Sarah Gosch
Seabrook, TX, US
Field of Work
Astronomy and Space Science
Company
NASA Johnson Space Center
Job Title or "Student"
Flight Controller
Education
University of Texas at Austin
Degree
Aerospace Engineering, B.S.
Education Level
Bachelors
Profile Biography
I've always been interested in creativity and how things work, but my interest in engineering was sparked after attending an engineering camp for high school women at the University of Texas. There, I discovered my passion for aerospace!
I attended the University of Texas in Austin, TX from 2016-2020 where I earned my degree in Aerospace Engineering. At UT, I was a student leader with UAV Austin, a student organization that builds and modifies a fixed-wing autonomous drone. Our drone had to fly itself, avoid obstacles, take pictures of targets, and precision-drop a payload!
During the summer of 2019, I interned with Army Futures Command, Aviation Engineering Directorate. My role was in maintenance engineering for Army helicopters. I wasn't sure how I would like it, but I found I really enjoyed my projects! Every day, I got to go out to hangars and see the aircraft I was designing repairs for. We got requests to help solve the hardest problems, and then I used my engineering knowledge and creativity to figure out how to fix broken parts and structures. Safety and airworthiness were our top priority, and I enjoyed knowing I was helping real people in real ways.
After graduation, I started working at NASA Johnson Space Center as a Flight Controller trainee. Flight Controllers work in Mission Control and help support operations onboard the International Space Station in lots of different ways. I'm part of the OSO team, or Operations Support Officer, and we're responsible for supporting maintenance and mechanisms activities. When things break or stop working on the ISS, it's our job to figure out how to fix it, and then to teach astronauts how to do it! I love my job because it combines what I enjoyed in my maintenance engineering internship with my passion for human spaceflight.
I attended the University of Texas in Austin, TX from 2016-2020 where I earned my degree in Aerospace Engineering. At UT, I was a student leader with UAV Austin, a student organization that builds and modifies a fixed-wing autonomous drone. Our drone had to fly itself, avoid obstacles, take pictures of targets, and precision-drop a payload!
During the summer of 2019, I interned with Army Futures Command, Aviation Engineering Directorate. My role was in maintenance engineering for Army helicopters. I wasn't sure how I would like it, but I found I really enjoyed my projects! Every day, I got to go out to hangars and see the aircraft I was designing repairs for. We got requests to help solve the hardest problems, and then I used my engineering knowledge and creativity to figure out how to fix broken parts and structures. Safety and airworthiness were our top priority, and I enjoyed knowing I was helping real people in real ways.
After graduation, I started working at NASA Johnson Space Center as a Flight Controller trainee. Flight Controllers work in Mission Control and help support operations onboard the International Space Station in lots of different ways. I'm part of the OSO team, or Operations Support Officer, and we're responsible for supporting maintenance and mechanisms activities. When things break or stop working on the ISS, it's our job to figure out how to fix it, and then to teach astronauts how to do it! I love my job because it combines what I enjoyed in my maintenance engineering internship with my passion for human spaceflight.
Interests
Pets, Reading, Travel, Other
Race & Ethnicity
White
Level of Participation
Online role model
My Experience
I have been a Role Model 3-4 times.
Availability
No Preference
Resources
Identifying other role models, Online Mentoring (email or Skype)
Program Affiliation
None
Other Interests
Music, Food