The Tribune

TWO young Bahamians have been awarded the Alf Thompson Memorial Scholarship to intern at the Kennedy Space Centre this summer.

Justin Lockhart and Oliver Lundy, both from New Providence, will spend eight weeks working with research scientists and engineers from academia, NASA and corporations in the fields of aeronautical studies, biological sciences and/or space related technology.

Justin and Oliver, both 21 years old, beat out a field of more than 25 candidates vying for this scholarship.

Both young men have just graduated from college; Justin earned a degree in Engineering from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, and Oliver pursued studies in Biology and Chemistry at COB.

Their adventure at the Kennedy Space Center begins in just a few days.

In eager anticipation of this journey, Justin said: "It is a tremendous opportunity for me to use the internship as a stepping stone to my professional engineering career. I will be a practicing engineer-in-training as of mid-June and will have a BS in Mechanical Engineering.

"I view this award as a gift to my family, friends and teachers at St Andrew's School and Bucknell University. If it wasn't for them, I would not be where I am right now".

Justin and Oliver will have the opportunity to build relationships with noted scientists and researchers in the fields of space sciences, biotechnology and engineering.

Dr Jamie Foster, a researcher with the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida, will be working closely with Oliver and Justin.

Her areas of study are environmental microbiology, microbial ecology and astrobiology. In the past, Dr Foster has worked with Bahamian educators and students at the Bahamas Marine EcoCentre's field station in the Exuma Cays. As a result of her experience there, she has opened the door for qualifying Bahamian students to work at the Kennedy Space Centre through the Alf Thompson Memorial Scholarship (ATMS).

"Though all the fields of internship offered by this programme are fascinating, the area that interests me most is the study of biological sciences," said Oliver. He plans on pursuing his Masters and PhD degrees in biotechnology.

"The end goal of this is to make the Bahamas more energy efficient and 'green'. I could help this country begin to maintain self-reliance in terms of food and possibly even energy generation, or by helping to make the Bahamas more palpable to eco-tourism".

Justin will be working with Dr Phil Metzger, a NASA research physicist who has worked in the space programme since 1985.

Some of his areas of research include the utilisation of space resources and finding ways to address the dwindling of non-renewable resources on Earth and its effects upon civilization.

Upon completion of the eight-week summer internship, Justin and Oliver will be asked to share their experiences with other Bahamian students. A spokesperson for the ATMS indicated that giving back to others in the community is an important aspect of this scholarship.

Visits to local high schools, COB and other learning facilities will be arranged so that others interested in these fields will be encouraged to pursue their aspirations.

The Alf Thompson Memorial Scholarship was established in 2011 by the Bahamas Marine EcoCentre (BME), a non-profit organisation promoting awareness and respect for the Bahamian environment through research, education and art.

This is the second year the ATMS has been awarded. Vardo McKenzie from Barraterre, Exuma was the first scholarship recipient. He found the internship experience to be "so much more rewarding than I could possibly have expected".

BME hopes to be able to continue offering this opportunity to Bahamian students in the coming years.