The Zed Factor Fellowship, an award-winning non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to the aerospace industry to aspiring professionals from underrepresented communities, announces its first class of Fellows on the International Day of Human Space Flight. 

Amidst an increased national conversation on inclusivity, diversity and equity across industries, the Zed Factor Fellowship founders set forth their vision for an aerospace industry composed of people of all backgrounds, creating a more inclusive, well-rounded and ultimately more impactful and effective nation and world. Each Fellow not only demonstrates impressive technical and leadership capabilities, but will also conduct a customized community service project that will bring together their passion for industry and their communities and expand the impact of the program far and wide. 

In its first year, Zed Factor Fellowship received over 180 applications from 115 academic institutions, ultimately selecting 23 fellows through a rigorous selection process. Fellows will be placed in either a summer or fall internship program and will develop their community service project in the 2021-2022 academic year. 

• Abed Musaffar, University of California, Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, California. Abed will work for Venturi Astrolab.

• Anna Shaposhnik, University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. Anna will work for Orbit Fab.

• Catherine Santos, Seattle Central College in Seattle, Washington. Catherine will work for Aerospace Industries Association.

• David Andrade, Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. David will work for Blue Origin.

• Geronimo Nores, Stanford University in Stanford, California. Geronimo will work for Planet Labs.

• Grace Kim, Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Grace will work for Kayhan Space.

• Hugo Favila, Columbia University in New York, New York. Hugo will work for The Planetary Society.

• Kalyn Hopkins, The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Kalyn will work for Wisk.

• Linda Chen, Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. Linda will work for Blue Origin.

• Maria Elena Gonzalez, Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. Maria will work for Redwire.

• Nandini Sadagopan, University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Nandini will work for Orbit Fab.

• Natalie Selene, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in Pomona California. Natalie will work for Kayhan Space.

• Nikita Manjuluri, Columbia University in New York, New York. Nikita will work for Redwire.

• Noah Jacobs, The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Noah will work for Wisk.

• Oscar De Leon Vazquez, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. Oscar will work for Venturi Astrolab.

• Patricia Paje, University of California, Davis in Davis, California. Patricia will work for Wisk.

• Rishi Patel, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. Rishi will work for Aerospace Industries Association.

• Savannah Horton, University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. Savannah will work for Zeno Power Systems.

• Simran Dhoju, The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Simran will work for Wisk.

• Sumaiyah Shihipar, The University of Texas at Arlington in Arlington, Texas. Sumaiyah will work for Zeno Power Systems.

• Thushan Fernando, North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Thushan will work for Wisk.

• Tiffany Tang, Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. Tiffany will work for Wisk.

• Wilbert Andres Ruperto Hernandez, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Wilbert will work for Venturi Astrolab.

To learn more about the Zed Factor Fellowship or to apply to be a 2022 Fellow or host company, please contact: info@zedfactorfellowship.org