated by flight. As I grew older my passion for space expanded; when I was twelve I attended Space Camp with my best friend and became committed to pursuing my passion. I followed the space program closely, learned as much as I could about the history of spaceflight, and dreamed of pursuing a career with NASA.
I attended Advanced Space Academy three more times in high school, and was reaffirmed that my dreams lay with the stars. I decided to attend the University of Virginia and major in aerospace engineering. After college, I plan on either pursuing my career with NASA or obtaining a graduate degree in my field of study. I am not certain yet what the specifics of my career will entail, but I am confident that I want to explore, develop, and research on NASA's team.
