Earlier this year, Rokas Bertašius, a student at Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC), was selected among the ten most talented students from Lithuania to participate in an internship at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research centers. This is a unique opportunity – Lithuania is one of the few countries that has signed an intergovernmental agreement with NASA, allowing its students to participate in this prestigious international program. These internships, aimed at gifted students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), provide a close-up experience of cutting-edge space technologies and a chance to contribute to real, vital international projects that undoubtedly impact the future of humanity. Thus, the sixteen-week internship at NASA became a significant professional step for Rokas and an inspiring personal journey.
From the Gym to Neurobiophysics
Rokas shares that his path to neurobiophysics was far from straightforward. After high school, he planned to become a physical education teacher or coach. However, during his first year at the Lithuanian Sports University, he realized he craved more profound scientific knowledge. “One psychology lecturer recommended a book on neuroplasticity during a lecture – that was my gateway into the world of neuroscience,” Rokas explains.
Developing Technologies for Future Mars Missions
The NASA internship allowed Rokas to expand his knowledge and contribute to a project of high importance to space exploration. During his internship, he worked on an autonomous biosensor system to monitor astronauts' health on long-duration space missions. Currently, blood samples taken aboard the International Space Station are sent back to Earth for analysis. However, this approach becomes impractical for future Mars missions – even impossible. This creates a need for solutions that allow on-site testing – reliably, quickly, and without external support.
Such testing requires specific expertise, and astronauts’ time and skills are limited. Therefore, the project aims to develop an autonomous, user-friendly system capable of performing complex blood tests without direct specialist involvement. Rokas and his team used a modified electrochemical ELISA technology to detect specific molecules, such as proteins or other biochemical markers, to achieve this. This is one step toward advanced, compact analyzers that can ensure astronaut health monitoring even under the most extreme conditions.
From Soldering to Python: Skills Gained at NASA
In the NASA lab, Rokas worked as part of a team but had his own areas of responsibility. Weekly team meetings discussed progress, challenges, and plans. Each intern was assigned a mentor who was always available for guidance – this helped speed up learning and encouraged curiosity.
Although in-depth knowledge of space science wasn't required, Rokas greatly benefited from laboratory skills, biophysics, and programming knowledge gained during his studies. Still, he had to learn many new things, especially in the field of mechatronics. He quickly picked up on various engineering systems and gained electronics, prototyping, and mechatronics basics. He learned to use an oscilloscope and multimeter, create 3D models, work with 3D printers, program microcontrollers, and develop user interfaces with Python. This experience helped him grow as a scientist and significantly expanded his engineering skillset.
NASA Culture: Openness, Curiosity, and Equality
At the end of the internship, Rokas participated in a poster session where all interns presented their work. This session was part of the so-called “Happy Hour” – an informal but well-attended event at the center, drawing employees from various departments, including high-level executives. Despite its casual format, the event offers interns a unique opportunity to present their projects directly to decision-makers. According to Rokas, moments like these truly reflect NASA’s work culture – hierarchy is not strictly followed: whether you’re an intern or the center’s director, everyone communicates as equals.
Since Rokas extended his internship by another month, he had the chance to train a new intern who took over and continued developing the project – yet another example of NASA’s openness, continuity, and trust, where every contribution to the future matters.
NASA also organized tours, lectures, and visits to various laboratories. Rokas saw such iconic sites as wind tunnels, vertical motion labs, a 20G centrifuge, and flight simulators. He also visited the legendary Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Los Angeles.
Starry Nights and Apollo Footsteps
Unforgettable experiences extended beyond the lab – over several months, Rokas visited many U.S. national parks, traveled the legendary Route 66, and joined a local “Star Party” where hundreds of telescopes pointed toward the stars, revealing a breathtaking night sky. One of the most memorable events occurred just before his departure – Rokas helped document a historically significant NASA lab slated for demolition. This lab once analyzed lunar samples from Apollo missions and conducted long-term human isolation studies.
New Horizons and a Call to Fellow Students
According to Rokas, the skills gained during the NASA internship open real opportunities – interns often co-author scientific papers, and in some cases, become inventors listed on patents. Moreover, many current NASA employees are former interns, so this experience usually becomes a stepping stone to long-term roles.
Asked whether he’d like to return to NASA for a more extended period, Rokas doesn’t hesitate – absolutely. He’s confident he still has a lot to learn and contribute. He also encourages other Lithuanian students to seize this opportunity: “Be curious, stay active, and don’t limit yourself to one thing. The Research Council of Lithuania clearly outlines the selection criteria – all it takes is determination and initiative.” Although Rokas humbly says that luck played a part in his selection for the NASA internship, he emphasizes that the most critical factors are curiosity, a desire to grow, and the courage to step outside one’s comfort zone. “If you’re curious and not afraid to take action, opportunities will come,” he says.
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| Photo from personal archive |