Introducing our science communication interns! Kat Plaza is an incoming PhD student at the University of Oregon, Amanda Syamsul just graduated with her Masters from UC Santa Cruz, and Lexi Kenis is currently pursuing their PhD at the University of New Mexico.

Alana and Nikodemos (“Nik”) are two of our 2026 Geo-Launchpad Interns. This summer, they are working on computer modeling of burial sites using Ground Penetrating Radar at the Kansas Geological Survey in Lawrence, Kansas.

Rachelle is a Geo-Launchpad intern this summer, working at the USGS on calculations, maps, and 3D models to be considered in the 2029 iteration of the National Seismic Hazard Model.

Nathan is using ambient noise tomography to image Earth’s crust in southeastern New Mexico. Nicolas is studying critical minerals at the Steeple Rock Mining District in New Mexico.

Eshanta is one of our 2026 career interns on the Cloud OnRamp team, supporting NSF NGF’s cloud-based geophysical research initiative.

Gabrielle is working as an Educational Resources and Data intern this summer, creating and updating geophysics educational materials.

We’re welcoming 26 interns this summer to train the next generation of geophysicists.

Summer 2025 marked one of the largest cohorts yet, with 33 interns placed at universities, research institutions, and national laboratories across the United States.

Sara Gasca is a first-generation undergraduate student at Santiago Canyon College.