That philosophy has landed the UCF industrial and organizational psychology doctoral candidate on a mountain in the middle of a blizzard during an Arctic ski trip. It’s what has encouraged him to complete 50-mile ultramarathons. And it’s a big part of what is pushing him into his next big endeavor: rowing across the Atlantic Ocean.

According to the , 1,736 rowers have successfully crossed an ocean as of November 2025. Exponentially more people (over 7,000) have summited Mount Everest.

Motivated by the pursuit of a life well lived, and for the betterment of his research into optimizing teamwork in isolated, confined and extreme environments like outer , Käosaar has every intention of adding his name to that exclusive list despite what his team is up against.

They are not experienced sailors or fishermen. In fact, in their everyday lives they are a wood chemist, a geneticist, a psychologist and a banker who had never held an oar in their hands until three years ago when they committed to this goal.

“We just have one life. We have to allow ourselves to dream, even if they seem wild.� — Andres Käosaar, UCF student

They had not attempted to actually row on the Atlantic, whose waves can measure up to 20 feet high, until a few days ago when they performed a test run ahead of their official embarkment Dec. 11.

Their 30-foot-by-5-foot vessel must be self-sustaining with enough food and provisions to withstand a 5,000-calorie/day diet over their 3,000-mile voyage westward. There is no getting off the boat once the endeavor has started. If an emergency dictates otherwise, they will forfeit their journey.

They intend to row in pairs in two-hour time blocks. That’s 12 hours of rowing a day, with never more than a two-hour break in between shifts, for 40 days straight.

The challenges — and potential glory — ahead are as vast and wide as the ocean itself.

“We just have one life. We have to allow ourselves to dream, even if they seem wild,â€� Käosaar says. “If someone asks me if I would like to do something extraordinary, I can’t say no.â€�

What It Takes to Row the Ocean

Races across the Atlantic have been formally organized since 1997, and since 2015, the World’s Toughest Row Atlantic competition has been held annually every December.

In 2025, more than 30 teams and another 10 individuals in solo boats will participate in the challenge. Käosaar’s team, Team Rowtalia, will be on the starting line Dec. 11, in San Sebastian de la Gomera, Canary Islands, when they push off for English Harbour, Antigua and Barbuda.

“The race organizers actually say that 80% of the whole endeavor is getting to the starting line,� Käosaar says. “The rowing itself is the easy part. There is nothing else to do. There is nothing to think about anymore. You just have to cross the ocean.�

Käosaar learned about the World’s Toughest Row three years ago when a friend in his home country of Estonia approached him with the idea to enter the race. His now teammate prepared a 30-minute presentation to sell him on the idea.

Käosaar isn’t easily intimidated. He spent a month in Antarctica for research earlier this year. He was willing to say yes 60 seconds into his buddy’s presentation, but he politely sat through the full pitch before agreeing. They decided to recruit two of their former fraternity members “bold and naïve enough� to join their daring mission.

They found a coach to teach them the rowing technique since none of them had any experience. They raised $163,000 of their $184,000 goal, which includes the cost of the boat they purchased in May. They accumulated 200 hours of individual training time on the Baltic Sea, with more than half of those hours accumulated during a five-day practice session. Most of their training has been done on indoor rowing machines.

They have listened to podcasts of former ocean-crossers to get a sense of what to expect. Their biggest takeaway: “While it’s going to be hard, you’re there to get the experience. Just try to enjoy it.â€�

They also prepared with a team-building trip to the Finnish Arctic, camping in a tent in remote snowfields for six days to pressure test how they worked as a team in such a harsh environment.

Käosaar’s field of research and the expertise he has gained in his years studying at UCF make him uniquely suited to navigate how their team dynamic and effectiveness will be impacted by factors like emotions, personalities and situational behaviors that will inevitably reveal themselves under such environmental strain.

While they each have their individual motivations and aspirations for this endeavor, they have also discussed their shared vision as a unit. One definition of a successful mission, Käosaar points out, is solely focused on the optimization of the desired outcome. A team could despise each other and the experience throughout the entire process, never wanting to interact with their teammates again once the mission is complete, but still be considered successful if the goal is completed.

Käosaar likes to define a successful team more holistically.

“I think a better way of looking at it is to think about this concept of team viability; do we think that in the future we could work again successfully?� he says. “Our ultimate goal is that we hope to cross the ocean such that we are willing and able to do that again in the next few years with the same team.�

Ocean Tides to Outer Space

Part of what makes this journey so appealing to Käosaar is the insight and street cred he will gain in his field and research subjects.

The psychology behind teamwork in isolated, confined and extreme environments applies to fields with life-and-death stakes on the line: think submariners, certain military deployments, oil riggers and his specialties, astronauts and Antarctic-based researchers.

Käosaar first zeroed in on this specialized field as a clinical psychology graduate student in Estonia as he wrote a cover letter applying for a European Space Agency internship.

“I was thinking in space we have astronauts, we have people, so we need psychologists,â€� he says. “I realized that that’s me. That’s what I want to do. That’s my life. My eyes went big and I was like, ‘Wow, OK, let’s go.’  From that moment I started dedicating my life and time toward that.â€�

As he looked for research opportunities, he came across Research Professor Shawn Burke at ±«°ä¹ó’s Institute of Simulation and Training, whose work in team leadership and resiliency has been funded by powerhouse names including the U.S. Army Research Institute, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Office of Naval Research, the U.S. National Science Foundation, DARPA and NASA.

Since joining her lab in 2021, he has contributed to two NASA research grants, once an unfathomable dream that has now become his reality. He credits Burke for molding him into a confident researcher who has grown considerably from his immersive experiences.

“Without UCF being so big in its focus on the space field, seeing rockets launching in the evening when I’m driving home, just this widening of understanding what’s [achievable] — I think this has been something that wouldn’t be possible without being exactly here,â€� Käosaar says.

He hopes this rowing challenge will build upon the practical skills he has gained at UCF for his future research by providing him with firsthand knowledge of the isolation and extreme circumstances his astronaut subjects in space work through.

“I don’t think I would be able to fully understand the participants of the studies or the subjects we’re studying without putting myself in that situation and really being like, ‘OK, that’s what you guys feel,’ â€� Käosaar says.

With his impending graduation in the spring, Käosaar is looking forward to continuing his work, making real contributions and impact to this next frontier of space exploration.

“I don’t want to use the cliche words of becoming interplanetary species, but that’s basically what we are thinking about. I think this could have huge implications for the sustainability of humans in space,� he says. “I think being able to support those endeavors and support this development of humanity, that’s a big part of why I do it, and I’m passionate about it.�

Andres Käosaar’s team, Team Rowtalia, will have solar-powered internet on board. You can follow their journey across the Atlantic on Instagram at .

Founded in 1963 with the mission to provide talent for Central Florida and the growing U.S. space program, the university’s extensive involvement in space research and education not only drives innovations in space technology but also prepares the next generation of leaders in the field.

With more than 40 active NASA projects totaling more than $67 million in funding, UCF continues to push the frontiers of space research, and its contributions promise to help shape the future of humanity’s presence in the cosmos.

±«°ä¹ó’s cutting-edge areas of space expertise include:

Space Medicine

±«°ä¹ó’s College of Medicine is pioneering new frontiers in aerospace medicine, positioning itself as a leader in space health research and education. Spearheaded by initiatives to create an interdisciplinary curriculum, UCF is integrating expertise from engineering, medicine and nursing to address the unique health challenges of space exploration.

The college is building on existing research in space health, including innovative studies on the effects of microgravity on bone health, which could lead to improved protection for astronauts. Collaborations across disciplines, such as testing therapeutics for radiation protection and developing antimicrobial solutions for space station environments, highlight ±«°ä¹ó’s commitment to advancing astronaut health and shaping the future of space medicine.

Space Propulsion and Power

UCF is advancing space propulsion with groundbreaking research that could make space travel more efficient and viable for future missions. Researchers are developing innovative hypersonic propulsion systems, such as rotating detonation rocket engines, which harness high-speed detonations to increase propulsion efficiency and reduce fuel consumption — an advancement that could significantly lower costs and emissions associated with space travel, creating new commercial opportunities in the industry. UCF is taking its hypersonics research even further with its recently launched Center of Excellence in Hypersonic and Space Propulsion — the HyperSpace Center.

Additionally, UCF teams are exploring novel power systems for spacecraft venturing far from the sun, where solar energy becomes impractical. With funding from NASA, researchers are creating storable chemical heat sources capable of providing essential heat and power in extreme environments, from the icy surfaces of distant moons to the intense heat of Venus.

Space Technology and Engineering

UCF is forging the future of space technology with innovations that push the boundaries of lunar and deep space exploration. Through advancements in lunar resource utilization, UCF has developed methods to efficiently extract ice from lunar soil so that it can be transformed into vital resources like water and rocket fuel, while new techniques for processing lunar soil drastically reduce construction costs for infrastructure such as landing pads.

UCF researchers are also pioneering 3D-printed bricks made from lunar regolith that withstand extreme space conditions, setting the foundation for resilient off-world habitats. Lunar regolith is the loose dust, rocks and materials that cover the moon’s surface.

±«°ä¹ó’s Exolith Lab, part of the , continues to lead in space hardware testing, advancing resource extraction and lunar construction technologies. Meanwhile, FSI’s CubeSat program is opening new doors in space exploration with compact, affordable satellites that give students and researchers access to microgravity and beyond.

Space Commercialization

UCF’s new space commercialization program — led by , College of Business professor of practice and associate provost for space commercialization and strategy — positions the university as a leader in space-related business education.

Autry will guide the college’s efforts to deliver Executive and MBA programs in space commercialization, driving curriculum development and establishing space-focused programs that equip students to lead in the growing commercial space industry.

In addition to the space commercialization program, Autry will be working with external stakeholders, including NASA, the U.S. Space Force and commercial firms like Blue Origin, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, to develop opportunities to advance mutual interests in space.

This includes working with Kennedy Space Center to lead a State º£½ÇÖ±²¥ System partnership with the state of Florida to develop the necessary talent to maintain and expand Florida’s leadership in space exploration and commercialization.

Autry will also be leading ±«°ä¹ó’s effort to develop and execute a roadmap for the university’s SpaceU brand through targeted investments in talent and facilities.

Space Domain Awareness

UCF is advancing space domain awareness research to protect critical assets in orbit by developing sophisticated algorithms for tracking and predicting the movement of objects such as satellites and asteroids, so they don’t collide with spacecraft. Under the guidance of aerospace engineering expert Tarek Elgohary, UCF researchers are creating a computational framework to rapidly and accurately track space objects in real time. This initiative is backed by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research Dynamic Data and Information Process Program.

UCF is also addressing the growing issue of orbital debris through a NASA-funded study that includes researchers from ±«°ä¹ó’s FSI and . This project seeks to increase public awareness and support for managing space debris, a hazard to satellites and potential space tourism ventures.

Workforce Development

UCF is propelling students toward dynamic careers in the space industry with hands-on programs and sought-after internship opportunities. Through the new engineering graduate certificate in electronic parts engineering, developed in collaboration with NASA, students are gaining essential skills in testing and evaluating space-ready electronic components — a key advantage for aspiring space professionals.

Additionally, UCF students can benefit from hands-on internships at Kennedy Space Center, where they gain real-world experience in various fields, from engineering to project management.

At the , students gain direct experience in microgravity research and robotics. The center embodies ±«°ä¹ó’s commitment to democratizing space access, offering pathways for students from all backgrounds to participate in and contribute to the growing space industry.

FSI’s CubeSat program further immerses students in satellite design and operation, offering direct involvement in active space missions.

Planetary Science

UCF’s planetary science program is driving breakthroughs in space exploration with projects spanning the moon, Mars and beyond. The NASA-funded Lunar-VISE mission, led by UCF, will explore the Gruithuisen domes on the far side of the moon to understand their volcanic origins, potentially unlocking insights crucial for future space exploration.

Complementing this, UCF researchers are contributing to NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer mission, which will map water ice deposits on the moon — an essential resource for sustained stays in space. On another front, UCF scientists are studying dust behavior in microgravity through experiments that flew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, potentially leading to strategies for mitigating lunar dust, a challenge for electronics and equipment on future missions.

Expanding its reach beyond the moon, ±«°ä¹ó’s planetary science research involves asteroid studies, including the high-profile OSIRIS-REx mission to asteroid Bennu and examining seismic wave propagation in simulated asteroid materials to understand asteroid evolution and early planetary formation. UCF is also home to the , a node of NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, which facilitates NASA’s exploration of deep space by focusing its goals at the intersection of surface science and surface exploration of rocky, atmosphereless bodies.

Additionally, UCF researchers are studying trans-Neptunian objects and using the James Webb Space Telescope to explore the solar system’s outer reaches, analyzing ancient ices to uncover clues about the solar system’s history, while also investigating exoplanets to advance our understanding of other planets and to search for life beyond Earth.

In parallel, UCF researchers are also advancing bold ideas for terraforming Mars through nanoparticle dispersion to create warming effect, making the Red Planet potentially more habitable.

UCF researchers have also contributed their expertise to multiple high-profile NASA missions, including Cassini, Mars Pathfinder, Mars Curiosity, and New Horizons.

Advancing Astrophotonics, History and Policy

±«°ä¹ó’s space research spans pioneering astrophotonics technology, studies in space history and critical analyses in space policy, each offering unique insights into the universe. The within CREOL, the College of Optics and Photonics, is pushing the boundaries of photonics and astronomy, using tools like photonic lanterns, fiber optics, and hyperspectral imaging to detect cosmic phenomena and address profound questions about dark energy.

Meanwhile, delves into space history, exploring the cultural and scientific impacts of milestones like the Apollo missions and the Space Shuttle program, helping illuminate humanity’s journey into space.

The contributes to this comprehensive approach with its broad studies of space policy, both domestically and internationally, including examining military space policy and rising space powers. The work involves studying space law, international agreements, and policy frameworks that guide space activities, which is essential for addressing the governance and strategic planning needed for space exploration and utilization.

Pioneering Tomorrow’s Space Exploration

UCF is pushing the frontiers of space research and education, tackling today’s challenges while preparing for the demands of future space missions. As the new space race continues, ±«°ä¹ó’s forward-thinking approach will continue to drive progress, inspire new possibilities and expand humanity’s reach into the universe.

Hypersonic propulsion would allow for air travel at speeds of Mach 6 to 17, or more than 4,600 to 13,000 miles per hour, and has applications in commercial and space travel.

Over the past year, the DoD has awarded funding to hypersonics research led by Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor Kareem Ahmed to support the advancements he’s making in the technology.

The awards are funding the construction of a hypersonic testing facility, flight experiments and further advancements of the technology.

The support is a testament to the progress UCF has made in the field, including developing the first hypersonic rotating detonation rocket engine, which could allow for air travel from New York to L.A in less than 30 minutes. It also comes on the heels of recently received DoD funding to build a morphing hypersonic engine.

“High-hypersonic propulsion technology is being born here, similar to how new technology was developed at Kennedy Space Center during the space era,â€� Ahmed says. “Now it’s happening at UCF. The new funding highlights that we’re a major player in hypersonic propulsion.â€�

The most recent projects include:

High-Hypersonic Enthalpy Facility (HiHYPER) for Hypersonic and Space Propulsion

Achieving ultra-high-speed flight at hypersonic speeds is a national priority and an international focus driving the hypersonics and space race. Such systems would allow flight through our atmosphere at very high speeds and allow efficient entry and exit from planetary atmospheres. This will make hypersonic defense systems, space exploration, and intercontinental travel as routine as intercity travel is today.

Advanced hypersonic propulsion systems are needed to maintain the technological superiority of the U.S. Air Force relative to the growing technological threat from adversaries. High-speed propulsion research requires hypersonic facilities that could generate the representative flight Mach numbers and enthalpies.

This project, funded by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), aims to develop a unique mid-scale high-hypersonic enthalpy propulsion testing facility at UCF for integrated hypersonic materials, aerodynamics, and propulsion research (HiHYPER). HiHYPER will provide significant new capabilities to explore the fundamentals of the hypersonic regime and overcome the most significant national challenges where advances are needed in hypersonic research.

Hypersonic Flight Experiment for High-Speed Propulsion Detonation Fundamentals

This project’s objective is to develop the experimental hardware for a flight experiment to stabilize and investigate standing oblique detonation waves under an AFOSR program.

The technology offers improved jet propulsion engine efficiency so that more power is generated while using less fuel than traditional propulsion engines, thus lightening the fuel load and reducing costs and emissions.

In addition to faster air travel, the technology could also be used in rockets for space missions to make them lighter by requiring less fuel, travel farther and burn more cleanly.

The flight experiments are critically needed to provide the structure and dynamic details of standing oblique detonation waves in a hypersonic flight regime. The flight experimental results will form the foundation for hypersonic detonation engines.

Distinguished Fellow: Advanced Flow-Independent Fuel Injector for Naval Propulsion

This project, funded by the Office of Naval Research, will explore and document the evolution spray and splash dynamics of the flow independent fuel injector, a type of fuel injector designed to deliver a consistent and precise amount of fuel regardless of variations in fuel pressure.

Fuel control will improve Navy applications system performance that are reliant on jet-in-crossflow fuel injectors commonly used in combustors and augmentors to fuel modern Navy propulsions systems, such as the F35.

These improvements will lead to efficient propulsion and power systems that control jet fueling for enhanced performance. Fuel injection is a critical technology for Navy Aircraft propulsion, unmanned aerial vehicles, ship propulsion and power, ramjets/scramjets and missiles.

Researcher Credentials

Ahmed joined ±«°ä¹ó’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, part of ±«°ä¹ó’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, in 2014. He is also a faculty member of the Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research and the Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion. He served more than three years as a senior aero/thermo engineer at Pratt & Whitney military engines working on advanced engine programs and technologies. He also served as a faculty member at Old Dominion º£½ÇÖ±²¥ and Florida State º£½ÇÖ±²¥. At UCF, he is leading research in propulsion and energy with applications for power generation and gas-turbine engines, propulsion-jet engines, hypersonics and fire safety, as well as research related to supernova science and COVID-19 transmission control. He earned his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from the State º£½ÇÖ±²¥ of New York at Buffalo. He is an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics associate fellow and a U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and Office of Naval Research faculty fellow.

“The culture for producing leading-edge talent has been here for decades,â€� says Florian Jentsch ’97PhD, chair of ±«°ä¹ó’s Psychology Department and director of the Team Performance Lab at the Institute for Simulation and Training (IST). “The aviation industry as a whole is better because of ±«°ä¹ó’s roles, and employers are very much aware of that.â€�

A casual reader might wonder how a university with no airfield could be ranked as the nation’s No. 1 supplier of talent six times by Aviation Week Network. Or why professors in fields like psychology and digital media play such prominent roles in the advancement of that talent.

Start with Jentsch. For 30 years he’s been an integral part of one of the world’s premier programs in human factors at UCF — and what could be more important than “human factors� before and during a flight? In the same area of IST, David Metcalf and Michael Eakins ’09BA ’17MFA are creatively using multimedia to bring K-12 students into the widening aviation funnel (forecasts from Boeing indicate the industry will need more than 600,000 new pilots over the next 20 years).

“As much as I like to use new gadgets,� Eakins says, “I get the biggest charge from watching the next generation use them. When I see the lightbulbs go on for the first time, I know we’re doing something impactful.�

How UCF Fills the Talent Funnel

To trace the dots from digital media to aviation talent, let’s start with Eakins’ and Metcalf’s backgrounds. Both grew up near aerospace and aviation centers. Eakins was raised on Florida’s Space Coast, where his grandfather was part of the team that built NASA’s first lunar module. Metcalf spent his formative years near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“As a kid, I’d hear conversations about space and aviation,â€� Metcalf says. After studying computer graphics at the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ of Texas, he used his multiple interests to help NASA establish its first multimedia lab. In 2006 he took another leap and launched ±«°ä¹ó’s Mixed Emerging Technology Integration Lab (METIL) at IST. The simulation lab has since spawned innovations in dozens of fields, including mobile healthcare, mobile learning, and … here it is … aviation training.

“Our students are never bored in the lab,� Metcalf says.

Eakins was one of those students early on.

“When I started my education at UCF, I thought I’d pursue a career in gaming,� Eakins says, “but once I met David and had my first exposure to simulation, I got hooked.�

Eakins is now the creative lead of METIL, developing simulation and training tools to hook others who least expect to be hooked. The lab hosts K-12 field trips so kids can see and touch those tools.

In February 2022, Metcalf and Eakins initiated the STEM Aviation Showcase, taking headsets and tablet-based simulators to events in Central Florida. Through partnerships with Orange County Public Schools, the Boys and Girls Club, and Junior Achievement, to name a few, they’ve already made a presence at 16 events and had hands-on interactions with 1,600 curious kids.

“We’re able to bring aviation to people who have never met a pilot or maybe have never seen an airport,� Metcalf says. “The airplanes flying high over their neighborhoods might be the closest they’ve ever come to a plane. We can use the portable tools that we’ve developed in IST to cast a wider net and grow more interest among people who thought it wasn’t a reachable goal. It’s also a great way to bring more women to the front of planes.�

Most recently, Eakins developed a more advanced training aid in collaboration with Boeing. Using an AR headset and a virtual captain — an avatar designed from a real pilot — users can experience flight training without the need for a plane, an airport, or an expensive, non-portable simulator.

“Anyone who has access to this can practice flying anywhere, without any risk,� Eakins says. “It could be a gamechanger.�

The dots that lead from digital media to gaming to portable flight simulation come to a question that parents of high schoolers often ask: “What’s the next step for my son or daughter?�

“We can point out the best classes to prepare them for a career in aviation,� Metcalf says. “If they decide to come to UCF, they’ll be guided through their educational journey to the personal future they desire.�

How UCF Makes Flying Safer

Jentsch arrived at UCF in the early-mid 1990s to study for his doctoral degree in a crucial research field that, at that time, relatively few people knew anything about: human factors psychology. The application to aviation was always clear to Jentsch and his colleagues.

“The reliability of aviation is directly tied to the behavior of everyone in the system,� Jentsch says. “The gate agent. The security person. The baggage handler. The maintenance engineer. The pilot. Every person must know when to speak up and say, ‘we can’t leave the ground yet.’ Technology helps, but at the end of the day we rely on good behavior for high positive consequences — in this case, safe travel.�

In the ‘90s, UCF was one of five or six universities doing work in this space. Since then, many others have attempted to emulate ±«°ä¹ó’s approach to research and training.

“We’re always a few steps ahead because many of our government and corporate partners are right here in Orlando,� Jentsch says. “People are always amazed that when you come into [Central Florida Research Park], you can find anyone and everyone who makes a flight simulator working here. This gives us access to tools at IST that allow us to explore the most realistic factors in aviation training.�

The control stick, however, is only as effective as the person using it. When the human factor fails, we call it “human error.� And human error is responsible for at least half of all aviation accidents.

“Our research and training in human behaviors have significantly reduced accidents since the 1980s,� Jentsch says. The Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (BAAA), an organization established in Geneva in 1990 for tracking aviation safety, reported 337 accidents in 1989. By 1999, the number had dropped to 234, and in 2022 the BAAA charted 97 accidents. “You can corelate the value of those results to the value of our students in the aviation industry.�

Jentsch and his research team were among the first to trace errors back to fixable, trainable factors. Communication is a good example. They concluded that instead of trying to figure out a flurry of issues at once, it would be safer to bring each issue to a resolution before opening the next issue — closed-loop communication. The strategy has since been adopted in other industries, like medicine. The reduction in surgical errors in hospitals is partly from the implementation of checklists and briefings during nurse shift changes.

“It originated from our research for aviation,� Jentsch says. He says he’s still excited after doing this type of research for 25 years.

“What we do is meaningful, and it goes hand-in-hand with meaningful simulation training and meaningful real-world jobs, Jentsch says. “At the end of the day, when employers know that people influenced by our research can tackle any situation and make flying safer, then we’ve done our jobs well. And we don’t even need an airfield to do it.�

All students were selected by a committee of industry, government and education professionals for their academic merits and promising leadership abilities in the aerospace industry. Honorees receive $2,000 in funding and will be recognized by the organization at its awards dinner and ceremony in Arlington, Virginia, this Thursday.

“It is an honor to be a recipient of such a prestigious award,� Bansberg says. “I have worked very hard to get to where I am today in the aerospace industry through the research and programs I have been involved with. Being recognized for my achievements by WIA is special because it means a lot to me to represent women who are pursuing a career in aerospace.�

Earlier this year Bansberg was part of a UCF team that , which is a hands-on learning experience that encourages students to work on a technology of their choosing that relates to the Artemis program. Bansberg’s team studied the properties of lunar regolith. Bansburg was also part of a UCF team that presented a research paper at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Regional Student Conference this year.

Bansberg has always had an interest in space, but she originally earned a bachelor’s degree in health sciences at UCF before switching career paths. During her time in the health sciences program, she traveled to Jamaica to conduct STEM-related experiments with her classmates and associate lecturer Danielle Webster. The experience reignited her own passion for STEM, and also inspired the students to pursue the same path.

“Many of the young girls in my group absolutely loved the experiments, and the best part about it was finding out the students we worked with had a significant increased interest in pursuing a STEM-related career,� Bansberg says. “I think it is moments like that and receiving this scholarship where I want to serve as an inspiration to other young women and show them that STEM is interesting and fun.�

Just as Bansberg inspired others, she also had women who inspired her throughout her college journey. She credits Webster for introducing her to research, as well as Aerospace Engineering Professor Seetha Raghavan and graduate student Perla Latorre-Suarez ’21 for encouraging her to challenge herself. Raghavan, who received the WIA Aerospace Educator Award in 2019, says that Bansberg has been a great example for other students to follow.

“Even as a beginning researcher, Lauren has shown her capacity to mentor other undergraduate students in her team,� Raghavan says. “Her interest in engineering goes beyond her own development. Arguably, the best part about Lauren is that she will motivate and influence countless students, bringing them along with her on the ride to success.�