Congratulations to the newest A&A ARCS Scholar, current PhD student, Samuel Buckner. ARCS Foundation is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization aiming to boost American leadership as well as aid in the advancement of science and technologies. It provides unrestricted funding to the country's brightest undergraduate and graduate students in order to create new technologies and increase knowledge on new ideas and innovations.

Samuel received a Bachelor of Science in aerospace from the University of Florida. During this time, he had internships with NASA, the Johnson Space Center and Langley Research Center. Throughout his graduate program here at in A&A, he completed two graduate internships for Blue Origin, where he assisted in system autonomy efforts for the New Glenn reusable launch vehicle. Throughout his schooling, Samuel has shown his passion for the advancement of research in areas involving the long-term habitation and infrastructure, in both space and other planetary bodies.

Outside of work and schooling, Samuel still makes time for his hobbies. He especially enjoys spending time outdoors camping, hiking, and kayaking. We cannot wait to see what innovations and advancements he will make in this field throughout his future career and within his fellowship experience.