She is currently enrolled in a PhD program at the University of Michigan in aerospace engineering, where she is researching morphing aircraft. During her undergraduate years at MIT, Piper participated in the Global Teaching Lab program and taught in Russia and Kazakhstan. (Learn about her experiences in this video).

Piper has recently won a fellowship for an immersive Russian language summer study program in Moscow through the American Councils. Piper will also be volunteering at the Space Museum in Moscow, assisting them with translating documents and exhibit descriptions. She will be sharing her adventures at kosmosgirlabroad.travel.blog, with her first post now live.