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Rachel Handran
Undergrad College Student
@ UCSD
Please tell us about your experience in the aerospace field
I am a NASA Pathways intern, and I have worked in both Engineering and IT sectors at NASA. I worked on an project for ISS, where I helped to develop an additively manufactured sensor. In IT, I have supported projects in data analysis and the NASA.gov website. I am finishing my undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering at UC San Diego. At UCSD, I am involved in my collegiate rocketry team, Rocket Propulsion Laboratory.
Could you share how you became interested in pursuing aerospace
I visited California Academy of Science in elementary school on an overnight field trip, and I was inspired by the stars in the night sky. I knew at that moment that I had to work for NASA and be part of the mission to explore the cosmos. Museums and STEM outreach were the primary factor in inspiring me as I grew up, showcasing the amazing work of space exploration scientists and engineers.
My site provides resources for high schoolers interested in aerospace and aviation. What advice would you give them?
Follow your passion! If you are interested in aerospace, go for a bachelors degree in engineering. It may be difficult, but if you truly want to work in aerospace, it will be worth it! The skills you gain and the doors that open from having an engineering degree are very valuable. Don't be afraid to try different things and switch majors if you realize a field is not what you expected. No one expects you to know 100% what you want to study when you graduate from HS. I changed my major 3 times! It'll be okay.
Could you tell us about any challenges or surprises you’ve encountered—perhaps something that turned out differently than expected?
When I entered college, I thought that the main path to work at NASA or the aerospace industry was to get a mechanical or aerospace engineering degree. In reality, there are so many more options and fields out there. I have met people at NASA from virtually every background; mechanical, electrical, civil, materials science, computer science, IT, business, communications, math, chemistry, biology, and so much more. It all depends on how you position yourself and make your case for how you can help NASA's mission. Some paths may be more straightforward, but others may actually offer opportunities you would have never considered. For me, I started at NASA as an intern when I was studying math. I got into the IT sector, and I tried it out even though I knew little about IT. I also got an opportunity to work an engineering internship. I ended up loving both fields so much that I switched to EE to focus on hardware and now plan to work in IT after graduation!
Please share a fun fact
I love learning languages and have a 1000+ day streak on Duolingo!
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Try new things in college! If you're interested in something completely unrelated to your field, just take a class anyways for fun! Some of my favorite classes in college were Urban Studies, Psychology, Symphony, Chinese, and Philosophy. The college environment is so collaborative and open, and the professors are very passionate about their work. It is the best time to explore topics and fields before you enter a more specialized career industry.
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