Mentorship with the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.

Summary

T-Minus Space Daily: Mentorship with the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation

Released April 26, 2025 | Host: Maria Varmazes | Guests: Former NASA Astronaut Chris Ferguson and Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) Mentee Vikas Patel

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Introduction

In this insightful episode of T-Minus Space Daily, hosted by Maria Varmazes, the spotlight shines on the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF), a pivotal organization fostering the next generation of space leaders. The discussion delves into the profound impact of mentorship provided by ASF, featuring Chris Ferguson, a retired Boeing executive and former NASA astronaut, alongside his mentee, Vikas Patel, an aspiring aerospace engineer. Together, they explore the essence of mentorship, the journey of becoming an astronaut, and the invaluable network ASF cultivates among its scholars.

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Meet the Guests

Maria Varmazes introduces the episode by highlighting the intimidating yet rewarding path to an astronaut career. She welcomes her guests:

• Chris Ferguson: A retired Boeing executive with a diverse career spanning NASA astronautics and naval aviation. Currently involved with ASF, Chris emphasizes his commitment to mentoring future space pioneers.

  “I think I have learned more from them than they have learned from me,” (02:57) Chris reflects on his mentorship experience, underscoring the reciprocal nature of learning in mentorship.

• Vikas Patel: A recent graduate from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, studying aerospace engineering, and an incoming graduate student at Stanford. Vikas shares his enthusiasm for mentoring and his aspirations in the field.

  “It's been fantastic to not only talk about my interests, his interests, but we found a lot in common as well,” (04:14) Vikas describes his positive mentorship experience with Chris.

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The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF): An Overview

Maria provides a comprehensive background on ASF, established in 1984 by six Mercury 7 astronauts. The foundation aims to encourage university students pursuing scientific excellence by offering one of the nation's largest merit-based scholarships for undergraduate STEM juniors and seniors. ASF fosters lifelong relationships between scholars—referred to as astronaut scholars—and mentors, facilitating professional and personal development alongside networking opportunities with seasoned astronauts.

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Chris Ferguson’s Journey with ASF

Chris Ferguson shares how ASF became an integral part of his life:

“ASF found me. I knew as an active astronaut that there was an entity out there that worked with young men and women to provide scholarships that were merit-based in the fields of STEM,” (05:11) Chris recounts his introduction to ASF, highlighting the organization’s alignment with his values.

He elaborates on his role within ASF:

“I've taken on mentorship and a little bit more of an active role in promoting ASF, making sure that our sponsors and donors realize the value of these merit-based scholarships,” (05:45) stressing his dedication to advancing ASF’s mission.

Chris also touches upon the collaborative nature of his mentorship with Vikas:

“Vikas was my second of three mentees, and we had a lot of shared interests,” (06:15) indicating the personal connections that strengthen the mentor-mentee relationship.

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Vikas Patel’s Path to ASF and Beyond

Vikas Patel narrates his discovery and involvement with ASF:

“When I was in high school, I was looking for ways to get funding for my undergrad, get scholarships. And so I just happened to search up scholarship, astronaut, that combination of words,” (07:56) Vikas explains how he stumbled upon ASF, igniting his passion for space and aerospace engineering.

He details his academic and professional trajectory:

“I'm at an internship kind of between my undergrad and before grad school with NASA working on some lunar terrain navigation,” (15:40) revealing his hands-on experience and dedication to contributing to NASA’s missions.

Vikas emphasizes the importance of community among ASF scholars:

“These are people you stay in contact with all the time… they're people you want to surround yourself with,” (16:35) highlighting the enduring bonds and collaborative spirit fostered by ASF.

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The Dynamics of Mentorship

Maria probes into the mentor-mentee relationship, eliciting profound insights from both guests.

Vikas describes the fluid and conversational nature of his mentorship with Chris:

“It's kind of just a communication, a conversation between two people,” (09:28) Vikas notes the organic and flexible structure of their interactions, contrasting it with rigid professional mentorships.

Chris shares the mutual benefits derived from mentoring scholars:

“Just reading up on their individual backgrounds and having to intelligently ask questions of these outstanding individuals, I learned so much,” (12:14) Chris reflects on how mentoring has expanded his understanding of current technological advancements and future space exploration endeavors.

He also touches upon the reciprocal learning experience:

“It's a bit of a window into the future because these young men and women are going to go on to really be leaders,” (13:00) indicating that mentoring scholars keeps him connected to emerging trends and innovations.

Vikas adds a personal anecdote illustrating the cross-generational exchange of knowledge:

“One funny conversation we had… was he talking about how on his in-flight computer he got live weather information and live radar. It makes me appreciate a lot more about… what he was out there flying F14s,” (14:30) showcasing the blend of past experiences and present technologies discussed within the mentorship.

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Networking and Community Among Scholars

Vikas highlights the robust network ASF fosters among its scholars:

“We talk all the time. Me and Asa, Chris's other mentee, we talked the other day about grad school,” (16:35) illustrating the continual support and collaboration among peers within the ASF community.

He underscores the value of these connections in professional growth and personal support:

“These type of people… have such amazing backgrounds, such amazing skills, and are genuinely good people. They're people you want to surround yourself with,” (16:45) emphasizing the enriching environment ASF creates for its scholars.

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Advice for Aspiring Mentors and Mentees

In concluding remarks, both Chris and Vikas offer valuable advice for those considering mentorship roles or seeking mentorship through ASF.

Chris advocates for the unique benefits of ASF:

“ASF really is a wonderful organization because it provides not only these peer relationships, but it also keeps the scholars very close after they've gone on to their professional careers,” (18:32) highlighting the sustained support and networking opportunities ASF affords both mentors and mentees.

He compares ASF favorably against similar organizations:

“There are other parallel types of organizations out there, like the Goldwater Scholarship Organization, but I don't think another entity provides this sort of mentor, mentee and networking opportunity that ASF provides,” (18:50) emphasizing ASF’s distinctive value.

Vikas encourages prospective scholars to seize the opportunity:

“If anyone ever says, should I apply? The answer is obviously yes, because getting to be a part of this community and getting to have these connections is just fantastic,” (17:28) passionately recommending ASF as a transformative platform for aspiring space professionals.

He emphasizes the confidence and guidance gained through ASF:

“Surrounding yourself with the right people... gives you a little confidence, if nothing else, that no matter where you go, you'll end up doing the right thing,” (20:05) reinforcing the psychological and professional support ASF provides.

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Final Thoughts

The episode culminates with both guests reflecting on the symbiotic nature of mentorship within ASF. Chris expresses pride in nurturing future leaders who are at the forefront of space exploration and technological innovation. Vikas conveys gratitude for the guidance and network ASF has provided, underscoring its pivotal role in shaping his academic and professional journey.

Maria wraps up by emphasizing the enduring value of such mentorship programs in advancing the global space industry's future, leaving listeners with a profound appreciation for organizations like ASF that cultivate excellence and collaboration among emerging space professionals.

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Key Takeaways

• ASF’s Mission: To support and mentor undergraduate STEM students through scholarships, fostering a community of future space leaders.

• Mentorship Benefits: Both mentors and mentees gain valuable insights, with mentors staying connected to cutting-edge advancements and mentees receiving guidance and networking opportunities.

• Community and Networking: ASF creates a robust network among scholars, facilitating ongoing collaboration and support.

• Advice for Aspiring Scholars: Apply to ASF to benefit from its extensive support system, mentorship, and unparalleled networking opportunities.

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This episode of T-Minus Space Daily offers a compelling look into the transformative power of mentorship within the aerospace community, showcasing how the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation is instrumental in shaping the trajectories of future space pioneers.

Transcript

[Chris Ferguson]

Foreign.

[Maria Varmazes]

You're listening to the N2K space network.

[Vikas Patel]

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[Maria Varmazes]

It's daunting starting a career in any industry, but there's something about working in space that is particularly challenging. And that challenge seems even harder when you decide you want to become an astronaut. What would you need to know to become a successful astronaut candidate? Where do you even start? Well, there are always answers when there are the right people to talk to. Welcome to T minus deep space from N2K Networks. I'm Maria Varmazes. The Astronaut Scholarship foundation, also known as ASF, was created in 1984 by six Mercury 7 astronauts. Since then, astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and space shuttle programs have pursued the mission to encourage university students who are pursuing scientific excellence. The prestigious Astronaut Scholarship is known nationwide for being among the largest merit based monetary scholarships awarded to undergraduate, STEM juniors and seniors. ASF has a lifelong relationship with each astronaut scholar, as they are called, and provides them with mentors, professional and personal development, and networking with astronauts. Former NASA astronaut Christopher Ferguson joins us to talk about the power of mentorship along with his mentee Vikas Patel. Thank you both so much for joining me today. I really appreciate it and I'm so thrilled to be speaking with you both. Why don't we start with some introductions, please? Chris, would you mind telling me a bit about yourself?

[Chris Ferguson]

Sure. So, Chris Ferguson I am currently a retired Boeing executive, but I have had a couple different careers throughout my life. Prior to that I was a NASA astronaut for about 13 years and then prior to that I was a Navy pilot for. I don't know. It's hard to believe three careers have gone that quickly, but now I do a few things. I work with the Astronaut Scholarship foundation, which is what brought us here together today. I also own and operate a small business of my own that focuses on aerospace safety. I'm on a couple different boards and just generally have a good time as A consultant working without the pain of setting an alarm clock. So that, in a nutshell, is what I do. And of course, Vikas and I have spent the better part of a year in a mentorship relationship, and I've done that several times through the scholarship foundation as well. It's been a lot of fun. I think I have learned more from them than they have learned from me, but we'll have time to determine that. So thanks, Maria.

[Maria Varmazes]

Oh, my pleasure, Chris. Thank you so much for joining me. Vikas, tell me a bit about yourself as well.

[Vikas Patel]

Yeah, absolutely. So I'm a recent grad from Embry Riddle, studied aerospace engineering, and soon to be a grad student at Stanford. And like Chris said, I. The mentorship has been going on for the better part of a year, and it's been fantastic to not only talk about my interests, his interests, but we found a lot in common as well. And along the way, got to learn a lot in terms of some of the personal side of things, the career side of things. Obviously, he's a very impressive person, and so it's great to hear his backstory.

[Maria Varmazes]

You are both very impressive people, for the record. So I just want to say. And because congratulations on your admission to State. That's fantastic. So I just want to say that's wonderful. Congrats. I would love to hear a bit about Chris. You've mentioned that you've been involved with ASF for a while. And Vikas, I want to hear about how you got involved. So let's start with sort of setting the scene there. How did you learn about asf?

[Chris Ferguson]

Well, actually, I think ASF found me. I knew as an active astronaut that there was an entity out there that worked with young men and women to provide scholarships that were merit based in the fields of stem. But the funny thing was, is one day, I guess it's probably about 12, 13 years ago, I got a call in the middle of Walmart from a gentleman named Dan Brandenstein who was one of my, I would say, idols, you know, in my young astronaut days. He was an early shuttle astronaut, dating back to, you know, Skylab and Apollo, early days. But he asked me if I would consider joining ASF as a board member. I had to think about that a little bit. I had to learn a little bit more about asf. But in the long run, it is probably one of the most worthwhile endeavors I've taken on outside of my professional life. And that has led me. I was busy in a career for a while, but since things have slowed down a little, Bit I've taken on mentorship and a little bit more of an active role in promoting asf, making sure that our sponsors and donors realize the value of, of these merit based scholarships that we provide and have provided, you know, over, I guess it's probably going on four decades now to young men and women and you know, through the mentorship I've had an opportunity. Vacas was my second of three mentees, I guess, and again, you know, we had a lot of shared interest in that. Vacas was also a pilot, so we just enjoyed talking about flying. But I'd like to think that what I bring to the game is not anything that will help them succeed academically, but probably more the soft skills of life understanding. A lot of individuals are interested in perhaps applying to be an astronaut someday. Maybe a little bit of inside baseball on the application process and how you might go about getting selected, which is still, you know, a bit of a mystery to me. So the, and the goalpost keeps moving every selection. So it's really hard to figure out exactly what the, you know, where the secret sauce is. But anyhow, ASF is a great, it's a great mechanism and I've been proud to be a part of the board for over a decade now.

[Maria Varmazes]

I can tell. I can, I can feel that pride radiating through the screen. That's wonderful because sort of the same question to you about how you got involved. And I'm so curious about if your trajectory is you're going to be applying to be an astronaut also. So I want to, I want to hear about that.

[Vikas Patel]

Absolutely. Yeah. So of course that is a dream. It's been a dream of mine since a very young age. But you know, when I was in high school, I was looking for ways to get funding for my undergrad, get scholarships. And so I just happened to search up scholarship, astronaut, that combination of words. And sure enough, the Astronaut Scholarship came up and I saw that Embry Riddle was one of the involved partner universities. And so I come in, freshman year and sure enough, Grace Robertson, she was the very first winner from empiriddle. She was up there talking about all the work she had been done, her involvement with the community. And I realized that this was a real organization that did a lot of good. And so as I got involved, did more research, I got into the Space Technologies Lab at Amber Riddle. And it turns out that the two winners from the Astronaut Scholarship from Ambrutle both were lab members of that Space Technologies Lab. And so it was fun to get some insider knowledge. I know Chris Talked about insider knowledge in terms of the astronaut scholarship and what it took. And I saw that these are some very fantastic people and I just wanted to be a part of it.

[Maria Varmazes]

Yeah, I would love to hear a bit about Vikas. What sort of this relationship has been like for you? I've never been a mentee or a mentor, so I asked this out of actual genuine curiosity. What is this like? What has the experience been like?

[Vikas Patel]

Yeah, I mean, going into it, you kind of expect this to be some rigid format where there's a mentor and a mentee and there's this knowledge transfer, but at the end of the day, it's kind of just a communication, a conversation between two people. One person obviously has more experience than the other person, but it's still fun to talk about everyone's differences and ask him questions that I wouldn't be able to ask anyone else in different scenario. You know, in the workplace you're kind of more so focused on your work, sometimes you get around to that mentorship. But this was a relationship relationship that was purely carved out to have these sorts of conversations. And so I got to ask about presentation skills, management, and just a wide range of information that I probably wouldn't have gotten in such a detailed manner. I also are.

[Maria Varmazes]

We'll be right back.

[Vikas Patel]

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[Maria Varmazes]

Chris, you had also mentioned that you feel like you get a lot back as well. I'd love to hear more about how, how you feel like you're. You're learning. Also from the mentor mentee relationship.

[Chris Ferguson]

Yeah, I, I had an opportunity to be a facilitator for a panel discussion involving several of, several of our scholars. And boy, I'll tell you, just reading up on their individual backgrounds and having to intelligently ask questions of these outstanding individuals, I learned so much about what they're really working on. And you know, it's a little bit of a window into the future because what they are interested in is obviously, you know, sort of where the state of the art is headed. And there were scholars working on things like, you know, fabricating, you know, pre printed structures on other world bodies like Moon and Mars. I mean it was just fantastic to sort of get a little bit of an idea of where everybody thinks we are going to be with regard to not just space exploration, but technology that makes the world better, where we're going to be in 10 or 20 years. And it's very interesting when you go back and you look at the things that I enjoyed when I was a youngster. I watched Star Trek, I loved Lost in Space, you know, I followed the Apollo program and those things that were sort of visions back then have become the reality of today. So like I said, it's a little bit of a window into the future because these young men and women are going to go on to really be leaders in determining where we're going to be. Are we going to be on the moon living, you know, semi permanently in 20 or 30 years? You know, when are we going to go to Mars? Is it next year or is it 50 years from now? Nobody really quite seems to know, but you really get sort of a sense of the obstacles that are out there and the challenges that, that these young men and women are rising to meet. So you know, that that was sort of my part of, you know, taking in as much as I hope, you know, hopefully delivered.

[Maria Varmazes]

That's wonderful because I feel like there's something you wanted to add to that and I wanted to make sure I get to you.

[Vikas Patel]

No, I mean, it's just great to hear that I'm not just a burden on him, that he gets a lot out of it too. And it's funny because we talk about this sharing of knowledge and he talked about the state of the art. One funny conversation we had during our mentorship was he was talking about how on his in flight computer he got live weather information and live radar. And he was just super excited about it. And at the time I didn't really think about it because that was, you know, something that was pretty commonplace in terms of what I had one flying. And so I, you know, it makes me appreciate a lot more about, you know, when he was out there flying F14s and whatnot, it was a completely different world. And so it's just great to see how, how things have changed.

[Maria Varmazes]

I also remember before that Information was readily available. So I'm putting myself in the middle here. I'm like, I also remember that because I'm so curious. You are at such an exciting time in your life. You're doing great things already, and you're going to do even more amazing things. I'm so curious what your areas of interest specifically are.

[Vikas Patel]

Thank you. Yeah. And so specifically, I'm looking to do more research on GNC guidance, navigation and control. And so I've had a couple of internships so far focusing on that, a little bit of research. And right now, actually, I'm at an internship kind of between my undergrad and before grad school with NASA working on some lunar terrain navigation. And it's actually perfect because I get to see what the state of the art is, what people are working on here at NASA and what some of the needs are of the industry before I go to grad school. And so I can kind of find a niche and find a research area within that.

[Maria Varmazes]

That's really cool, Vikas. I'm also really curious. I imagine you must have friends and colleagues who are also fellow scholars, ASF scholars. Is there like a network? Like, what is that? Like, you must have a. Must be a cool club that you all are in.

[Vikas Patel]

Oh, yeah, we talk all the time. Me and Asa, Chris's other mentee, we talked the other day about grad school. He was going to CU Boulder, which was one of the places on my list. And it's people you stay in contact with all the time. Actually, this morning, me, Grace Robertson and Jared Jordan, the three scholars so far from Ambrutle, we were having a text chat in our own group chat. And these type of people, you stay in contact all the time, especially when they have such amazing backgrounds, such amazing skills, and are genuinely good people. They're people you want to surround yourself with, for sure.

[Maria Varmazes]

Absolutely. I'm curious, when you talk to other, your peers who maybe are looking for opportunities like asf, and maybe they're asking like, should I apply? What do you tell them?

[Vikas Patel]

Yeah, I mean, if anyone ever says, should I apply? The answer is obviously yes, because getting to be a part of this community and getting to be having these connections is just fantastic. You get to meet people from a wide range of areas that you'd never, ever get to meet. And at that point, you know, you can go anywhere. I've gotten to talk to, you know, retired astronauts like Charlie Precourt. He gave me some good advice on flying. I get to talk to mentors like Chris, and, you know, you learn A lot from surrounding yourself with the right people.

[Maria Varmazes]

Absolutely. Those connections matter so much. I just want to get some final thoughts on not only has this program given back to you both, but also what you've learned from each other. And also for folks who maybe want to consider either being a mentor or mentee, what words of advice do you have for them? So, Chris, why don't you go first and I'll go to Vikas.

[Chris Ferguson]

Yeah. I think if I look at asf, you know, there are other parallel types of organizations out there, like the Goldwater Scholarship Organization, but I don't think another entity provides this sort of mentor, mentee and networking opportunity that ASF provides. And this is not a commercial for asf, believe me. But I think that one thing that I didn't fully appreciate when I was at Vikas stage in life was how valuable your peers are and being able to understand, you know, what their hopes and dreams are and how they. They go about achieving them. Right. Because there's the world's very complex. Right. It's sort of hard to find your little niche. It's hard to know sometimes who to talk to and being able to reach out to not just a mentor, but to your peers and understand how they sort of navigated these tortuous paths, you know, in early stages, career. I've always said that it's hardest in the world. You have to make some of the hardest decisions in your life when you're between the ages of 18 and 21. And sometimes you don't really have all the tools you need to make those kind of decisions to lay it out. And being able to talk to others about just these kind of things, both your peers and mentors, is key. So that is another reason, I think that ASF really is a wonderful organization because it provides not only these peer relationships, but it also keeps the scholars very close after they've gone on to their professional careers. We have some former scholars who are on our board of directors now, and they manage to sort of keep everyone in the fold, or at least as many as possible in the fold to sort of renourish the youngsters with the ones that have sort of been there and done that. We've had one of our scholars go to space in the form of Christina Koch. So, you know, I mean, we've. It's a very broad base right now. We're proud to have all of them. It's great to see them come back to visit us once again. And it's. It's been great to be a mentor and I think have a little piece, a little bit to share with, you know, three of the three of the key folks that have gone on into their careers in life right now.

[Maria Varmazes]

That's wonderful because.

[Vikas Patel]

Yeah, and so kind of jumping off of that. One of the things you mentioned was being in this age, we have to make a lot of large decisions in terms of any small difference makes a huge impact on where we end up. And so being in that position, you kind of get nervous like, am I making the right decisions? Am I talking to the right people? Am I getting the right input? And so surrounding yourself with the people like Chris, people like Asa, all of these other scholars and all of these other mentors really puts you in the right field and gives you a little confidence, if nothing else, that no matter where you go, you'll end up doing the right thing. And so I strong heartedly believe that ASF is a fantastic organization to be a part of, whether you're a mentor or mentee. And it's been an absolute pleasure to be a scholar.

[Maria Varmazes]

Well, gentlemen, thank you both for sharing your time with me today and telling me about this wonderful relationship you have through the asf. It's been a joy speaking with you, so thank you. That's it for T minus Deep Space, brought to you by N2K CyberWire. We'd love to know what you think of this podcast. You can email [e-mail] or submit the survey in the show notes. Your feedback ensures we deliver the information that keeps you a step ahead in the rapidly changing space industry. N2K Senior Producer is Alice Carruth. Our producer is Liz Stokes. We're mixed by Elliot Peltzman and Trey Hester with original music by Elliot Peltzman. Our executive producer is Jennifer Ivan. Peter Kilpe is our publisher and I am your host, Maria Ramazas. Thanks for listening. We will see you next time.

[Vikas Patel]

SA.

[Chris Ferguson]

Foreign.

[Vikas Patel]

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