I indulged in an amazing experience at the AIAA’s ASCEND conference from the 30th of July to the 1st of August. This conference was held at the Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, NV. There were almost 4,000 attendees in total this year allowing for endless networking opportunities. Each day there were different workshops and presentations that allowed attendees to learn about all aspects of the aerospace industry including new advancements, upcoming plans, and new job opportunities. One of my favorite workshops I attended was the young professional’s speed networking round where there were approximately 30 different representatives from different universities and companies that were offering advice to young professionals, graduate, and undergraduate students. As I am still a high schooler, I had some concerns about being able to make the most of this event but I met so many incredible people and learned an immense amount. This event was pivotal in helping me explore different professions, majors, and colleges.
There was also a presentation on the OSIRIS-Rex asteroid sampling mission that directly correlated to research I had just completed. This presentation gave me significant insight into the details of the mission at a level I could not have otherwise found. This was one of the most compelling aspects of the conference, the uniqueness of the people and connections. Due to the ASCEND conference being at the same time as the AIAA conference, I was exposed to diverse resources and information.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Expo hall. There were many smaller companies as well as large organizations that were being represented. It sparked my imagination of possible startups and offered me unique internship and mentorship opportunities. I enjoyed picking up some “Space Swag” with my fellow speakers, Kaley Eaton and Zahra Ali ;).
This was my first experience speaking at a conference and I am so grateful that it was at ASCEND with Higher Orbits. Michelle Lucas, the CEO of the non-profit, was incredibly supportive throughout the journey and she has helped each of the speakers (along with countless students across the world!) with exposure to opportunities that will continue to open doors.
Written by Stella Ristic