• Patti Grace Smith Fellow, Class of 2026

• Penn State University, Mechanical Engineering, ‘27

• Host Institution: Blue Origin

Allen is a third-year student, McNair Scholar, and Millennium Scholar at Penn State studying mechanical engineering, with a passion for space exploration. He plans to pursue a PhD in aerospace engineering, focusing on developing guidance and control algorithms that leverage machine learning to enable repeated spacecraft landings on other planets. He has completed two summer research experiences: the first at Cornell University in electric propulsion and spacecraft dynamics, and the second at the University of Central Florida in spacecraft atmospheric reentry Guidance, Navigation, and Control systems. At Penn State, Allen is actively involved in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the Millennium Scholars Program, while conducting research on helicopter landing gear dynamics. Through the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship, Allen aims to further develop his technical skills in the aerospace industry through his internship with Blue Origin, while giving back to his community by sharing STEM and aerospace knowledge.