Eight First Nations students from the National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA) at Monash University will take part in placements at two of the world's leading space programs.
Six students will head to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA/JPL) in California and two will be stationed at the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council’s RAL Space for ten-week education placements.
During the program, the students will work on space science projects like the biological testing of UV-resistant space organisms, analysing datasets from Jupiter’s atmosphere and working on software within NASA’s Flight Software Framework.
2025 NISA cohort with the Monash Nova Rover. Source: Supplied
"As a proud Boandik man, I am excited to travel to the UK and gain hands-on experience at a world-class research laboratory,” Mr Cooper said.
“This is an opportunity I never imagined, and I hope my journey shows other young Indigenous people that there are no limits to what we can achieve in STEM, both in Australia and around the world.”
Before jet-setting, the cohort will attend a Space Boot Camp at Monash University where they will connect with past NISA students, hear from Professor of Space Innovation Retired Lieutenant General Larry James, meet Monash’s Nova Rover and High Powered Rocketry teams and gain valuable insights.
The program is supported by the Australian Space Agency and CSIRO.
Professor Christopher Lawrence, NISA Lead and Associate Dean (Indigenous) at Monash University’s Faculty of Information Technology, said the program fosters Indigenous knowledge and involvement in space exploration and innovation.
“By partnering with RAL, NASA/JPL, the Australian Space Agency and CSIRO, we are creating pathways for First Nations students to pursue international careers in STEM while bringing Indigenous knowledge and perspectives to the global stage,” Professor Lawrence said.
“I hope one day to see the world’s first Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander astronaut, and NISA is helping pave that path.”
