What’s Happening Today!

Welcome to a new daily drop from That Black Chemist! 

Today we’re spotlighting Psyche Inspired, NASA’s one-of-a-kind creative internship that invites undergraduate students to bring space science to life through art, design, music, writing, and more. Based on the Psyche mission to a metal-rich asteroid, this program pays students a $1,000 stipend over the academic year to create original works inspired by space exploration. You don’t need to be a science major, you just need to be creative, curious, and enrolled full-time at a U.S. college or university.

In a recent milestone, NASA successfully tested an AI system that lets spacecraft independently identify scientific anomalies and prioritize what data to send back. That’s a big deal for long-range missions like Psyche, where Earth commands can take up to 22 minutes to reach the probe. Smarter spacecraft could mean faster discoveries and fewer missed moments.

Upcoming Opportunities

🚀 NASA’s Psyche Inspired Program — Where Art Meets Outer Space

Calling all creatives! The 2025–2026 Psyche Inspired “Platinum Class” is now accepting applications. This unique NASA program invites full-time U.S. undergraduates from any major to express the excitement and science of NASA’s Psyche mission through original creative works.

Whether you’re a painter, writer, engineer, musician, or digital designer, you’ll create four original pieces over the academic year, join a national cohort, and attend weekly virtual meetings with program leaders at Arizona State University.

📅 Program Details

• Application Deadline: Friday, August 29, 2025, at 12 PM PDT

• Program Length: Fall 2025 – May 2026

• Format: Virtual (with occasional physical submissions)

• Commitment: Weekly Zoom meetings + 4 creative works

• Apply Online: [Apply Here]

✅ Eligibility

• Full-time U.S. undergraduates (any major), not graduating before May 2026

• Citizenship: Open to U.S. and international students enrolled at U.S. institutions

⚠️ Bonus Opportunities You Should Know

• 🧪 NSF REU Summer Research Programs: List of funded undergrad research programs. (Search here)

• 🎓 Zintellect: List of scholarships, research fellowships, and internship opportunities funded by the U.S. government or private sector. (Search here)

• 💰 NASA OSTEM Internships: List of NASA Internships for high school and undergraduate STEM students. (More info)

• 🪖 Department of Defense (DoD) SMART Scholarship: $30,000-$46,000 scholarship awarded to top STEM students. (Link)

🌍 International Opportunities

• 🧲 Pathways to Science: List of upcoming internships, scholarships, and research programs hosted by any country [open to international students]. (Search here)

• 🔬 Amgen Scholars Program: Prestigious summer research program for undergraduate students in the U.S., Europe, or Asia. (More info)

• ⚛️ European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN): Search for any upcoming internships related to chemistry, physics, engineering, or data science! (Link here)

• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Intrax Global Internships: STEM-focused internship program for international students hosted by the U.S. Department of State. (More info)

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Scientist’s Scroll

🚀 NASA Tests AI That Lets Satellites “Think” in Orbit

NASA has just completed a successful test of Dynamic Targeting, an AI-powered system that lets satellites autonomously decide where to collect the most valuable science data in under 90 seconds.

Developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the technology enables spacecraft to “look ahead” along their orbit, analyze conditions using onboard AI, and adjust their imaging targets in real time without any human input.

In its first flight test aboard the CubeSat CogniSAT-6, Dynamic Targeting helped the satellite distinguish clouds from clear skies to avoid wasting storage on unusable images. This cloud-avoidance feature increases the proportion of meaningful data captured during each orbit.

🔗 Read the full article here —>

Tip of the Day

📊 Using the Right Software to Plot Your Data Matters

Choosing reliable plotting software isn’t just about aesthetics: it’s about accurately representing your research and ensuring reproducibility. The right tools make your data clearer, your results trustworthy, and your analyses easier to share with peers.

Here’s why investing time in the best software is essential:

• Accuracy Over Appearance: Quality plotting software, like Matplotlib, ggplot2, and OriginPro helps you accurately visualize complex datasets.

• Data Integrity Remains Intact: With the right software, you’ll avoid unnecessary data manipulation. Don’t fall into the trap of tweaking visuals for a prettier result.

• Consistency and Reproducibility: Using standard, well-known tools ensures that others can replicate your work. Your data visualizations will become part of a reproducible workflow that strengthens credibility.

• Efficiency Saves Time: Investing time up front to learn the features of top-tier plotting software pays off. Automated routines and customizable templates allow you to generate complex plots quickly. 

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Today’s Theme: TikTok Tuesday

Tuesdays are better than Mondays, right?

Let’s enjoy an awesome TikTok watching the quirky, liquid metal known as Galistan!

@pchemstud

The WEIRDEST Chemical Reaction #science #stemeducation #chemistry #physics

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