Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Premium
Home / Northern Advocate

Working at Nasa dream come true for Northlander Hammond Pearce

Mike Dinsdale
By Mike Dinsdale
Editor. Northland Age·Northern Advocate·
18 May, 2019 06:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Nasa intern Hammond Pearce, from Kerikeri, was one of four Nasa interns at an event held at the Beehive. They were chosen out of a pool of 200 applicants. Photo / Ola Thorsen, US Embassy

Nasa intern Hammond Pearce, from Kerikeri, was one of four Nasa interns at an event held at the Beehive. They were chosen out of a pool of 200 applicants. Photo / Ola Thorsen, US Embassy

As a young lad growing up in Kerikeri Hammond Pearce was just like many of his peers and dreamed about one day going into space.

He didn't think that was possible as you had to be a United States citizen to go into space on a US rocket.

But now Pearce is getting the next best thing after being accepted as one of four Kiwis to go on a 10-week Nasa International Internship Programme after being awarded New Zealand Space Scholarships.

Pearce is the only Northlander in the four and is completing his PhD in computer systems engineering at the University of Auckland. His research focuses on safety-critical computer controlled mechanical systems. At Nasa Hammond will be working on a new type of neural network for controlling robotics.

Hammond Pearce with US ambassador to New Zealand, Scott Brown after Hammond was named one of four Nasa interns. Photo / Ola Thorsen, US Embassy
Hammond Pearce with US ambassador to New Zealand, Scott Brown after Hammond was named one of four Nasa interns. Photo / Ola Thorsen, US Embassy
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He said he almost stumbled across the internships by accident and knew of several other people from the university who had applied that he felt had great chances of getting in.

Pearce said growing up in Kerikeri, like many young boys, he dreamed of going into space with Nasa, but felt that would be beyond him as he was not a US citizen.

''It sort of steered me into technology and science, so I'd say that was a starting point, using science and technology. Then I heard an email was going around (Auckland University) calling for people to apply (for the internships). Somebody forwarded it to me and a colleague said I should apply,'' Pearce said.

''I though 'oh yeah', and thought it was a bit of a moonshot call if I got in, so I was surprised, but very honoured when I did.''

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He felt what set him apart was that he has done a fair amount of public speaking and drama and he had been told he interviewed well.

''It's not just about working at Nasa but also being able to relate the experience and they want you to be a bit of an ambassador too and I'm more than happy to stand up in front of crowds and do some public speaking. That may have helped.''

Discover more

MP challenges Northlanders to take leap of faith

19 May 10:00 PM

Cultures come together for International Day of Families in Whangārei

20 May 12:30 AM

News briefs from across Northland

19 May 05:00 PM

Boys thrive on Blue Light discipline

21 May 11:45 PM
Former Kerikeri man Hammond Pearce at Auckland University ahead of his 10-week internship at Nasa.
Former Kerikeri man Hammond Pearce at Auckland University ahead of his 10-week internship at Nasa.

He leaves on June 1 for the 10-week internship and is delighted it's for such a long time.

''I've done other internships of a few weeks and really 10 weeks is a good long time to really make a difference and get achieve something that will help in space,'' Pearce said.

"I'm really looking forward to it.''

And now he's going to work with Nasa for 10 weeks he's still hoping that one day he might get into space too.

The New Zealand Space Scholarships cover specified costs relating to the internship at Nasa, including return economy airfares to United States; Nasa administration fee; accommodation; stipend (to cover food, travel and other related expenses); visa-related fees; medical and travel insurance.

The other three who received the award at a ceremony in the Beehive were selected from a pool of over 200 applicants, Rosemary Swears (University of Waikato), Steven McCabe (University of Waikato), and Andrew Alder (University of Boulder, Colorado, previously University of Auckland).

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The standard of applications demonstrates the high quality of New Zealand's tertiary education and the way we prepare students to achieve at the highest level in science, technology, engineering and mathematics," Economic Development Minister David Parker said.

"The primary goals of the New Zealand Space Scholarship are to support our high-achieving students in space-related activities, build capability in New Zealand's space economy and strengthen our connection to the global space network."

The internships will see students based at the Nasa Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley.

New Zealand Space Scholarship recipients are able to participate in Nasa's International Internships Programme as a result of a contractual agreement between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Nasa. Candidates were selected by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and then secondly by Nasa from a broader pool of international applicants.

More information on the 2019 NZ Space Scholarship recipients and the scholarships are at the New Zealand Space Agency's website www.mbie.govt.nz/space.

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

'Surreal intelligence': Orcas seen sharing prey with humans

Northern Advocate

Teen nails turning backyard studio into a thriving business

Northern Advocate

'End my suffering': Mum's grief after toddler's fall from moving ute


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

'Surreal intelligence': Orcas seen sharing prey with humans
Northern Advocate

'Surreal intelligence': Orcas seen sharing prey with humans

The study highlights orcas’ potential to form bonds with other species.

16 Jul 01:00 AM
Teen nails turning backyard studio into a thriving business
Northern Advocate

Teen nails turning backyard studio into a thriving business

15 Jul 11:00 PM
'End my suffering': Mum's grief after toddler's fall from moving ute
Northern Advocate

'End my suffering': Mum's grief after toddler's fall from moving ute

15 Jul 05:00 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP