Space-Grown Success: Jacob Pepperseed Torres' Mission to Transform K-12 Education Through Space Agriculture

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, GlobalMindED highlights Hispanic leaders, role models, and those who are committed to advancing Hispanic heritage, people, and culture.

Jacob Torres is an engineer and plant scientist who worked with the NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration plant science team at Kennedy Space Center from 2018-2023. Contributing to at least 17 space biology experiments in several environments, he was the native New Mexican who contributed to Plant Habitat (PH)-04 which grew the first fruit on orbit in 2021, the New Mexico Chile pepper. Adhering to the NASA core mission of using the research to educate, Jacob led the formation of The Space Chile Grow a Pepper Plant Challenge in 2020 which enabled student participation in the growth trial process for PH-04. Funded by NASA KSC Innovation Without Boundaries through 2022, Jacob Pepperseed mails seeds to student space farmers and teaches directly from the NASA plant lab. Today, The Moon Chile Challenge teaches through the example of NASA space biology by establishing space pepper growth trials in K-12 schools. Educating about controlled environment agriculture, technology, and experimentation, students grow data to create a horticultural database of potential crop candidates to grow on the moon.

Jacob has begun working towards a PhD at The University of New Mexico in the Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering Department starting Summer 2024.

What key moments in your life led you to where you are today?

The defining moments in my life were the hardships I faced, including the loss of friends to violence and the struggle to transcend the limitations of my upbringing. Rather than giving up, I persevered and worked diligently to improve my circumstances.

Where does your passion to serve come from?

My best friend was tragically gunned down at his workplace in Espa?ola, New Mexico. Unfortunately, the loss of friends to violence is a common occurrence in my Northern New Mexico community. Hardship is prevalent here, and resources for basic necessities, let alone creating memorable experiences and improving lives, are scarce.

Determined to use my influence and experience to inspire my community, I left my NASA job to volunteer as Jacob Pepperseed in local schools. With New Mexico ranking 50th in K-12 education and northern New Mexico being particularly underserved, I'm passionate about showing these young people that one of their own achieved great things by working at NASA.

How can?GlobalMindED?help you reach your goals?

I connected really well with the students in Denver after my panel at GlobalMindED . Being closer in age to them, I could easily answer their questions about how a minority student like us can find a mentor or secure funding. My journey towards growing plants on the moon through student-led research projects perfectly aligned with GlobalMindED's mission and the students there. Thank you so much, GlobalMindED! Want to help Jacob on his quest? Get your seeds today! Email: [email protected]

"Restoring a historical building in Espa?ola, New Mexico. Working within the community is part of my core mission. Originally my grandfathers bar established in 1941, I am working towards making this the headquarters for my community outreach nonprofit called The Moon Chile Challenge."

Jacob Pepperseed Torres is inspiring students and teachers in underrepresented communities to achieve greatness. Using the NASA Space Pepper mission and future lunar missions as inspiration, he introduces K-12 students to the exciting world of STEAM.

Jacob Pepperseed, on campus at the University of New Mexico, preparing to address the Rooted in Community 2024 conference.

Jacob Pepperseed travels to the most remote schools to introduce underprivileged and underrepresented students to science and space biology. The Moon Chile Challenge engages K-12 students in research by inspiring them to grow fresh food on the moon for astronauts to consume. He recently visited Anton Chico Elementary in Anton Chico, New Mexico.

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