Justin Lockhart (left) and Oliver Lundy (right) interned at the Kennedy Space Center’s Life Sciences Lab after being selected as 2012 recipients of the Bahamas Marine EcoCentre’s Alf Thompson Memorial Scholarship. This represents the second year that interns have been sent abroad to participate in this eight week programme.
Justin and Oliver, both from New Providence and both college graduates, worked with research scientists and engineers from academia, NASA and corporations in the fields of aeronautical studies, biological sciences and space related technology. Justin and Oliver, beat out a field of over 25 candidates vying for this scholarship.
Most of Oliver’s time at NASA was spent working in the deep waters of the Space Life Sciences Lab. He also assisted with studies on the effects of microgravity on the mutualistic interactions between the luminescent bacteria vibrio fischeri and the bobtailed squid euprymna scolopes.
Justin assisted with a research project utilizing a VEGGIE unit – a deployable, low-resource plant growth system that can provide a source of fresh food and crew recreation for long duration space missions. He described the internship as “a spectacular experience” and added that being chosen for the internship was an honour for himself and his country.
Dr. Jamie Foster, a researcher with the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida worked closely with Oliver and Justin. Her areas of study are environmental microbiology, microbial ecology and astrobiology. In the past, Dr. Foster has worked with Bahamian educators and students at the Bahamas Marine EcoCentre’s field station – the Darby Island Research Station. As a result of her experience there, she has opened the door for qualifying Bahamian students to work at the Kennedy Space Center through the ATMS.
Media: Articles on Tribune 242
Lift-Off For Bahamians Headed To Nasa, May 2012
Link to Article
Students Sing Praises Of Nasa Internship Chance, October 2012
Link to Article
