WGMU

Communication major looks to the stars with NASA internship

Sarah Holland — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 20:45:14 +0000

Communication major looks to the stars with NASA internship Sarah Holland Thu, 08/31/2023 - 16:45

Ever since sixth grade, Ricky Chang looked up at the stars and wondered what could be out there in the vastness of unexplored space.

Photo provided by NASA

Now, he has a front row seat to interstellar research.

The brand-new ��AV alum spent the summer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as a Commercialization, Innovation and Synergies Office (CIS) intern. “I’ve always admired NASA, so it’s kind of like a fever dream” said Chang, who graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in communication. “It’s really cool seeing all these knowledgeable and passionate people working on amazing projects. I haven’t met a single person who isn’t excited to be here.”

The CIS Office finds government and industry partners to work with on space research and exploration. “NASA sets the policy, while private industry advances the technology,” Chang explained. “CIS helps the aerospace community to understand what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and—hopefully—want to be a part of it.”

His work was predominantly content marketing: creating video scripts, developing communications plans for university outreach to partner on the upcoming Artemis II launch, and writing employee spotlights.

“You don’t usually associate communications with NASA. Everything thinks, ‘oh, engineers, scientists, telescopes,’ things like that,” Chang said. “So to get the internship with my background in media production and communications was so exciting. There’s a chance for me to work in this field I’ve always admired, after all.”

Like his interest in the great mysteries of the galaxies, Chang’s interest in media production started in his youth, filming and editing videos of himself and his friends as they rode their BMX bikes. At Mason, Chang further developed his skills through a concentration in media production and criticism and working on podcasts for WGMU.

At his internship, Chang was encouraged to utilize those skills through media production projects: He scripted, produced, and recorded voice-overs for a series of short videos that will be embedded on NASA’s website. “I’m working my way up to be the voice of the countdown,” he joked.

“My communication degree has helped a lot in navigating this internship,” he said. “In this program I do a lot of communicating, and I’m seeing the theories I learned play out in the workplace. I’ve taken writing classes where I learned how to write across media, which helps when writing pieces for NASA that need to be concise yet persuasive. All the media production courses I’ve taken led to me creating and doing voiceovers the NASA videos. My professors gave me a really solid foundation.”

Ricky Chang, left, sits in the control room at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Photo provided by NASA.

This internship is the first foot in the door for Chang, who is seizing every opportunity he can to secure a future career at NASA. “I tried to meet with every multimedia person I could, so that if one day I apply for a full-time position they’ll remember me,” he said.

It seems his work has paid off. While Chang’s time at Mason concludes with the completion of this internship, his time at NASA is just beginning: He’s accepted another internship for the fall, where he’ll be working directly with NASA engineers in the Engineering and Technology Directorate (ETD).

“I want to work somewhere that lets me feel creative and supports my multimedia background, where I can really contribute and make an impact,” he said. “NASA gives me those opportunities and so much more.”

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Topics

Summer Internship

NASA

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Communication

Students

WGMU

Space

Around Mason: Summer Camps Takeover

Sarah Holland — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 13:43:20 +0000

Around Mason: Summer Camps Takeover Sarah Holland Wed, 08/09/2023 - 09:43

Summer goes by fast—whether you’re a kid, or a kid at heart. The K-12 students who attended camps and youth programs at Mason this year filled those fleeting summer days with memories. With many camp options—including music, arts, recreation, sports, science, and space, just to name a few—these kids got to experience life in the Mason Nation at an early age. And we couldn’t be happier to host them. Here are some snapshots from their summer to remember.

CONS 100: Introduction to Field Conservation, Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation

Photo by Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation

The Introduction to Field Conservation Ecology program at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation (SMSC) offers high schoolers hands-on experience in research field methods, with an emphasis on developing observational skills. Participants also earn college credit.

Many decades ago, the land that now makes up the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute functioned as a U.S. Army remount—a space used to provide exercise to horses. Racetrack Hill now serves as the site for many SMSC field activities, as well as recreation. During the first night of the program, high school students got to take in fantastic views, knowing that they would be returning many times in the coming days for hands-on conservation activities. See more photos.

Interstellar Dreams Space Center, College of Science

Photo provided

At the Interstellar Dreams Space Center at Mason's Fairfax Campus, middle schoolers took on roles as "mission specialists" to plan a lunar space station. The mission specialists made their own websites, learned to program a micro-controller to control electronics hardware and blink morse code with a light, learned about space, physics, astronomy, and more.

Campers also checked out various telescopes at the Mason Observatory—including the second largest on-campus optical telescope on the East Coast. The week culminated with a "press conference" attended by VIPs and families, where campers presented their lunar space station design.

Conflict Resolution Youth Summit, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Photo by Ayman Rashid/Office of University Branding

The Conflict Resolution Youth Summit, hosted by the Carter School, explores some of today's toughest problems through the lens of peace and conflict resolution. Through simulations, workshops and facilitated discussions, high schoolers delved into important conflicts and practiced the processes of promoting peace. Participants came away with new knowledge about global conflicts, social justice, peacebuilding, and collaborative leadership.

Mason Summer Band Camp, Mason Community Arts Academy

Photo provided

This summer, Mason Community Arts Academy (MCAA) kicked off the first-ever Mason Summer Band Camp. More than 100 students participated in the program led by faculty from the Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music and the Green Machine.

Gold Star Volleyball Camp

Photo provided

George Mason Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Megan Shifflett Bachmann and other Mason volleyball staff hosted Gold Star Volleyball Camp on the Fairfax Campus. The camp emphasized the development of players of all levels to become more skilled and competitive athletes.

WGMU Podcasting and Radio Camp, WGMU

Photo provided

WGMU’S Summer Podcast and Radio Camp provided campers with training in a professional radio environment. Students had a chance to produce podcasts and be deejays, playing music over the WGMU radio station. Campers also learned from broadcast professionals how to write, edit, and produce podcasts, live DJ shows, commercials, promos, and public service announcements.

Tony Skinn Basketball Camps

Photo provided

Mason Men’s Basketball Head Coach Tony Skinn hosted two weeks of basketball camps at the Fairfax Campus. Boys and girls ages 7–14 learned about the game from Skinn, who was a two-time all-conference guard with the Patriots from 2003-06 and competed in the Final Four with the Patriots in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program, College of Science

Photo by ASSIP Intern Team

The nationally known Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) provides transformative research opportunities for high school and undergraduate students. Selected participants work one-on-one with faculty researchers at ��AV and collaborating institutions using state-of-the-art technology across many disciplines. This summer’s ASSIP program welcomed a record 266 students, including 195 who participated in person. The program is open to high school students and Mason undergraduates.

Washington Journalism and Media Conference

Photo by Rafael Suanes/Washington Journalism and Media Conference

The Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) is an interactive, youth leadership program hosted on Fairfax Campus that provides highly engaged, high-performing high school students with a unique experience exploring careers in the areas of journalism, media, and related fields. Students experience an integrated and forward-thinking approach to journalism and media while acquiring valuable “in-the-trenches” knowledge through hands-on learning with industry leaders, award-winning journalists, international media outlets, and Washington insiders.

Learn more about Summer Camps at Mason

Topics

Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Mason Community Arts Academy

WGMU

Washington Journalism and Media Conference

Faculty and Staff News

Around Mason (E-Files)

Patriot Pop Quiz: Mascots of the 1990s

Lauren Reuscher — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 18:39:39 +0000

Patriot Pop Quiz: Mascots of the 1990s Lauren Reuscher Wed, 07/19/2023 - 14:39

Question:

One person has portrayed three different Mason mascots over the years, including the tricorn-hat Gunston (1993), the brief Gorilla period (1994), and the fuzzy Gunston (1996).

He is still a Mason employee. Who is it?

Gunston, 1996. Photo provided by Mason Athletics

Gunston, 1993. Photo provided by Mason Athletics

Answer:

George Malenich, plumber, Facilities. Photo provided

George Malenich, Mason Square plumber, Facilities Management

“I loved being the mascot at Mason. The exposure opened doors for me. I did the play-by-play for Mason women’s basketball and hosted a sports talk show at WGMU radio with several students. We had great guests, including legends like Dick Vitale, Arnold Palmer, and Gus Johnson. [Former Mason Men’s Basketball Coach] Jim Larrañaga was a frequent guest, too," said Malenich, also a Mason alum.

"Being the mascot helped me land the job as a plumber here 26 years ago, which is a position I love," he said. "I was courtside for the Final Four run in 2006. One of my greatest thrills was being in the second row of the press section for the UConn upset—in regular clothes, not dressed as a mascot."