Micro-G-NeXT

Description

Micro-g Neutral Buoyancy Experiment Design Teams encourages undergraduate students to design, build and test a tool or device that addresses an authentic, current space exploration challenge. The challenge includes hands-on engineering design, test operations and public outreach. Test operations are conducted in a simulated microgravity environment at NASA's Johnson Space Center Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, TX.

Roles

For this competition, I worked with a team from the University of Nebraska Lincoln to design prototypes for two projects in 2017 and 2018. On this team, I served as the club's research and testing coordinator. I developed quantitative and qualitative tests for prototype designs. The two projects I help out with were an anchoring device for microgravity environments and a zip tie cutter for shuttle maintenance. I modeled stress tensors for testing and tested to see if our models were accurate. I also helped with STEM outreach in Nebraska schools and helped inspire kids to love science.

Takeaways

This competition honed my engineering skills by giving me experience with 3D modeling software and report writing. I grew academically, socially, and professionally from the competition including design projects, team bonding, outreach, and volunteering. In particular, the outreach events to elementary and middle schools gave me a strong passion to teach and learn about space science.