This year in TPSP, I have accomplished quite a bit. I wrote a 10-page paper discussing the pros of NASA and future research. I managed to recruit a man on the Library of Congress committee on Astrobiology as my mentor, who was an incredible help to me. I put my organization skills to the limit, organizing an aerospace career fair for the students of Carnegie. I also spoke for twenty minutes describing all aspects of the project which I undertook, presenting myself and my work to an outside group of judges.
TPSP required a lot of me. It required impeccable organization and self-motivation. It required competency and knowledge. It showed me that I am in fact capable of undertaking an assignment I was wary of at the beginning of the year. It also showed me that Astronomy and Aerospace is the field for me, as I never grew tired of my project. In fact, I grew more and more interested and passionate about the field, now that I know that NASA is in fact underfunded, and one of the most deserving places for future funding.
I also learned my limits. Before I had the bright idea of organizing a fair, I wanted to amend the Space Act, to include a clause that removed the free sharing of inventions and ideas with the public. I wanted to change it to state that private investors would be required to pay either a licensing fee or a percentage of future profits, generating revenue for NASA without increasing the federal budget. However, I knew that that would be an even greater challenge, and that it would me much less likely to make an impact.
If given the option, I would most definitely retake the TPSP course, and am a proponent for its benefits. I have gotten stronger and more knowledgeable from the experience, and want future Carnegie graduates to both learn about the world around them and about themselves through the requirements of this course.
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