University of Maryland (UMD) aerospace engineering Ph.D. student Logan Selph received a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship in support of his work developing advanced machine learning models for 3D image creation.

Selph’s current research, conducted in the Machine Learning for Dynamical Systems Lab under the guidance of Associate Professor John Martin, aims to reconstruct accurate 3D representations from 2D imagery taken from spacecraft: A capability with wide-ranging implications for astrodynamics and space exploration. His goal is to demonstrate that these novel machine learning approaches can surpass conventional methods in both accuracy and efficiency.

“I’m grateful that I have been given this opportunity to pursue my own interests within this fascinating field of research, and I look forward to seeing what I am able to accomplish thanks to this support,” Selph said.

A 2024 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.S. in astrophysics, Selph began his doctoral studies at UMD in fall 2024. Looking ahead, he hopes to continue applying machine learning to challenges in astrodynamics through a career in government or industry.