UC Students landing internship at NASA’s JPL

Photo caption: UC PhD candidates Felix Goddard (left) and Jack Patterson (right) are interning with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) PhD candidates Felix Goddard and Jack Patterson are working alongside scientists and engineers involved in world-leading NASA missions during their prestigious three-month internship at JPL. Both were awarded New Zealand Space Agency Scholarships in early June by Space Minister Honourable Judith Collins KC, along with five other students from universities. 

Goddard is completing a PhD in Physics with a focus on atmospheric and climate sciences. “At first glance, my PhD seems pretty disconnected from the work at JPL, but satellite technology is vitally important for Earth observation and NASA has a whole series of satellites and instruments that have provided crucial data for studying the atmosphere,” he says.  

He is uncovering new ways to understand airborne particles and their impact on our climate. As part of an international project using the Multi-angle Imaging Spectro Radiometer (MISR) aboard NASA’s Terra satellite, Goddard is analysing images to better detect and understand atmospheric particles like dust and smoke. His day-to-day work involves developing computer code to process vast amounts of satellite data.  

“In every other room there's someone else who has an insane story about some project they worked on that pushed the bounds of science or technology. It reminds you that it's just people achieving all of these incredible things,” Goddard says.  

“Felix and Jack’s internships at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory are an outstanding achievement that reflects the calibre of students we’re nurturing at UC,” says Professor Stuart Parsons, UC Amo Matua | Executive Dean Science. “They’re not only excelling academically but contributing to global science and innovation.

“New Zealand’s space sector needs scientific minds who can analyse complex data, model climate systems, and develop intelligent technologies. Degrees in physics, computer science, and aerospace engineering at UC provide that vital foundation.

“We’re committed to building New Zealand’s capability in space and climate science. Through strong research, partnerships, and real-world learning, UC students are helping shape the future of this growing sector.”

Fellow student Jack Patterson is completing a PhD in Computer Science focusing on exploring deep learning techniques to tackle challenges involved in surveying and characterising planetary surfaces, including the Moon.

“This project at JPL has given me the opportunity to get hands-on experience building machine learning pipelines in a new (to me) application area: autonomous robotics,” Patterson says.

“The work I'm doing with anomaly detection aligns closely with my PhD research, as both involve identifying rare or unexpected patterns in complex, high-dimensional data streams, whether from spacecraft systems or astronomical observations.

“It's inspiring to see engineers, scientists, and researchers from completely different backgrounds working together seamlessly towards common goals. The scale and ambition of the missions, combined with the trust placed in early-career researchers to contribute meaningfully, has been incredibly motivating.”