PhD Student rejects NASA Internship: Why Daniela Lucas did it

A California student of bioengineering has made waves on social media after rejecting an internship offer at NASA. The student cited the requirement for a political shift in the current administration. The move has attracted widespread commentary on social media platforms.

Daniela Lucas, age 26, and PhD student at University of California San Diego, recorded and shared on TikTok. In the clip, she refuses to accept NASA's Human Health and Performance internship offer. The words written alongside in the clip, as noted, indicate she spent years gaining this offer. Lucas wrote in her caption it was difficult rejecting the offer for reasons under the current administration.

The video collected thousands of views. Social media users posted mixed remarks. Some mocked her decision. Others praised her for standing by her beliefs. One user said NASA avoided a crisis. Another said her decision was wise. Some users said political leaders can learn from her commitment.

Lucas migrated from Venezuela in 2015. She comes from a family of a doctor. She got a full scholarship to study at Miami Dade College. She is currently pursuing a PhD in bioengineering at UC San Diego.

NASA's internship program is considered one of the most respected programs in any discipline. It surpasses internships at Google, Apple, SpaceX and the CIA. Many interns build long-term careers at NASA. Some have even turned into astronauts or researchers.

NASA was funded by President Donald Trump while he was in office. The funding increased to over $22 billion. Plans included returning man to the moon and later to Mars. Lucas' internship was related to that mission.

But recent reports show budget reductions on the books. NASA's budget will decrease by 20% in 2026. Research departments would suffer under the reduction. The Trump administration is also urging the defunding of diversity programs in government agencies, including NASA. Biden has added to those efforts before, investing in them with $20 million.