At Chapman University’s Fowler School of Engineering, students are encouraged to pursue research with renowned faculty in topics such as machine learning, photonics and, assistive technology. For computer science student, Fares Alhezaimi, his undergraduate research in remote sensing, ecology, and machine learning led him to an opportunity with NASA JPL.
Fares became involved in undergraduate research in 2024 with Associate Professor of Environmental Science at Schmid College of Science and Technology, Dr. Joshua Fisher, and Dr. Gabriel Shirkey, who had just secured the NASA Mentorship and Opportunities in STEM with Academic Institutions for Community Success (MOSAICS) grant. This $300,000 grant supports collaborative research between Chapman University and JPL to “recruit, train, mentor, and retain future generations of Surface Biology and Geology scientists”.
“Our research brings together remote sensing, ecology, and machine learning, with a focus on using field observations and Earth-observation data to better understand plant biodiversity across different spatial scales,” shared Alhezaimi.
Many engineering students at Chapman have utilized undergraduate research to combine their interests in engineering and environmental science. One example is Kyla Monique Cabrera, who utilizes her data science studies to conduct research focused on using satellites to monitor intertidal zones.
Undergraduate Research Leading to New Opportunities
As a Chapman University student majoring in computer science, Alhezaimi believed his education would align more with a career at companies like Google or Uber. It was not until he pursued undergraduate research that it opened his eyes to new career paths.
“Undergraduate research introduced me to an area I did not know I would become so interested in, and it ultimately opened the door to experiences at JPL that I never expected when I started,” said Alhezaimi.
Chapman University encourages students to explore interdisciplinary research to expand their perspectives and advance their skills. Engineering students have conducted undergraduate research that merges artificial intelligence and physical therapy.
Alhezaimi is combining computer science and data science to study the Earth!
“I have worked on building and improving data-processing and machine-learning workflows, evaluating models, validating results, and developing research outputs. I work closely with Dr. Fisher and Dr. Shirkey, and the project has also involved collaboration with other researchers, “shared Alhezaimi.
From Chapman to NASA JPL
It was this undergraduate research that secured Alhezaimi the role of an Earth Science Research Intern at NASA JPL.
“Rather than only talking about what I was capable of doing, I already had research and technical work that demonstrated my experience, interests, and ability to contribute,” shared Alhezaimi about his application for his summer internship.
In addition to his undergraduate research, Alhezaimi’s time in the classroom directly contributed to his responsibilities with NASA JPL, “One of the most beneficial classes was ENV 231: Observing Earth from Above: Using NASA Satellite Data for Real-Time Environmental Monitoring,” shared Alhezaimi. In this course, students learn how to access, analyze, and visualize remote sensing data to answer questions about environmental events.
With this course, and his computer and data science courses, Alhezaimi started his summer internship prepared to take on tasks such as using satellite data and computer science to analyze certain changes on Earth.
“On a typical day, I might be writing code, analyzing data, creating visualizations, reading scientific research, or working with scientists to determine how we could answer a particular research question,” said Alhezaimi.
Alhezaimi’s work with NASA JPL did not end over the summer. This Chapman Engineering student has been invited to continue his work as part of a year-round internship program!
In addition, Alhezaimi will apply his undergraduate research experience to develop a focused research project within his integrated B.S. and MS in Computational and Data Science (CADS) program.
Getting Involved
Pursuing undergraduate research can open new career pathways for Chapman Engineering students. If you are interested in getting involved in research with an engineering faculty, please visit Fowler Engineering’s Undergraduate Research and Opportunities page.
