In cooperation with NASA Space Communications and Navigation, SGAC is pleased to announce Erin McGee and Lauryn Leslie as the winners of the 2023 NASA SCaN Scholarships. The winners will be sponsored to attend the 21st Space Generation Congress (September 28– 30 2023) and the 74th International Astronautical Congress (October 2–6 2023) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Erin McGee
Erin McGee is a rising junior at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, double majoring in physics and math. Currently, she is an intern at NASA Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) working on interval analysis of classical and quantum systems. She has also worked as a research intern at Harvard’s Laboratory for Nanoscale Optics and Stevens’ Quantum Inspired Coherence Optics group, as well as serving as the Undergraduate Officer of the NSF’s Center for Quantum Networks Student Leadership Committee. Academically, her focus is on quantum research, as well as science communication and writing, through her role as the Science Editor of her university’s newspaper. She also has a passion for mentoring others in both non-profits and professional societies, particularly through her role as President of Stevens’ chapter of the Society of Physics Students. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and running.
I am extremely honored to receive the NASA SCaN Scholarship 2023 to attend SGC this September. This is an amazing opportunity not only allows me to participate in such a high impact conference, but also to make a lifetime of connections and experiences. I would like to thank my mentors as NASA and elsewhere, as well and my family and friends for empowering me to always continue to grow.
Lauryn Leslie
Lauryn Leslie was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, USA and is currently working towards her B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering at Cedarville University. During her time as an undergraduate student, Lauryn has participated in the varsity NCAA DII softball and tennis programs. Lauryn also enjoys volunteering her time with the Society of Women Engineers. Her previous internship experience includes supporting a local control panel company with the design and implementation of industrial power control cabinets, as well as supporting Johnson Controls as a design engineer for fire alarm systems and green initiatives. Most recently, Lauryn spent 10-weeks interning at NASA’s Glenn Research Center supporting phase-array antenna research and development in the Advanced High Frequency Branch within the Communications and Intelligent Systems Division. Lauryn plans to matriculate into a graduate degree program to pursue a Master of Electrical Engineering and hopes to have a career at NASA one day. Her research interests include wireless communications and antennas, including phase arrays, for aeronautical and space applications, such as CubeSats and other commercial satellites.
I am beyond excited and incredibly grateful to receive the NASA SCaN scholarship to attend SGC 2023. From my dreams to be an astronaut as a child, to now having the opportunity to meaningfully collaborate with the global space family, this opportunity is truly a dream come true. A special thanks to the NASA SCaN Internship Project for making this opportunity and all my future dreams possible!
