Australian Maritime College (AMC) student Lucy Barr has been awarded a prestigious National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA) scholarship for 2024.
The scholarship recognises her exceptional academic accomplishments and sets her on a path to contribute to space exploration.
The NISA program enables five university students who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander to undertake a 10-week summer internship program at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California.
The program, led by Monash University and supported by the Australian Space Agency, provides rich learning and research in space and space robotics.
Malcolm Wise, Head of AMC, praised Lucy’s achievement. “We are thrilled to recognise Lucy as the recipient of the NISA scholarship,” Mr Wise said.
“Her outstanding academic achievements and dedication to her studies make her a deserving candidate. We look forward to seeing her contributions to the field.”
Ms Barr said she was thrilled to accept the scholarship and looked forward to making the most of this opportunity.
"As I went through the process, I was getting more and more excited just to have made it to the next stage of the application, and when I finally found out I was getting to go, I was absolutely ecstatic, dancing around my room," Ms Barr said.
“This opportunity will allow me to explore more of my interests and learn so much. I can’t wait to get started on this adventure.”
Ms Barr’s selection highlights the impact of the NISA program in empowering Indigenous students and promoting diversity in STEM fields.
The NISA scholarship, a key initiative by NASA, aims to foster a new generation of space enthusiasts and professionals among Indigenous students. It provides financial support, mentorship, hands-on experiences, and networking opportunities with industry leaders.
Recipients engage with NASA scientists and engineers, participate in exclusive internships, and attend pivotal conferences and workshops. Throughout their time, participants study various fields such as aerodynamics, robotics, astrophysics, planetary science, engineering, and computer sciences.
Ms Barr will head off for a two-week bootcamp in Melbourne on 11 August with other NISA scholarship winners. She will then travel to Pasadena, California in early September to start her two-month program.