Instead of taking summer jobs around the corner, USM chemistry majors Marilena Preda and Aaron Keller landed paid internships that were out of this world. Preda spent the summer conducting astrobiology research at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, analyzing amino acids in fossils from as far away as China, and ice samples from Antarctic lakes that may simulate conditions on other planets. At Johnson Space Center in Houston, Keller evaluated the isotopic composition of meteorites. Such study can help better explain the origins of the solar system and our planet. Both students credit USM faculty for making them aware of the stellar opportunities.
The educational experience: a chance in a lifetime. The career opportunity: skyrocketing.
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