Mission Viejo native trains to join U.S. Navy submarine force
Ensign Ethan Christus, a native of Mission Viejo, is training to be part of the U.S. Navy’s 125-year tradition of service under the sea.
Christus graduated from Capistrano Valley High School in 2019 and earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Utah in 2023.
He joined the Navy a year and a half ago. Today, Christus is a student at Naval Submarine School in New London, Connecticut, training to serve as a nuclear submarine officer in the submarine force.
After completing the training, Christus will serve aboard or in support of one of the Navy’s three basic types of submarines: fast-attack submarines, ballistic-missile submarines and guided-missile submarines.
“Serving in the Navy is important to me because it is something I’ve worked toward since being in high school,” Christus said.
– Submitted by Rick Burke, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Irvine teen named NASA Moon Team Lead in prestigious internship
Yunji Lee, a student from Arnold O. Beckman High School in Irvine, spent her summer participating in the prestigious STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) internship at the University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Space Research.
Lee and other students worked with scientists and engineers to conduct authentic research from data received from NASA’s Earth-observing satellites as well as designing Mars habitats, lunar exploration and analysis of images from the International Space Station.
As part of the Moon and Moon-2-Mars Habitat and Science Team, Lee was selected as team leader, serving as the first author.
SEES is a collaborative effort of the Center for Space Research and NASA. This nationally competitive program, funded by NASA, selects students who will increase their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math through Earth and space education.
Nearly 3,000 students applied for the coveted 80 on-site internship positions. The chosen students work remotely with their project scientist prior to an on-site internship, complete an Earth and Space Science course, and complete a Python coding course.
During the two weeks the students work at the Center for Space Research, they conduct hands-on activities and field investigations, collaborate with NASA-funded scientists and engineers, and work on various NASA missions.
Chapman University donates 3D printers to Orange Unified
Chapman University donated 20 advanced 3D printers to the Orange Unified School District, a gift that underscores the university’s commitment to supporting innovation and education beyond its campus.
Staff and students from Chapman’s Fowler School of Engineering loaded the printers at the Keck Center for Science and Engineering and delivered them to the OUSD warehouse.
This substantial contribution will empower 10 dedicated teachers across seven diverse Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways and the broader STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) curriculum, providing students with invaluable hands-on experience and preparing them for success in high-demand fields.
“We are deeply grateful to our community partners at Chapman University for their generous donation of 3D printers,” said Dr. Rachel Monarrez, superintendent of schools. “This investment in our scholars will help spark creativity, support real-world problem-solving, and bring innovative learning to life in our classrooms. Together, we are opening doors to future-ready opportunities and showing what’s possible through the power of partnership.”
The university’s contribution reflects its mission to foster creativity, problem-solving and innovation at all levels of education. By placing state-of-the-art tools directly in the hands of K-12 students, Chapman hopes to inspire the next generation of designers, engineers and creators.
– Submitted by Chapman University
The Bravo! section highlights achievements of our residents and groups. Send news of achievements for consideration to ocrbravo@gmail.com.
