The summer internship program at the National Aeronautics and Space Agency, that’s NASA to most people, is represented by two young men connected with Detroit Mercy’s Biochemistry program.
Witold Fuchs ’16 will be starting a seven-week summer internship at NASA in Huntsville, Ala., soon. He recently completed his first year at the University of Southern Mississippi, School of Polymers and High Performance Materials, where he is pursuing his Ph.D.
At NASA, he will be working on epoxy based composites.
“This is a really good way to kick start my research,” said Fuchs. “They [NASA] are the worldwide experts in the field. Working with the NASA scientists will really improve my research further on.”
In addition, rising junior Nick Boynton will work with polymer aerogels for potential aerospace applications at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
“Aerogels are super strong and lightweight,” said Boynton, a Chemistry major and men’s lacrosse player. “Their weight makes them ideal for aerospace applications.”
Boynton is excited about this 10-week experience.
“It [NASA] is the coolest place to work,” said Boynton. “They are pioneers in the field. There’s so much that they do that people don’t even realize. New products start out in a rocket ship and the next thing you know, it’s in your kitchen.”
