In today's episode with Lily Myers, we explore her incredible journey from a YouTube video enthusiast to a NASA researcher. As a freshman at UC Berkeley, Lily has already made significant strides in astrophysics, including leading her school's astronomy club and conducting experiments in zero-gravity. Join us as we delve into her experiences with the NASA SEAS internship and discover what it's like to float in zero-g. This episode is packed with inspiration and insights into the universe!

In this episode, we’re talking with Melissa Pore--an award-winning Engineering educator who has helped students literally send their work to space. She’s been behind satellite launches, ThinSat missions, NASA collaborations, and hands-on programs that empower students to do real research and real engineering.

We get into what it means to trust students with big ideas, how to build community in STEM spaces, and why the best learning happens when you’re allowed to tinker, experiment, fail, and try again. Melissa’s energy is the kind that makes you feel like your biggest goals are actually achievable.

If you’ve ever felt small in a big field, this conversation is the reminder that you belong here.

When TJ opened its doors decades ago, it became more than a school, it became a shared experience. At the 40th Alumni Celebration, that experience came alive again. Grads from the earliest classes to the most recent came back, filling the halls with old memories and familiar laughter. This episode isn’t a formal interview, it’s a collection of mini moments as a way to honor the people who built the foundation for what TJ is today.

Isra Satiar, a senior at Georgetown University majoring in Human Science, has already made an incredible impact in healthcare and global health. From receiving the prestigious Davis International Peace Prize to working as a patient care technician in a surgical ICU, Isra’s dedication to serving others is clear. She also led a health education project for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, has been involved in neuroscience research since freshman year, and leads organizations like the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students while serving as president of the School of Health Academic Council. In this episode of She Persists, Isra shares how her TJ roots, research, and leadership experiences shaped her path in healthcare and inspired her mission to make a difference globally.

Amy Medina has spent her life showing students that science isn’t just something you read about, it’s something you experience. As a teacher at Odyssey Academy, she’s led more than sixty student space experiments, some of which have even flown on Zero-G missions. But earlier this year, Amy took her passion for exploration to a whole new level when she became the first Puerto Rican woman astronaut to travel to space aboard Blue Origin’s NS-32 mission. In this episode, she shares what inspired her love for STEM growing up in Puerto Rico, how she overcame career obstacles, how she built a classroom where curiosity and innovation is at the center of everything, and how seeing Earth from above has reshaped her perspective as both an educator and explorer.

Hope Dickson, a freshman studying Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, has been involved in STEM from a young age. From launching a CubeSat in elementary school to mentoring and building hands-on experiences for young girls in STEM through Rosie Riveters, interning with the NASA’s SEES program, Virginia Aerospace Scholars, and Virginia Tech’s C-Tech² program, Hope has already started making her impact in the world. In this episode of She Persists, Hope talks about the mentors, internships, and experiences that fueled her passion for aerospace and the steps she’s taken to pursue this early curiosity and turn it into meaningful experiences.

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Zoe Zlatic, a sophomore Astronautical Engineering student at the University of Southern California, is already making significant impact in the aerospace field. In this episode of "She Persists," Zoe shares her inspiring journey from prestigious NASA internships to conducting her own research aboard a zero-gravity plane. As a Design & Structures Engineer at USC's Rocket Propulsion Lab, she is preparing to test her team's reaction wheel system on an upcoming zero-g flight. Zoe's vision for the future of space exploration, her passion for ambitious projects, and the impact she hopes to make in the aerospace industry make this episode a must-listen for aspiring engineers and space enthusiasts alike.

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In this episode of She Persists, host Emma Zurine sits down with Londyn Franklin, an incoming Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Texas at Austin. Londyn shares her incredible journey interning with NASA, Bell Flight, and Southwest Airlines, and the challenges she faced navigating high school internships. She reflects on the persistence, curiosity, and hard work that have shaped her path, and how her passion for rocketry and space sciences is driving her toward a future in aerospace. Throughout the conversation, Londyn highlights the importance of embracing opportunities, staying persistent, and inspiring the next generation of young women in STEM. Londyn’s story proves that with drive and curiosity, nothing is out of reach.