Iona University Graduate Student Plans to Conduct “Out of this World” Research on Projects Funded by NASA
Laura Bauer ’23MA will explore the intricacies of spaceflight multiteam systems for the mission to Mars as she pursues her doctorate degree
Iona University graduate student Laura Bauer ’23MA is set to embark on her next adventure at Michigan State University, where she will pursue her Ph.D. in organizational psychology and fulfill her dreams of working alongside astronauts.
While pursuing her doctorate degree, she will be working closely on research projects funded by NASA and the Army Research Institute. In fact, the laboratory team is currently researching the nuances of spaceflight multiteam systems for the mission to Mars!
Eager to turn her dreams into reality, Bauer said her experiences at Iona helped to make her vision for the future clear.
“My mom received her degree from Iona, so I thought it was very fitting to follow in her footsteps,” she said, reflecting on her decision to attend Iona. “As a student here, I was able to work with amazing faculty who helped shaped my ideas into concrete actions and support me along the way. It was the best experience I could have asked for. My mentors at Iona are the reason I was able to get into a Ph.D. program and I’m so thankful that I had their support.”
Read more about Laura’s plans for the future here
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona is widely recognized in prestigious rankings, including The Princeton Review’s 2024 national list of “The Best 389 Colleges” and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s “2024 Best Colleges in America,” which ranked Iona at #66 in the nation overall and #8 in the nation among Catholic schools. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just six percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2023.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian. Connecting to its Irish heritage, the University also recently announced it is expanding abroad with a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.