What is the relationship between NASA and engineering students

The engineering degrees that are considered the most in-demand at NASA include aerospace engineering, computer hardware engineering, electronics engineering and mechanical engineering.

At NASA, our engineers are turning dreams into reality. From designing the most powerful rockets intended for deep space exploration to building instruments that can sniff out water on Mars, we’re pioneering new ways to discover the universe. Our work is also making a difference closer to home. We’re developing cutting-edge technologies in alternative propulsion and supersonic flight to transform the future of aviation, right here on Earth.

We are visionary problem solvers and innovators who channel our ingenuity to make the impossible happen. And we’re passionate about what we do—it’s one of the reasons people love to work here. Our engineers have a genuine curiosity for how things work and a desire to solve unique problems that no one else in the world has been able to solve.

At NASA, you’ll have the freedom to shape your own career path based on your personal and professional goals. You’ll have the ability to move across the agency—whether you’re interested in pursuing a different project within your field, expanding your expertise in another engineering discipline or moving into management by leading more complex projects and teams.

To tackle our diverse missions, NASA hires 20 different types of engineers; the most common fields are aerospace, general, and computer engineers. We place an emphasis on engineers who can take a holistic, systems view to solve complex challenges.   We value technical chops—after all, we employ some of the world’s premier experts—but we also seek team players. No one can build a rocket alone. We’re looking for engineers that understand the value of working with diverse professionals to push the envelope of what’s technically possible. Be part of a team that shares in the work and the success—from concept to execution.

NASA’s journeys have propelled technological breakthroughs, pushed the frontiers of scientific research, and expanded our understanding of the universe. These accomplishments, and those to come, share a common genesis: education in science, technology, engineering, and math.

In NASA STEM Engagement, we deliver tools for students and educators to learn and succeed. We seek to:

• Create unique opportunities for a diverse set of students to contribute to NASA’s work in exploration and discovery.
• Build a diverse future STEM workforce by engaging students in authentic learning experiences with NASA’s people, content and facilities.
• Attract diverse groups of students to STEM through learning opportunities that spark interest and provide connections to NASA’s mission and work.

NASA makes vital investments toward building a future diverse STEM workforce. The scope of STEM Engagement comprises all endeavors to attract, engage, and educate students and to support educators and educational institutions. The STEM engagement portfolio consists of a diverse set of opportunities, activities and products, encompassing internships; fellowships; student learning opportunities (challenges, competitions and other experiences); informal education and out-of-school learning activities; educational products, tools and platforms; educator support; competitive awards to educational institutions for research and development and institutional support.

Given the nation’s need for a skilled STEM workforce and projected demands in order to meet future needs, NASA clearly has a vested interest in attracting, engaging and preparing its future STEM professionals. The national STEM ecosystem will benefit from NASA contributions to attract and retain students on STEM pathways, with increased attention on underserved and underrepresented students. Recent national and international tests show that in the last decade, U.S. students have demonstrated little or no growth in mathematics and remain ranked in the middle of advanced economies on international science and mathematics assessments.

NASA will implement strategies to broaden student participation in order to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM through NASA opportunities and activities. While the number of women and underrepresented minorities earning STEM degrees has grown in broad science and engineering occupations over the last decade, significant underrepresentation remains in areas critical to NASA like engineering and computer and mathematical sciences. NASA is committed to building a diverse, skilled future STEM workforce – our next generation of explorers with the technical skills needed to carry forward our nation’s vital mission and work in aeronautics and space into the future.

To achieve these goals, NASA STEM Engagement strives to increase K-12 involvement in NASA projects, enhance higher education, support underrepresented communities, strengthen online education, and boost NASA’s contribution to informal education. The intended outcome is a generation prepared to code, calculate, design, and discover its way to a new era of American innovation.