<p>Although Mary mentioned NASA, do realize that NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is just east of the University in Greenbelt. D1 (astronomy and physics degrees) worked there starting her sophomore year. There are lots of profs at UMD who have a working relationship with people there. D1 “complained” that there were a lot more aerospace engineer-type people than “pure scientists” there, so that should be a huge draw for you!!! There’s another past UMD-cc’er whose son is doing the NASA REU this summer (he graduates in December). </p>
<p>The proximity to Goddard was one of D1’s major reasons to go to UMD; it was an awesome experience for her. She just finished her first year in the Astrophysics Ph.D. program at Harvard, so yes, I’d say that UMD was everything she hoped it would be!</p>