What it’s really like to work for NASA
Just as cool as you think it is
Craig Donvito is a former engineering intern at NASA and has contributed to a number of projects in the agency in conjunction with his studies at Virginia Tech. As a mechanical engineer, Craig has been able to be a part of some pretty cool programs and shares his experiences from his internship that took place during the summer of 2015.
“During my time at NASA, I was one of the fortunate few who was able to travel as part of my internship,” Donvito said. “NASA flew me to New Mexico where I visited the White Sands Testing Facility. During my time there I was able to witness a live testing of the frangible joint we had been working on which was a very incredible experience.”
That’s pretty damn cool.
Getting to travel to other facilities was just a small part of the internship; Craig also worked on two different projects for NASA. The first project incorporated research and testing on frangible joints, which are used in the separation of sections in an aircraft. His analysis helped NASA develop a better understanding of how these joints work during different stages of flight.
“I was tasked with determining the process of how we could scan these frangible joints using a structured light scanner (ATOS II Triple Scan) both before and after use.”
The second project he worked on included material analysis of several metals. By using dog-bone shaped specimens, Craig conducted digital loading tests and digital image correlation (DIC) analysis. He was also involved in crack growth analysis on pressurized cylinders… yeah I had to google all of this while writing.
With a major in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Green Engineering (cause why the hell not overachieve?), Craig used his knowledge gained at Virginia Tech in his projects.
“The knowledge gained in my major was essential when analyzing material properties of the test specimens. Using what I have learned, I was able to create stress-strain curves based on the data collected during testing.”
…definitely flew over my head when he told me this.
Despite being a genius himself, working with a group of brainiacs proved to be humbling for this Hokie.
“It was great to absorb some of their knowledge while working there, but at the same time, there was a definite learning curve to catch up to their level of understanding on some of the projects,” Donvito said.
I certainly couldn’t keep up with rocket scientists; props to this guy.
In addition to being surrounded by people who challenged him to achieve, Craig discovered that NASA isn’t just another engineering class.
“Work at NASA was very different from schoolwork,” Donvito said. “The independence (at my internship) contrasted with many of the structured coursework where you are told exactly what you need to do. Having that sort of independence presented a challenge at some points, but was also a lot of fun.”
Donvito is currently interning with another company and will soon be working on his senior design project. His senior project will last the entire 2016-17 academic year and call for every major part of the engineering design process. It’s safe to say his experience at NASA will help him greatly with his upcoming work.
Craig loves a challenge, which is why he applied for the position at NASA in the first place. He says NASA always takes on some of the most challenging engineering problems, and will look into a full-time job with the agency after graduation.
“NASA is, all around, an awesome place to work. (It’s) a definite employment consideration for me.”
The Hokie engineer also gives some good advice to fellow engineering students, saying it is important to find something you love doing.
“I would advise anyone looking for an internship to find something they are passionate about, and apply to as many companies they can that focus on a related field. The first internship you get is not always your dream job, but gaining experience in the field you are interested in is very important when it comes time to find a job.”
Well I’d say NASA is the dream job for a lot of people. I don’t know about you, but Craig Donvito reminded me that I’m not as smart as I thought I was.