Arkansas Space Grant Supports Engineering Student with NASA Internship

Spencer Knight, a senior double majoring in electrical and computer engineering and physics at UA Little Rock, spent his summer exploring the future of space exploration as a computer research and development intern at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

Knight, a native of Little Rock and member of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, worked in NASA’s Technology, Innovation, and Research Office (TIRO), where he researched applications for large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT.

His research focused on creating a searchable database of decades-old, scanned files. He also researched technologies that, long term, will give astronauts a way to access knowledge about tools and systems when live communication with Earth isn’t possible, like during missions to Mars.

…

Knight credits Dr. Constance Meadors of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium for helping him get this internship as well as his mentors inTIRO, Dr. Schmalzel and Dr. Krell, for helping him seize the opportunity to learn so much over the summer. Working at NASA was the fulfillment of a childhood dream for Knight.

Read the full article on ualr.edu

Author Credit: UA Little Rock

Image Credit: UA Little Rock

Original Post Date: 10.24.25