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Scientist for a Day

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Scientist for a Day was an essay contest that gave students in grades 5-12 a chance to think like scientists and learn about real NASA missions. Various NASA missions and projects have sponsored this essay contest over the years. It was held annually from 2006-2021. This international contest will not be held in 2022.

Instead, visit www.futureengineers.org to learn more about the latest challenge for US students: Power to Explore, sponsored by the Radioisotope Power Systems program.


Congratulations to All the Finalists and Semifinalists!

View all results of the 2020-21 U.S. essay contest ›


Thank you to all of the students who participated in this year's contest. Our judges were impressed with the quality of the essays. Thank you for writing such inspiring essays!

The Scientist for a Day team

Read the essays written by the winners: Aaron Heisel, Adhithi Arun, Annie Hu, Jennifer Sauter, Keira Roberts, Ramesh Pattar, Shreya Swaminathan, Stephanie Dragoi, and Zoey Skoutas.

Ad to promote the recording of the live event
Bethany Eppig, Kelsi Singer, and Dipak Srinivasan answered students' questions about the contest's topics and anything related to space exploration. Credit: NASA. Watch the recording on YouTube ›.

Panelists:

Bethany Eppig
Environmental Policy and Launch Approval Manager
NASA Radioisotope Power Systems Program

Kelsi Singer
Planetary Scientist
Southwest Research Institute, Boulder

Dipak Srinivasan
Europa Clipper Telecommunications Lead
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Host: Ota Lutz
K-12 Education Lead
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Promotion for Scientist for a Day essay contest

In January 1986, the mighty spacecraft reached the Uranus system. Voyager 2 took as many images as possible of anything within sight. Those were very brief visits, though, and we only know what one side of these faraway moons looks like.

  • Which of these three moons inspires you to explore further?
  • What excites you about what we’ve learned so far?
  • What do you hope we’ll find if we return to these places?
  • Support your choice in an essay of no more than 300 words.

The essays of winning students will be published on NASA's Radioisotope Power Systems website.

Good Luck!

The Scientist for a Day team


What is an RPS?

Radioisotope Power Systems provide the power to explore, discover, and understand our solar system. You can learn more about RPS on this website. This video explains some of the concepts.


2020-2021 Topics

Ariel

Ariel

Ariel is believed to be the least cratered of all the moons orbiting Uranus. Carbon dioxide has been detected there.
more

Oberon

Oberon

Oberon, Uranus' second largest moon, has a mountain that rises almost 4 miles (more than 6 kilometers) off the surface.
more

Titania

Titania

Titania, Uranus' largest moon, has a system of fault valleys that stretches nearly 1,000 miles (about 1,600 kilometers).
more

Ariel

Ariel is believed to be the least cratered of all the moons orbiting Uranus. Carbon dioxide has been detected there.
more

Oberon

Oberon, Uranus' second largest moon, has a mountain that rises almost 4 miles (more than 6 kilometers) off the surface.
more

Titania

Titania, Uranus' largest moon, has a system of fault valleys that stretches nearly 1,000 miles (about 1,600 kilometers).
more
More

Congratulations 2019-2020 Winners!

Ishman Rajput
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Canada Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Aadhya Anand
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Canada Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Emma Li
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Canada Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Jade Thompson
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Bahamas Winner - Target: Charon
Read the Essay
Matthew Chen
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Canada Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Joy Kim
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Canada Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Sara John-Chuan
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Canada Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Irene Wang
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Canada Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Simeon Petkov
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Bulgaria Winner, Grade: 5-6 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Aleksandr Zamarashkin
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Canada Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Neyko Neikov
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Bulgaria Winner, Grade: 9-12 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Teodora Daskalova
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Bulgaria Winner, Grade: 7-8 - Target: Miranda
Read the Essay
Shaina Pranjivan
Grade 9-12
2019-20 South Africa Winner, Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Erin Fourie
Grade 7-8
2019-20 South Africa Winner - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Shristhi Bickram
Grade 9-12
2019-20 South Africa Winner - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Sunghyun Lee
Grade 9-12
2019-20 South Korea Winner - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Chaei Baek
Grade 9-12
2019-20 South Korea Winner, Grade 12 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Jungwook Lee
Grade 9-12
2019-20 South Korea Winner, Grade 9 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
​ Shadit Rahaman
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Bangladesh Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Emir Han Bulut
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Turkey Winner, Grade 9 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Julia Hutto
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Tankut Timin
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Turkey Winner, Grade 11 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Melodi Sıla Bozkaya
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Turkey Winner, Grade 11 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Gigi Stewart and Bryan Wong
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Serda Aydemir
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Turkey Winner, Grade 11 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Ojas Kumar
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Aylin Akınal and Roy Erzurumluoğlu
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Turkey Winners, Grade 12 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Muhammad Muzzamil
Grade 5-6
2019-20 United Arab Emirates Winner - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Athena Huynh and Christopher Hogan
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Patricia Lopez-Alvarez
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Shrida Mittal, Ram Patel, and Tuba Ahmed
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Aubrey Ellis and David Rowan
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Annabel Peltzer
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Ahana Tajnim Khan
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Bangladesh Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Anjali Shaju
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Rifa Mahmood
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Bangladesh Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Nawba Tahiya Hossain
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Bangladesh Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Raisha Islam
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Bangladesh Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Azneef Ahammed Chowdhury
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Bangladesh Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Victor Petrescu
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Romania Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Yusha Nurullah Ayan
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Bangladesh Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Syed Nazif Ishrak
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Bangladesh Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Anik Das Gouptho
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Bangladesh Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Vlad Manolescu
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Romania Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Ana-Alexia Alecu, Diana-Camelia Buruian and Daria-Stefania G
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Romania Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Ana Iarina Popa and Ana Maria Ceausoglu
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Romania Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Amira Livia Sauciuc, Radu Lucian Farcas, Iustin Gheorghita a
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Romania Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Luca Mintici and Paul Oprea
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Romania Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Tudor Ene and Vlad Crintea
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Romania Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Diana Jula
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Romania Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Brijesh Raj Phullel
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Nepal Winner, Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Aaviskar Paudyal
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Nepal Winner, Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Pran Traisorat
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Thailand Winner, Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Ana-Maria Rosescu
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Austria Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Ecaterina-Maria Buro
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Austria Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Meer Jain & Kartik Burakia
Grade 5-6
2019-20 India Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Oshadha Perera
Grade 9-12
2019-20 New Zealand Winner, Grade: 9-12 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Sophie Ineson
Grade 7-8
2019-20 New Zealand Winner, Grade: 7-8 Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Prue (Varin) Wongpunler
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Thailand Winner, Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Diya. V.S
Grade 5-6
2019-20 India Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Divyansh Garg
Grade 7-8
2019-20 India Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
R. Akshitha
Grade 5-6
2019-20 India Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Daksh Malhotra
Grade 7-8
2019-20 India Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Sampurnam Sarkar
Grade 7-8
2019-20 India Winner, Grade 7-8 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Anvi Chauhan
Grade 9-12
2019-20 India Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Miranda
Read the Essay
Aditya Bajoria
Grade 9-12
2019-20 India Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Shivank Menon
Grade 9-12
2019-20 India Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Sabrina Silva Cordeiro
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Brazil Winner, Grade 5-6 - Target: Triton
Read the Essay
Mariana Sanglard Furtado e Carvalho
Grade 7-8
2019-20 Brazil Winner, Grade 7-8 - Target: Charon
Read the Essay
Lucas Henrique Gonçalves Ribeiro
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Brazil Winner, Grade 9 - Target: Triton
Read the Essay
João Guilherme de Assis Rossi
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Brazil Winner, Grade 9-12 - Target: Miranda
Read the Essay
João Paulo Santos Malaquias
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Brazil Winner, Grade 9-12 - Target: Charon
Read the Essay
Myllena Roberto Farias
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Brazil Winner, Grade 10 - Target: Triton
Read the Essay
Julian Nakalema
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Uganda Winner, Grade 9-12 - Target: Miranda
Read the Essay
Oscar Ahebwa
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Uganda, 2nd Place, Grade 9-12 - Target: Miranda
Read the Essay
Muhammad Muzzamil
Grade 5-6
2019-20 United Arab Emirates Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Alishba Rahil Butt
Grade 9-12
2019-20 United Arab Emirates Winner - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Ebrahim Ahmed Ansari
Grade 9-12
2019-20 United Arab Emirates Winner, Grade: 9-12 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Sameera Parveen
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Saudi Arabia Winner, Grade 5-6 - Target: Charon
Read the Essay
Ashley Bailey
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Saudi Arabia Winner, Grade 9-12 - Target: Triton
Read the Essay
Mohammed Zahed
Grade 5-6
Read the Essay
Lucas Hayden and Reilly Lohse
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Australia Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Benjamin Robertson
Grade 5-6
2019-20 Australia Winner, Grade 5-6 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Jordan Klos
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Australia Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Charon
Read the Essay
Lachlan Waring
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Australia Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Ishman Rajput
Grade 9-12
2019-20 Canada Winner, Grade 9-12 - Topic: Triton
Read the Essay
Browse all Scientist for a Day Winners ›
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