At JPL, he developed new Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) technologies for next generation planetary landing missions, formation flying and the exploration of comets and asteroids. He was also a member of the Mars Science Laboratory's EDL (Entry, Descent and Landing) GN&C team, where he was responsible for developing the algorithms for the fly away maneuver of the MSL sky crane.

His research interests include onboard GN&C of complex autonomous systems, with the objective to develop GN&C methods that operate autonomous systems in highly dynamic uncertain environments.

Acikmese received his doctorate from Purdue University's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics and his master's degree from Purdue's School of Mechanical Engineering. He received his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey.

What attracted you to The University of Texas at Austin?
The academic quality and the reputation of the school and Austin make it a very attractive place to live.

What are your impressions of Austin so far?
I am satisfied in terms of what I expected.

What are your favorite hobbies outside of work?
Playing sports (basketball and volleyball), cinema, fine dining and music.

Bakolas received his doctorate and master's degree in aerospace engineering from Georgia Tech. He also received a diploma in mechanical engineering from the National Technical University of Athens.

What attracted you to The University of Texas at Austin?
The University of Texas at Austin is a world-renowned institution with a long-established tradition in research and education. I was very impressed by the fact that several faculty members in my department are members of the National Academy of Engineering and several others hold prestigious teaching awards. This fact reflects the commitment of the university to promote the highest standards of scholarship, advance the knowledge in science and engineering through leading-edge research, and support the education of future scientists and engineers. Undoubtedly, this is an excellent place to develop my career.

What are your impressions of Austin so far?
Up to now, I have only spent a limited amount of time in Austin, but my first impressions are that it is a very friendly and vibrant city. I am looking forward to exploring it more.

What are your favorite hobbies outside of work?
I like traveling, trying new restaurants, spending time outdoors, watching movies and reading.