- Hon Judith Collins KC
Seven university students have been awarded New Zealand Space Scholarships to intern at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these incredibly capable students. They will gain invaluable experience working on projects alongside scientists and engineers who are part of world-leading NASA missions," Ms Collins says.
"These three-month internships will equip them with real-world skills to kick-startexciting careers in New Zealand's fast-growing space industry."
The students, Asif Rasha (Auckland University of Technology), Shivam Desai (University of Auckland), Felix Goddard, Jack Patterson (University of Canterbury), Mark Bishop, Sofie Claridge and Taran John (Victoria University of Wellington), received their scholarships at a ceremony today.
The students will work on projects across the space spectrum, from deep space communication, the Big Bang and the early universe, to mission analysis.
"These scholarships, along with the Prime Minister's Space Prizes, help us encourage the next generation of talent to ensure we have an aerospace-capable workforce. This is a key part of our plan to double the size of our space and advanced aviation sectors by 2030," Ms Collins says.
"Last month I released an economic report that shows New Zealand's space and advanced aviation sectors are thriving - growing by 53 percent in the five years to 2024. The space sector contributed $2.47b to the economy in the 2023-24 financial year, while the advanced aviation sector, which overlaps with the space sector, contributed $480 million."
More information about the 2025 NZ Space Scholarship recipients and the projects they'll work on is available on the MBIE website.
Applications are open now for the 2025 Prime Minister's Space Prizes, which recognise and encourage innovative expertise through the Professional Excellence category and the Student Endeavour category.
