Valparaiso University Alumni Help Pave the Way for Human Space Travel

Nicholas Skytland ’02 and David Baumann ’97, two mechanical engineering alumni from Valparaiso University, currently serve as the chief technologist and director of business development and the director of Nasa’s Human Research Program respectively. The two are currently working at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and both look back at their time at Valpo as integral to their success. 

“I love Valpo so much,” Skytland said. “I think the things that make Valpo so unique are the decisions made around the campus — the walking campus, the fact that there’s a Chapel break throughout the day — that make the University stand out above the rest. I hope that students and prospective students recognize the uniqueness that Valpo has in a sea of uniformity everywhere else.”

Skytland, who came from a family of race car drivers, knew he wanted to either build race cars or work at NASA. He attended Valparaiso University to pursue a degree in engineering while participating in track and field and cross country. During his time at Valpo, he joined NASA’s Cooperative Education Program. After graduating on December 20, 2002, he started his first day as an employee on January 6, 2003.

Skytland now creates opportunities for engineering students, including those from Valpo, and the Valpo students he has mentored have made a lasting impression. “I’ve had a lot of interns from all the Universities you can think of. Valpo students, every time, stand out,” Skytland says. “It’s not because I’m biased (though of course I am), but I’ve had other people around the office that aren’t Valpo grads tell me those students are really good. You can see the quality.”

Baumann also began working at NASA immediately after graduation and, like Skytland, took full advantage of the opportunities at Valpo. In addition to his degree, he was actively involved in musical theater, including the inaugural performance at the then-brand-new Valparaiso University Center for the Arts, “A Chorus Line.” He was also in Christ College — The Honors College — and served on the Union Board. 

“That was the nice thing about Valpo: You could do pretty much anything you wanted there,” Baumann said. “The humanities work in Christ College gave me a well-rounded background. The Union Board opportunities gave me my first taste of leadership and what that meant, which has come in handy while working in the federal government leading smaller and larger teams.” 

Since joining NASA, Baumann has contributed to numerous projects, including NASA’s Human Landing System, which will be the vehicle that provides transportation for astronauts to the lunar surface. In 2023, he was awarded NASA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Medal.

“That was nice recognition. As part of the LGBT community, it’s really good to know that my work has made the place more inclusive for everyone to come work at NASA,” Baumann said. 

For both Skyland and Baumann, the primary challenges they aim to address involve sustaining human life in the harsh conditions of the Moon, Mars and beyond. 

“The Human Research Program’s mission is to reduce risks to human health and performance on exploration missions,” Baumann says. “This involves understanding how the human body changes in space, understanding the roles physiology and psychology play in human performance, understanding the challenges in these remote environments, and finding solutions for them. 

According to Skytland, that means a sustainable, closed-loop life support system that allows for more than just a one-time trip.

“We don’t want to just go to the Moon, leave a footprint, plant a flag and come home, then not do it again for 50 years,” he said. “We want to go there to stay this time.” 

For students who see themselves taking a similar career path, Skytland and Baumann have this advice:

“Don’t feel like you have to follow the script of someone before you,” Skytland said. “Your four years at university are some of the best years of your life. Go outside of your discipline. Think about where it intersects with other disciplines, and the overlap of that beautiful Venn diagram is something that very few people are doing. Explore that area.”

“Also, be well-rounded,” Baumann says. “Not everyone here is a full-time engineer. There are doctors, lawyers, procurement specialists—you name it, we have it at NASA.”

Learn more about how Valparaiso University student-researchers are making an impact on the field of space Learn more about how Valparaiso University student-researchers are making an impact on the field of space exploration here. To learn about the Valpo satellite team and their project with NearSpace Education, click here.