Grad Student in Aikens’ Lab, Zach Bordner Awarded the WY NASA Space Grant Fellowship
School of Computing
Published February 05, 2026
6 Minute Read
CONGRATULATIONS! ZACH BORDNER
Congratulations to SoC Aiken’s Lab graduate student, Zach Bordner, on being awarded a 2026–2027 Wyoming NASA Space Grant Graduate Research Fellowship—a remarkable achievement in an exceptionally competitive year. With an acceptance rate of just ~20%, this honor reflects the strength, originality, and significance of his proposed research.
His project, “A Journey into the Unknown: Merging Artificial Intelligence, Remote Sensing, and Animal Tracking Technology to Determine the Role of Natal Habitat Preferences in Early-Life Movement Decisions of Golden Eagles,” stood out among a field of outstanding submissions. By integrating AI, remote sensing, and wildlife tracking, this work exemplifies the kind of interdisciplinary, forward-looking research that advances both scientific understanding and real-world impact.
We are proud to see his work recognized at the national level and grateful to NASA Space Grant for supporting innovative, high-impact graduate research. This fellowship is a testament to his curiosity, technical skill, and commitment to tackling complex questions at the intersection of computing, ecology, and Earth systems science.
