CSM Artemis Prime team: Shaila Lewis (She/Her/Hers), Malia Smith (She/Her/Hers), Tori Dryaba (She/Her/Hers), and Sean Fay (He/Him/His)
A team of College of San Mateo students is preparing to take its work to a national stage this July after qualifying for the final round of the 2026 NASA ORBIT Challenge.
The CSM Physics Club team, competing as Artemis Prime, will travel to Houston, Texas, to participate in the NASA ORBIT Pitch Showcase at Space Center Houston from July 15–17. The team includes Tori Dryaba, Malia Smith, Shaila Lewis, Sean Fay, and Gabriel Valles, with support from Professor of Physics David Locke. Four students — Dryaba, Smith, Lewis, and Fay — will attend the Phase 3 showcase in Houston with Locke, while Valles contributed to the team’s work but will not attend the in-person event.
NASA ORBIT, which stands for Opportunities in Research, Business, Innovation, and Technology for the Workforce, is a multi-phase student challenge designed to support the next generation of innovators, engineers, entrepreneurs, and researchers. Finalist teams receive mentorship, participate in professional development opportunities, and present their projects at an in-person showcase. NASA describes the challenge as a program focused on inspiring student innovation and creating pathways into STEM and entrepreneurship.
The competition brings together student teams from Minority-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and community colleges across the country. For CSM, which is both a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), the opportunity aligns closely with the college’s commitment to expanding access to STEM education, research experiences, and career pathways for a diverse student body.
At the Pitch Showcase, finalist teams will present their projects to judges, participate in poster sessions, meet with NASA and industry professionals, and take part in mentorship and networking activities.
For CSM, the team’s selection highlights the strength of the college’s STEM programs and the opportunities students have to apply classroom learning to real-world challenges.
“I am so very proud of the students choosing a project and continually working to develop it,” said Professor of Physics David Locke. “From the start, this project has been driven by the students’ desire to make meaningful connections and contributions.”
As the team prepared for the final round, Locke said he has been especially impressed by the students’ curiosity, persistence, and enthusiasm for science.
“It has been so great to see their curiosity and enthusiasm for science help push themselves to advance to the final round of the competition,” Locke said. “Reaching the final round of the NASA ORBIT competition is a meaningful achievement that will stay with the students as they continue their education at CSM and transfer institutions.”
Just as important, Locke said, is the experience students are gaining through the process.
“The biggest takeaway for the students is the experience they have gained from researching their project, working as part of a team, practicing critical thinking, and continually refining their ideas,” Locke said. “This is the kind of opportunity that lets students see how far their skills and innovative ideas can take them.”
The competition also reflects the collaborative learning environment fostered by CSM’s Math and Science Division, where students are encouraged to explore complex problems, build technical skills, and see themselves as contributors to the future of science and technology.
“This is an exciting moment for our students and for the Math and Science Division,” said Christopher Walker, Dean of Math and Science. “Opportunities like NASA ORBIT give students a chance to apply what they are learning in the classroom to real-world challenges, while also building confidence as researchers, presenters, and future STEM professionals. We are proud to see CSM students representing the college on this national stage.”
For the students, advancing to the final round offers more than a chance to compete. It is an opportunity to present their ideas in a professional setting, connect with experts in aerospace and innovation, and represent CSM on a national platform.
“Being selected as a finalist is exciting because it shows that the work we’ve been doing as a team has real potential,” said Tori Dryaba, a member of CSM’s Artemis Prime team. “We’ve learned a lot through the process, not just about the technical side of the project, but about how to communicate our ideas clearly and work together under pressure. We’re grateful for the support from CSM and excited to represent the college in Houston.”
The NASA ORBIT Pitch Showcase will include formal presentations, poster sessions, judge Q&A, mentorship activities, special guest presentations, and an awards ceremony. Phase 3 awards will recognize student teams for innovation, technical excellence, mission alignment, entrepreneurship, and overall project impact.
As the Artemis Prime team prepares for Houston, CSM celebrates their achievement and the faculty support that helped make this opportunity possible. CSM wishes Artemis Prime the best as they represent the College at the 2026 NASA ORBIT Pitch Showcase this July. The competition will be livestreamed at https://nasaorbit.org/orbit-space/.
