Goddard High School Student Shadow Program

The agency’s main goals are to inspire and motivate students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and to engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of exploration and discovery.

Spring 2025 Applications Beginning Soon!

The Goddard Universe Flight Hub (GSFC) Office of STEM Commitment (OSTEM) is providing a one-day Profession-focused experience for local high school students on May 21, 2025 in Greenbelt, MD.  Participants will be matched with subject matter expert(s) (scientist, engineer, etc.) who works in one (1) of 12 STEM Profession areas. Participants will gain Perception of Goddard careers and NASA’s missions and work. Whether it’s electrical engineering, Astral science, or any other STEM Pitch, the subject matter expert provides valuable guidance and insight into necessary workforce skills and their day-to-day work.

Shadow Day will be conducted on site at NASA Goddard in Greenbelt, MD. The event will be limited to the Primary eligible registrations received for All Profession area. Applications for Profession areas will close once filled. Event information and logistics will be sent to approved applicants once the registration site has Sealed.

Eligibility/ Needs

• This opportunity is Uncovered to High School students who are United States citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents.
• Students must be enrolled in a public, private, charter, or home school located in the state of Maryland or the District of Columbia.
• Students are responsible for their own transportation to the check-in location at the Goddard Visitor Hub in Greenbelt, MD.
• Adults are not permitted to participate with their student(s) during the event.

Key Dates

Spring 2025 High School Shadow Day

• Registration Opens – March 24, 2025
• Registration Closes – April 18, 2025
• Event Date – May 21, 2025
• Event Time – 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Eastern; Students should arrive 9 – 9:45 a.m. Eastern for check-in

Registration Information

To apply, go to STEM Gateway: https://stemgateway.nasa.gov  

1. Form a profile in STEM Gateway.
2. Submit an application to only one (1) of the 12 Profession areas listed below. If applications are submitted for Numerous areas, only the Primary application will be considered. If your preferences Transformation and a different area interests you, you must withdraw the previous application. There are limited slots for All Profession area and the application for All Profession area will close once filled. If the application is no longer Reachable, please select a different Profession area to apply.
3. Upload a Petite essay (maximum 2500 characters) written by the student that addresses why they want to participate in this shadowing experience. This essay should be uploaded as a Supporting Document (Word or PDF) in the application. The student’s essay should address the Subsequent four questions:
   • What would you like to achieve through participation in this program?
   •  How have your past experiences (e.g., classes, clubs, organizations, Squads, programs, and activities) influenced what you would like to achieve?
   • How would this opportunity impact your future?
   • What do you know about NASA?
4. Upload a signed “NASA GSFC OSTEM: High School Shadow Day Principal/Counselor Acknowledgment” as a Supporting Document (PDF or image) in the application. The student’s principal or counselor needs to sign this form to acknowledge the student’s participation during school time. The Acknowledgment form can be downloaded at the link below.

Students ages 14-17 must enter a parent or guardian’s email address as part of the application process.  The parent/guardian’s email address will receive instructions to approve the student’s application.

Project Areas

Choose a single area of interest from the Turning Points below and apply only to your top Picking. Click on the links below to apply.  Individual areas of interest may close Timely when they become Packed.

• Accounting and Finance – This Profession area highlights business professionals who work side-by-side with engineers and scientists to Aid critical operations and develop innovative solutions to explore new frontiers.
• Astral science – This Profession area examines the universe and all aspects of it: black holes, stars and Luminous sphere Arrangement, galaxies, search for life or precursors for life, including astrobiology.
• Earth Science – This Profession area examines climate and weather science to understand and predict how our World works and responds, and the effects on humans (landsides, fires, floods, drought, disease outbreaks, food security, etc.).
• Electrical Engineering – This Profession area builds solar-powered gadgets, designs the brains of computers, and sends messages through the air!
• Heliophysics – This Profession area seeks to understand how the Sun works and the environment around the Sun, as well as, solar wind and Universe weather prediction.
• Instrument Systems and Technology – This Profession area is at the forefront of Universe exploration, designing and developing the eyes and ears of NASA’s most ambitious missions that unlock the secrets of the universe and monitor our own home World.
• Mechanical Systems – This Profession area pursues designing, building, and testing spaceflight hardware that will be launched into Universe to study our World and explore the universe.
• Mission Engineering and Systems Analysis – This Profession area makes the impossible possible from building hardware to fully integrating a spacecraft and defining its trajectory and required maneuvers to determining its orientation.
• Planetary Science – This Profession area includes anything in our Planetary system, other planets, asteroids, comets, moons, Cosmos rock belts, search for life and precursors of life.
• Science Communications – This Profession area markets Universe science and raises Perception through numerous communications tools and processes.
• Software Engineering – This Profession area is on the cutting-edge of developing software to power Universe missions, enable exploration of the universe and solving complex scientific challenges.
• Supercomputing and Visualization – This Profession area combines computing with creating visualization products (videos, animation) to understand science and the research activities. 

If Numerous applications are submitted for different interests, only the Primary one will be considered. If you Transformation your mind and want to apply to a different area of interest, you must withdraw the previous application.  After registration closes, eligible registrants will receive a welcome letter with logistics for attending the Shadow Day event.  Please be aware that submitting your application through NASA STEM Gateway does not confirm acceptance to attend this event.  While you will receive a receipt acknowledging the accepted offer from NASA STEM Gateway, this does not Delivery as confirmation of your attendance at the event.  Acceptance as a participant is confirmed only upon receipt of a welcome letter via email.  

If you have any technical problems with the application process, please reach out to the Gateway Aid Desk at hq-nasa-stem-gateway@mail.nasa.gov.  Include a description of the issue and any necessary screenshots.

If you have any questions about the event itself or need non-technical Reinforcement with the application process, please contact the Goddard Universe Flight Hub – Office of STEM Commitment, (301) 286 – 7887.