This summer, five Skyline College students participated in Base 11’s fellowship program. They did research at some of the nation’s most prestigious institutions — and got paid for it!
Alex Hercules spent the summer at the University of California, Irvine, working with a small team to design and build a working drone in the Autonomous Systems Engineering Academy.
Meanwhile Alina Rai and Daniel Powers were at Caltech, living on campus and working with graduate students in aerospace. They were among just a handful of community college students admitted to Caltech’s summer research program alongside undergraduates from schools like MIT and Yale.
Across the country, in Washington, D.C., Bryan Num and Robert O’Leary were at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, working with engineers to help restore historic aircraft.
All of these Skyline College students had life-changing experiences that help solidify their path to success in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
Meet Skyline College’s 2016 Base 11 Fellows:
Alex Hercules
“It definitely changes you…. I learned a lot about myself and how I work in a group, and how I work with a team.”
Watch this video of Alex and the other Base 11 Fellows at UCI.
Alina Rai
“I’ve never been this independent before…. Here at Caltech, I’m given that opportunity to think, process, and progress on my own. I’ve felt more empowered as a woman in a STEM field….”
Read Alina’s advice to other young women in STEM.
Daniel
Powers
“[My parents] are happy that I’m applying myself to accomplishing something important that I find personally rewarding. “
Bryan Num
“I’ve been exposed to an actual working environment, outside of a classroom. Something you can’t get from schooling. “
Watch this video of Bryan and Robert at the Smithsonian.
Robert O’Leary
“Bryan and I came here not knowing a thing about engines, and based off this assignment, learned a lot and developed a tremendous amount as engineers.”