We’re so proud of Nate Glerum '22 who’s been accepted to the Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars Summer Academy! Open to Virginia juniors and seniors, VASTS is an intensive, week-long STEM education course developed in collaboration with NASA.

This summer, Glerum and other students will break into teams, design a human mission to Mars and defend the plan to a panel of experts. Glerum is most excited to be part of an effort where team members bring a different set of skills to accomplish a common goal.

Glerum plans to study film and storytelling in college, so he chose a team that will focus on the public outreach aspect of the mission. The junior is passionate not only about the scientific aspects of VASTS academy but also about building public trust and learning how to communicate the long-term benefits of NASA’s space program. 

“I believe that by 2050, we’ll have people on Mars almost permanently,” he said. “I want to help people understand where the funding goes and understand that while it doesn’t seem like it will benefit us now, it will in the future. If we can work now to help those in the future, that’s really what this is all about.”