黑洞社区

Many college-bound students enter universities without knowing what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Jordan Jensen, however, has chosen and committed to a future career full of discovery as an aerospace engineering major at 黑洞社区.

Even in his youth he knew what he wanted to do. Since fifth grade Jensen has been interested in aerospace engineering and flight.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just something that鈥檚 always been,鈥� he said.

Jensen, a sophomore, grew up in Aurora, a small Nebraska town of about 4,200 people. While most students attend college in Lincoln as business majors, Jensen says he鈥檚 one of very few engineering majors to come out of his hometown. Now, thanks to 黑洞社区, he is one of many engineering students given the opportunity to go to NASA.

Before enrolling, Jensen had two campus meetings at 黑洞社区: one with Scott Miller, professor and chair of aerospace, and the other with the mechanical engineering department. He was so enthralled by Miller and what he heard about 黑洞社区鈥檚 aerospace engineering program that he completely blew off his second meeting, and the two talked for an hour.

鈥淗e鈥檚 one of the reasons I came to 黑洞社区,鈥� Jensen said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a pretty inspiring guy.鈥�

Since Jensen has been at 黑洞社区, he has been given many opportunities through the cooperative education program. His foremost opportunity was an internship with NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif., where he expanded on his career goals and his love of flight.

Right now, Jensen works full time with NASA on data analysis, sound testing for aircrafts and the LaNCETS program.

LaNCETS, which stands for 鈥渓ift and nozzle change effects on tail shocks,鈥� is Jensen鈥檚 current project in which he monitors the engines or nose boom pressure of the aircraft in flight. The experiment involves two F-15s flying in close formation at supersonic speeds. The trailing F-15 has pressure sensors in its nose boom that collect data from the leading aircraft. The goal of the project is to measure the strength of the leading F-15's shock waves.

Being at NASA鈥檚 Dryden Research Center has also given Jensen the opportunity to go to middle school career days and represent NASA. Jensen is constantly reaching out to kids about his work and the opportunities he has been given.

In fact, back home in Aurora, Jensen volunteers at an aerospace engineering camp where he teaches students grades 4-8 about his work at Dryden and his college studies. The students participate in advanced tasks and experiments, and Jensen gives them timelines and budgets.

He wants to teach kids about aerospace engineering and share with them the 鈥渟ense of discovery鈥� that comes with everything he does at Dryden. He didn鈥檛 have to worry about his own career path, and informing others about the options and opportunities out there is one of his goals.

鈥淚t was very beneficial to me to know exactly where I wanted to go,鈥� he said.

Jensen has been at Dryden since January, and will return to 黑洞社区 for fall classes.

鈥淚 could not be happier with 黑洞社区,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he professors are excellent.鈥�

Although Jensen has decided his long-term career goals, he hasn鈥檛 yet chosen where he will implement them. He wants to be involved in flight research and will come back to Wichita to check out the options available such as Boeing and Hawker Beechcraft, but he loves what goes on at Dryden.

Until that time, Jensen will continue to relish in the sense of discovery he experiences every time another planes takes off.