---
title: An Out-of-This-World Mentor
date: 2024-02-05T05:30:00-05:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/an-out-of-this-world-mentor"
section: Articles
---
# An Out-of-This-World Mentor

*February 5, 2024* — by [Maggie Haslam](/author/maggie-haslam)


> Adviser for Decades of Space, Robot Competitions Isn’t Powering Down

*MT David Akin 1920x1080 — From Mars habitats to moon rovers, Professor David Akin (below) has provided his students the tools, guidance and opportunity to conceive space-exploring technology, and launch careers with the likes of NASA and JPL. Above, Shane Jacobs Ph.D. ’09 tests the MX-2 pressure suit in 2005.*

When engineering students sought an adviser to help them enter an international robotic sub showdown, aerospace engineering Professor David Akin had what it took to blow the competition out of the water: enthusiasm, expertise and a 367,000-gallon tank.


*David Akin portrait*


*student tests rover in desert — Justin Brannan ’12, M.S. ’14 helps test the student-built RAVEN astronaut support rover as part of NASA’s Desert RATS tests in the Arizona desert in 2010.*




**Topics:** [Campus & Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community)


**Tags:** [Academic Competitions](https://today.umd.edu/topic/academic-competitions), [Aerospace Engineering](https://today.umd.edu/topic/aerospace-engineering), [Robotics](https://today.umd.edu/topic/robotics), [Student Experience](https://today.umd.edu/topic/student-experience)


**Units:** [A. James Clark School of Engineering](https://today.umd.edu/topic/james-clark-school-engineering)