Four Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) students – Martynas Lendraitis, Kristijonas Kerekeš, Povilas Piartli and Donatas Miklušis – have been chosen for the summer internship at NASA Ames Research Centre. Three of them are studying at KTU Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design and one (Donatas) – at the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
“During my first years of studies I found out about this competition, but after reading the requirements I understood that I am not ready to participate in it. Therefore, I promised myself that I will try to create the real foundation for trying my luck the next year”, says one of the winners Kristijonas Kerekeš.
He says he has been dreaming to work in NASA since childhood and hopes that the internship will be useful in obtaining new skills for his future career.
“Our team will be headed by one of the founders of the Omega project. I am thrilled to meet the legendary researcher and excited to have the possibility to get as much knowledge as I can in such a short time”, says Kerekeš.
According to Kęstutis Šetkus, Director at Lithuanian Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology (MITA) this year NASA has chosen the record-breaking number of Lithuanian students: from the 12 nationally selected candidates, 6 were invited to NASA Ames. Two Vilnius University (VU) students will join 4 KTU students on the internship. In total, 38 students participated in the national selection: 19 students from KTU, 11 from VU, 7 from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and one from Kaunas University College.
The summer internship will start on 5 June. Over the 10 weeks the interns from various countries across the world will be working with the real ongoing research projects and will have the opportunity to contribute to creating space technologies of tomorrow.
MITA has signed the collaboration with NASA in 2014. Since then, 11 Lithuanian students have undergone internships at NASA Ames Research Centre.
