Embracing Rejection: A Journey from Astronaut Candidate to Life’s Riches

I’ve previously talked about my rejection from the Astronaut Candidate Class of 2017, marking my second attempt. My first rejection came via a postcard, the second through a phone call after an in-person interview and medical evaluation, and the third via a letter with a personalized note. Undeterred, I’m now on my fourth application. I’m Read More …

The day of my rejection from the astronaut candidate class of 2017

The First Call at the Red Door Cafe Friday September 25, 2015 was the day my life would change forever. The life of someone about to spend a year at the South Pole was surely different than the life of a research scientist in Pasadena and until September 25 I could imagine either but never both. Read More …

#OCCUPYMARS: my experience as a SpaceX intern

I spent my Fall as an intern in propulsion analysis at SpaceX. I had unparalleled mentors in rocketry, computational physics and software engineering. The intern program is top-notch, and to me represented the most effective “in” to the notoriously selective and demanding company. Moreover, the internship duration was a perfect interlude in my academic career. Read More …