Houston, TX — 4 JAN 10
Texas A&M Student Works with NASA Hands-On USRP Internship
Texas A&M student Uri Prakash Desai is an intern this fall at NASA Johnson Space Center with the NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program (USRP). Desai is working in the Structures and Dynamics Branch.
Desai’s project is forming a mathematical model to predict failure loads and modes for sandwich composites. His mathematical model will be tested on different core types, densities, and thicknesses, experimentally. He will also be working on Finite Element Modeling to determine stress concentrations for the new development of fasteners and bolts.
“With a shuttle mission in progress, I have had the opportunity to sit in on the engineering and management meetings in which the mission status is discussed and any and all engineering problems are addressed,” Desai comments about enjoying NASA so far.
Desai is a senior and is majoring in Aerospace Engineering. He is expecting to graduate in May 2010.
“I found that engineering provided me a way to apply all of my interests (aircraft and math) into a single major, aerospace engineering,” added Desai.
NASA USRP has placed 18 Aerospace and Aeronautical undergraduate Engineering majors during the current fall 2009 internship session on-site at NASA Centers across the U.S.Written By: Jaclyn Juergens of the Universities Space Research Association
Contributing Editor: Anthony Zippay of the Universities Space Research Association
