Brief
Western Australian student Alaxandrea O’Brien joins NASA’s National Indigenous Space Academy
The Dulgubarra‑Mamu and Jirrbal student will spend 10 weeks in California working on real‑world space projects.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Alaxandrea O’Brien, a Dulgubarra‑Mamu and Jirrbal woman from Western Australia, has been selected as the first student from a WA university to join Monash University’s National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA) at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.
What happened
O’Brien, who grew up in the Kimberley, later lived in Broome and completed her schooling in Kalgoorlie before studying environmental engineering at the University of Western Australia, will travel to the United States for a 10‑week placement. She joins seven other First Nations tertiary students on a program that includes work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the United Kingdom.
What the reports add
The SMH article notes that the students will work on projects such as ocean‑exploration vehicles and research on microorganisms aboard the International Space Station. It also describes a preparatory "Space Boot Camp" run by Monash, covering aerodynamics, robotics, rovers, astrophysics, planetary science, engineering, computer science and earth sciences, as well as past and current NASA and RAL missions.
What was said
O’Brien said she fell in love with space after looking through a telescope in Broome and seeing Saturn’s rings at a young age, adding that she never imagined her environmental engineering degree would be relevant to NASA. She recalled a previous visit to the Kennedy Space Center as a teenager. Professor Chris Lawrence, director of NISA at Monash University, said the scholarship would have a transformative impact for Indigenous STEM students.
How it came about
The National Indigenous Space Academy is a Monash University initiative that offers Indigenous university students the chance to study at leading space research centres. O’Brien’s selection follows her academic pathway from regional WA to a national university and reflects the growing emphasis on Indigenous participation in STEM fields.
Key facts
- Alaxandrea O’Brien is the first Western Australian university student selected for Monash’s National Indigenous Space Academy at NASA. (smh.com.au)
- She will spend 10 weeks in California working on projects at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the UK. (smh.com.au)
- The program includes a Space Boot Camp covering aerodynamics, robotics, rovers, astrophysics, planetary science, engineering, computer science and earth sciences. (smh.com.au)
- Professor Chris Lawrence said the scholarship would have a transformative impact for Indigenous STEM students. (smh.com.au)
Sources
- [1] smh.com.au — originally reported as “NASA placement: WA student Alaxandrea O’Brien becomes first from the state to join Monash University’s National Indigenous Space Academy at NASA”
