When Ryan Stapf earned a geology degree in Oklahoma, he never imagined he鈥檇 find himself completing a software engineering internship at Kennedy Space Center just a few years later. After his initial career plans took an unexpected turn, Stapf decided to pivot by enrolling in , setting the stage for pursuing a Master of Science in Computer Science.
One year into the master鈥檚 program, Stapf secured a summer internship as a software engineer at Kennedy Space Center with NASA contractor Jacobs Space Operations Group. In his role at the Launch Control Center, he contributed to the Artemis campaign, paving the way for lunar exploration and future human missions to Mars.
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
Stapf began his academic journey at the University of Tulsa, earning a bachelor鈥檚 in geology with a minor in petroleum engineering. After graduation, he landed a position as a wellsite geologist in the oil and gas industry but was unfortunately laid off due to COVID-19 lockdowns. With no indication of when his job would return, this forced him to make a career change.
After exploring a few geotechnical and environmental engineering roles, Stapf chose to change course into the growing computer science field. He knew he wanted to complete USF鈥檚 Master of Science in Computer Science, but coming from a geology background, he needed a way to bridge his transition into the program.
That鈥檚 when he discovered USF鈥檚 fully , which provided the exact foundation he needed and could be completed in as little as two semesters.
鈥淚t offered all the computing expertise I鈥檇 need to enter the MSCS program without retaking an entire bachelor鈥檚 degree,鈥� Stapf said.
CHANGING TRAJECTORY
Though Stapf had taken a few coding classes in college and through online learning platforms, the PTC program offered him a unique opportunity to dive deeper into the computer science fundamentals essential for graduate studies.
The certificate program proved to be an invaluable experience, with comprehensive, engaging courses to build his skillset and supportive faculty to guide him along the way.
鈥淧rofessor Hendrix鈥檚 Algorithm Essentials class was the most challenging for me, but the rigor prepared me for the master鈥檚 level algorithms course,鈥� Stapf said.
In addition to algorithms, he also gained expertise in discrete structures, computer systems, networks, and other computing topics critical to success in the M.S. in Computer Science program.
鈥淭he study habits and discipline that I adopted throughout the PTC program have served me well throughout the master鈥檚 program,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he PTC program was very fast paced, so time management, good study habits, and self-discipline were essential.鈥�
LEARNING THE ROPES
The Artemis mission was designed to lay the groundwork for human deep space exploration, showcasing NASA鈥檚 dedication to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. It serves as a platform for scientific discovery, technological innovation, and developing the skills needed for human missions to Mars.
As a part of the Record and Playback System department in the Launch Control Center at NASA, Stapf鈥檚 team was responsible for recording data from the Artemis launch vehicle and displaying it in the firing rooms.
鈥淢y role was to develop an application with a graphical user interface that converts data into a new file format for the firing rooms to read,鈥� Stapf said.
The knowledge he gained in the PTC program was crucial to his success in his internship 鈥� particularly the courses in Object-Oriented Programming Essentials, Data Structures Essentials, C Programming Essentials, and Network Essentials.
鈥淭he data structures I learned were critical when reading the data and writing to the corresponding files,鈥� he said. 鈥淯nderstanding network essentials was also valuable because I could better visualize how the telemetry data is transmitted from the rocket to the recorders while in flight.鈥�
THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT
With his master鈥檚 degree on the horizon, Stapf has big dreams for his career. After graduation, he plans to work in the aerospace industry for a NASA contractor or a private space startup.
He encourages prospective students to take advantage of the abundant opportunities available in the and M.S. in Computer Science programs.
鈥淏uild as many connections as you can because you never know who might be able to offer you a great career,鈥� Stapf said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 be discouraged if you flunk an exam or get rejected from a dream job. Just learn from your mistakes and keep going.鈥�