Aaron Yazzie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aaron Yazzie
|
|
|---|---|
Aaron Yazzie in 2019
|
|
| Born | 1986 (age 38–39) Tuba City, Arizona
|
| Education | Stanford University |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Mechanical engineering |
| Employer(s) | Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| Projects | Mars Science Laboratory InSight Mars 2020 |
Aaron Yazzie (born 1986) is a Diné (Navajo) mechanical engineer. He works at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). His job involves designing tools to collect and handle samples from other planets. He has worked on important missions like the Mars Science Laboratory, InSight, and Mars 2020.
Becoming an Engineer: Early Life and Education
Aaron Yazzie was born in 1986 in Tuba City, Arizona. This area is part of the Navajo Nation. He grew up in Holbrook, Arizona. His father was an engineer and his mother was a math teacher. They encouraged him to go to college.
Yazzie first planned to attend a public university in Arizona. But he met an admissions counselor from Stanford University. This happened at a summer program for Native American students. He then decided to apply to Stanford.
While at Stanford, he worked as an intern at two NASA centers. These were the Goddard Space Flight Center and the Glenn Research Center. He graduated from Stanford in 2008. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.
Working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Aaron Yazzie joined the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in 2008. JPL is a special center for robotic space exploration. At JPL, he is a mechanical engineer. He designs tools that help collect samples from other planets.
He has worked on several exciting missions to Mars:
- The Mars Science Laboratory mission launched the Curiosity rover.
- The InSight mission sent a lander to study Mars' deep interior.
- The Mars 2020 mission sent the Perseverance rover. This rover is collecting rock and soil samples.
Yazzie has said that the landscape on Mars reminds him of his home. It looks similar to the area near his birthplace in Tuba City.
Inspiring Others: Community Involvement
Aaron Yazzie is very involved in helping other Native Americans. He works to encourage them to join NASA. He believes his Navajo upbringing taught him a strong work ethic. This helped him succeed in his career.
He has a long history with the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES). He received a scholarship from AISES for college. He was also the president of the Stanford AISES chapter. After graduating, he became a lifetime member of AISES.
Yazzie was featured in a book called Notable Native People. This book highlights important Native American individuals. He currently lives in Pasadena, California.
Images for kids
-
Aaron Yazzie, a mechanical engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
-
The Painted Desert landscape on the Navajo Nation, similar to parts of Mars.
