Phoenix College Sends Students to NASA

Phoenix College students Tracy Concialdi and Adam Jimenez have been selected to travel to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center this fall to participate in the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) onsite experience.

Tracy and Adam are two of 319 community college students selected from across the U.S. to be part of the NCAS onsite experience where students interact with NASA engineers and officials as they learn more about careers in science and engineering. For their final project, students form teams and establish fictional companies interested in Mars exploration. Each team is responsible for developing and testing a prototype rover, building a company infrastructure, managing a budget, and developing communications and outreach.

Concialdi is working towards gaining an associate degree in electrical engineering at Phoenix College and then transferring to a four-year university where he can earn a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. His future goals are to work for NASA or a major city power distributor.

Jimenez will graduate next December with an associate degree in electrical technology. He plans to transfer to Arizona State University where he will seek additional internship opportunities through the School of Earth and Space Exploration. “My career goal is to work with robotics," said Mr. Jimenez, "and through Phoenix College, I’ve been exposed to some amazing projects. I’ve done two years of high altitude balloon experiments, with one year as team lead. It would be amazing to get involved in a CubeSats and Small Satellites program, where I would learn how to develop small satellites that are launched into space and orbit the earth.”

With this activity, the Maricopa County Community College District continues to educate students for work and life in a globalizing world. “Phoenix College is so proud of our students and congratulates Tracy Concialdi and Adam Jimenez on being selected for the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars program" added Phoenix College President Larry Johnson.

NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars is an activity funded in part by the Minority University Research and Education Program, or MUREP, which is committed to engaging underrepresented and underserved students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in authentic learning experiences to sustain a diverse workforce.