PENDLETON — Born 10 weeks premature in Eugene, Kristen Gregg has been thriving ever since.

A junior at Montana State University in Bozeman, the 2018 Pendleton High School graduate is majoring in chemistry. Gregg was recently notified that she’s one of 28 students from across the country to be chosen for the 13th annual NASA Student Airborne Science Program (SARP).

Coordinated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the nine-week internship is designed to provide students with hands-on research experience — from detailed planning on how to achieve mission objectives to formal presentation of results and conclusions to peers and others.

Gregg is excited about the opportunity to participate in the program. She said the hands-on research and activities will expose her to different areas of science. The experience, Gregg said, will assist her in making a decision regarding what she ultimately wants to focus on.

PHS science instructor Jess Cooper, Gregg said, was instrumental piquing her interest in science. His teaching style, she said, made it simple to understand and that’s when things really clicked for her.

“I have wanted to be a scientist since I was a kid,” Gregg said. “I took Mr. Cooper’s chemistry class in high school and along the way I developed a deeper passion for science.”

And Gregg isn’t the only one who’s thrilled. The daughter of Mike Gregg and Jenny Barnett of Pendleton, her mother said they are extremely proud and very excited about the opportunity for their daughter.

“Her work effort is paying off,” Barnett said. “I think she will learn a lot about the scientific process and job opportunities for scientists and I hope the experience will help her figure out what she wants to do after college.”

Because of the global pandemic, the NASA Airborne Science Program was held virtually in 2020, and this summer’s session will follow suit. Instead of gathering in person as a group, last year’s students conducted a variety of research on their local environments. Among their activities, they used aerosol sensors to take air samples from their locations to track and study how pandemic closures impacted changing emissions.

Students also formed research groups for different projects, as well as logging in for virtual lectures featuring SARP alumni who shared about their careers and research. Guest presentations also included NASA astronauts.

With an ultimate goal of getting a doctorate degree, Gregg enjoys academia. She is interested in a career as a college professor with a research lab, which she said would be a perfect combination.

“I love teaching and helping people understand, but I also love to learn myself,” she said.

Gregg, who was involved in a variety of music programs while in Pendleton, currently plays in the Montana State University Symphony. In her spare time, she also enjoys outdoor recreation opportunities, including snowboarding.