Finding Direction Through Discovery

Keamia Rasa did not arrive at the University of Houston-Clear Lake with a rigid plan for her future.

What she did have was curiosity, a background shaped by high-level athletics, and a growing interest in human performance and space exploration.

Before coming to UHCL, Rasa competed as a Canadian national team sailor, an experience that taught her discipline, resilience, and adaptability long before she stepped into a research environment.

"That ability to not be afraid to make mistakes and be receptive to feedback has made me a better student and a better researcher," she said. "You have to be coachable. You have to be able to adjust and keep moving forward."

After several major life transitions, including time spent working as a trainer and raising a family, Rasa eventually settled in Houston and made the decision to return to school. She chose UHCL partly because of its proximity to the region's growing space industry, though at the time she was still uncertain what direction her academic and professional path might take.

"I knew I wanted to do kinesiology and exercise science," she said. "I just didn't know what that was going to look like when I first came here."

That clarity began to emerge through conversations with faculty in UHCL's exercise and health science program. Rasa quickly found herself drawn not only to the classroom experience, but also to the accessibility of professors and the opportunity to engage more deeply with research.

"I'm always the person asking questions," she said. "I'll sit in the front of the classroom, go to office hours, and keep asking questions because I want to learn more."

Those conversations eventually led her to the university's Health and Human Performance Institute (HHPI), where she became involved in research connected to exercise science and human spaceflight.

Through HHPI, Rasa became involved in exercise-based human performance research connected to astronaut training, including work involving the Orion Flywheel and other NASA initiatives.

For Rasa, the experience opened an entirely new perspective on what kinesiology and exercise science could become.

"The research side of things and the human spaceflight factors here were the piece of the puzzle that clicked for me," she said.

Her involvement in research has included everything from helping develop research questions and submitting Institutional Review Board proposals to collecting data and contributing to manuscript development.

"It's all been fascinating," she said. "Learning how to ask questions, think through problems, and go through the entire research process has been a really formative part of my experience here."

That hands-on experience ultimately influenced her decision to continue her education at UHCL through the university's Master of Business Administration program focused on the commercialization of space.

Initially unsure whether to pursue a traditional science-focused graduate degree or an MBA, Rasa says conversations with faculty mentors helped her recognize the importance of understanding both the human performance and operational sides of the rapidly evolving space industry.

"I didn't know what I didn't know," she said. "Going into the MBA, I realized how enormous this industry really is."

Now working as a graduate assistant through HHPI, Rasa also plays a major role supporting the annual Spaceflight Human Optimization and Performance Summit (SHOP), where students interact directly with astronauts, researchers, and leaders shaping the future of human spaceflight.

Her connection to the conference began several years ago as a volunteer. Today, she helps coordinate UHCL student volunteers and serves as a bridge between students and professionals working throughout the industry.

"Being able to be in the room where those conversations are happening is incredibly valuable," she said. "You never know where those connections will lead."

For Rasa, one of the most meaningful realizations has been understanding that the space industry, despite its global scale and technical complexity, remains deeply human at its core.

"When I first stepped into that environment, it felt intimidating," she said. "But you realize we're all just people. These people just happen to be doing amazing things."

That exposure has strengthened both her confidence and her sense of purpose. While she does not claim to know exactly where her path will lead, she knows she wants to contribute to the future of human spaceflight in some capacity.

"I want to be part of pushing the limits of our capacities as humans," she said. "Whether that's on the human performance side, the business side, or somewhere else entirely, I just want to be part of it."

For students considering UHCL, Rasa believes curiosity and initiative matter just as much as certainty.

"You don't know if you don't ask," she said. "There are so many opportunities happening around you here, but sometimes you have to be willing to ask questions and step into those spaces."

Reflecting on her time at UHCL, Rasa says one of the most unexpected parts of the experience has been the community she found within HHPI itself.

As one of the older graduate assistants in the program, she jokes that many of the students affectionately refer to her as "team mom." But beyond the humor, she says watching younger students discover their own passions and opportunities has become one of the most rewarding parts of her experience.

"They have that curiosity and that drive," she said. "Seeing that excitement and knowing they're right at the start of something really special has been an incredible experience."