Rishika Porandla

I am in the Class of 2028 at Princeton University studying Astrophysical Sciences, with intended minors in Engineering Physics and Materials Science & Engineering. I am a Research Assistant on NASA’s SunRISE mission and serving as Principal Investigator of LUNA-CAST, the winning NASA L’SPACE proposal awarded $10,000 in seed funding for a 12-month implementation at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

At the Princeton University Space Physics Laboratory, I evaluated the composition and detection efficiency of entrance foils for electrostatic analyzers used in NASA space plasma instruments. At the Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), I work with the MRX/FLARE group on the redesign of an Electron Energy Analyzer (EEA) for the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX). 

My research was recognized with two American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics Outstanding Student Presentation Awards (2025, 2026). 

Beyond laboratory research, I have also worked at NASA Headquarters in the Planetary Science Division to examine PI career pathways and mission outcomes.

I am passionate about science policy and advocacy. I currently serve as a Research Translation Platform Policy Implementation Intern with the Penn State Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative (EIC), where I support efforts to strengthen the translation of research evidence into policymaking. I also act as Princeton's Student Ambassador to the American Physical Society and am an organizing member of the Scientist Network for Advancing Policy (SNAP), state lead for the Stance on Science congressional initiative, and Local Science Partner and SPA Student Board Member for the American Geophysical Union. 

Looking ahead, I have a long-term goal of contributing to space missions, pursuing my interest in space plasma instrumentation research.