Since its launch in 2024, the NASA–Berkeley Summer Scholars Program has offered a select group of undergraduates an unprecedented opportunity to step into the center of real-world aerospace research. Hosted jointly by NASA Ames Research Center and UC Berkeley, this immersive, hands-on internship program places students directly into projects aligned with NASA Ames’ core missions, from aerosciences and entry systems to advanced computing, intelligent systems, planetary science and beyond.
The program builds on the expanding NASA–Berkeley partnership behind the new Berkeley Space Center at NASA Research Park, deepening collaboration between Berkeley and Ames while cultivating a pipeline of future aerospace and space-science innovators. Under the leadership of Sid Sun, NASA Ames’ Lead for University Collaborations, and with support from Berkeley’s aerospace engineering department, the SEED scholars program, and the CITRIS Workforce Innovation Program 23 undergraduates were matched with mentors and research assignments tailored to their academic pathways and strengths.
Among this year’s cohort were three standout Berkeley students—Veer Adhvaryu, Nimi Nair and Noah Nizamian—representing disciplines that stretch from computational research addressing urgent humanitarian challenges to building systems that have to survive in the physical world. Although their areas of focus differed, they were united by a shared sense of purpose to push scientific understanding forward and contribute substantive work to NASA’s mission.
Growing Through Mentorship, Challenge and Discovery
United by curiosity and ambition, the students approached the program eager to turn classroom learning into contributions that could impact NASA’s missions. Noah Nizamian, a second-year Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) student at Berkeley, reflected on his motivation for applying, “I was looking for research experience that would really test my engineering skills, something I couldn't learn through only classes.” For him, it was also “a chance to move from amateur projects to professional aerospace systems and see how real work gets done within a large team.”
Veer Adhvaryu, a third-year Aerospace Engineering student with a minor in EECS, echoed a similar feeling adding, “Having known some peers who participated in the inaugural class of this program one year before me, I was able to witness firsthand the work they accomplished. They were given the opportunity to work on real NASA projects with experts in their respective industries, an opportunity that I knew I could not pass up on.”
Across the cohort, students were tasked with addressing genuine NASA mission challenges rather than hypothetical exercises. Some refined computational models to improve spacecraft autonomy or predict system behavior under extreme conditions. Others built analytical tools to support mission planning or developed simulations that help NASA validate design choices long before hardware ever reaches a testing facility.
Nimi Nair, a third-year Computer Science major focused on computational research for space life sciences, applied her genomics and bioinformatics background to analyze astronaut health data and simulate potential interventions for long-duration spaceflight. Her project “focuses on developing anti-aging drugs for astronauts.” To do so, she analyzed astronauts’ blood data, discovered key genes and simulated drugs to counteract spaceflight-induced aging. A major milestone, she said, was “discovering the genes that cause accelerated aging in astronauts during spaceflight,” a process that involved weeks of running machine-learning clustering models and interpreting gene-expression data. As someone without a biology background, she shared that she found it exciting to learn “the important implications of my algorithm’s findings.”
Nizamian approached his project with a similar goal of translating complex problems into accessible solutions. “My project focused on determining the exact type of failure occurring on the spacecraft,” Nizamian explained. “Instead of using one giant AI to classify every possible problem, I broke the system into smaller models that each focus on identifying a specific fault signature. Each classifier model acts as an expert on just one specific fault.” Whether working with code, data or physical models, students consistently highlighted the significance of their contributions to active mission development, demonstrating both technical sophistication and a tangible impact on NASA’s work.
NASA mentors were equally impressed. “NASA appreciated having the NASA Berkeley Summer Scholars this past summer,” said Sun. “They distinguished themselves in completing projects that contributed to many of our space and aeronautics missions.” Sun’s sentiment set the tone for the value students brought, not as observers, but as true contributors embedded in NASA’s research ecosystem.
A defining strength of the program is its mentorship structure which was instrumental in helping scholars navigate the inevitable challenges of complex research. The students worked closely with NASA scientists and engineers who provided technical depth, guidance and professional insight. They described transformative moments where mentors helped shape not only their project, but their understanding of what research looks like at NASA.
“I expected Ames to be high-pressure, but it was incredibly supportive,” shared Nizamian. “Everyone worked as part of a large team and truly wanted each other to succeed. I owe a huge thank you to my mentor who trusted me with genuinely difficult problems and treated me like a peer during brainstorming sessions. I'm very appreciative that he made the time to walk through the details of machine learning architecture and really give me work that would not only challenge but let me grow as an engineer.”
Adhvaryu added that prior to the internship, “I had no experience with the industry-standard softwares that were necessary in my workflow, since they often cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars to obtain a license.” However, through support from the Flight Dynamics Team, Berkeley professors and NASA mentors, he was able to confidently navigate complex software while staying focused on the core goals of his project. This guidance helped him translate theory into practical, mission-ready solutions. “Working with these individuals, and many more, made my experience at NASA Ames insightful, productive and successful.”
Beyond individual accomplishments, the cohort also formed a supportive learning community. Students prepared together for the poster sessions at NASA Ames and on the Berkeley campus, where they presented their work to NASA teams, faculty and fellow researchers. These culminating sessions highlighted not only their individual achievements but also their collective growth as emerging scientists and engineers. “Not only do these research opportunities expose students to the importance of research in scientific discovery, technology development and business success,” shared Nair, “it also shapes future researchers who understand NASA’s goals and challenges.”
As the program continues to grow, its impact becomes increasingly clear. The 2025 students demonstrated the extraordinary value of investing in young researchers, not just for their own futures, but for the future of space exploration itself.
When asked what they would tell other students, Adhvaryu encouraged future candidates to take the opportunity, “Throughout the course of my 10-week internship, I was able to join several tours that highlighted the various interdisciplinary fields of research being explored. Whether it was visiting the world's largest wind tunnel or a mockup of the Moon’s terrain, my eyes were opened to the broad scope of work being done, which went far beyond my preconceived notions of NASA’s work.”
Together, these students exemplify how curiosity, dedication and mentorship can launch the next generation of aerospace pioneers, setting the stage for breakthroughs that will push the boundaries of science and technology.
[Add CITRIS mention and link to 2026 Summer Apps - to go live next week]