MATTAPOISETT — Outdated Rochester Regional Excessive College alumnus Kris Gundersen lately spoke to highschool college students about his work at NASA. Final month, Gundersen nearly introduced to 22 ORR college students and 4 workers members. College students from all grades and with various pursuits have been in a position to be part of. Gundersen’s presentation centered on the House Launch System and his journey from ORR to NASA.
“We’re lucky to have ORR alumni like Kris who need to give again to our future generations by not solely sharing their experiences and recommendation, however by encouraging them to observe their passions,” Principal Michael Devoll mentioned.
Gundersen, who graduated with the Class of 2000, is the Lead Separation System and Pyro Gadgets engineer answerable for NASA’s House Launch System Separation, Ignition, Pyrotechnics, and Vary Flight Termination methods. He’s at present stationed at NASA’s Marshall House Flight Heart in Huntsville, Alabama.
Gundersen encourages college students to “be taught one thing new daily and [know that] there’s no restrict to what you are able to do.” He shares that he subscribes to that philosophy: “I’m all the time studying, all the time studying, all the time listening. Day by day is a brand new alternative to alter for the higher.”
“We’re so appreciative that Kris took the trip of his day to speak with our college students and share all that he has achieved and discovered by means of his 18 years of expertise,” Superintendent Michael S. Nelson mentioned. “It is all the time nice to see how our ORR alumni have succeeded within the many various and distinctive paths our graduates select to observe.”
He shared movies of his work and instructed college students many tales from his 18 years of expertise. Gundersen additionally participated in a Q&A session with the scholars.
Following the Artemis 1 launch in November 2022, Gundersen transitioned to NASA’s Business Crew Program because the Launch Car Pyrotechnics Topic Matter Professional. Launch autos are SpaceX’s Falcon 9, and United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Atlas V rocket. He’s at present supporting ULA’s coming CST-100 Crewed Flight Take a look at and SpaceX’s Crew 6 Launch.
“As I take into consideration our future engineers, aviators, physicists, and scientists, I am grateful that these college students had this unbelievable alternative to listen to from an ORR alumnus like Kris who helped to encourage them and present them the worth in dreaming large,” Director of Steering Lauren Millette mentioned.
