The National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) has announced that GT-AE junior Joshua Carnes will receive one of its much-coveted 2014 Aeronautics Scholarships.

The Florida native is one of just 20 undergraduates, nationwide, who were chosen for the scholarship, which will provide as much as $40,000 in educational and training assistance over the next two years.

As a part of that assistance, Carnes, 20, will take part in a summer internship at one of NASA's campuses.The GT-AE honors student hopes to land a slot in the Langley, VA facility next summer, but said he was thrilled to have any contact at all

with NASA.

"I've always been fascinated with space and with NASA, having grown up in Florida, where we were able to watch some of the shuttle launches," he said. "This is really an honor."

Now in its seventh year, the NASA Aeronautics Scholarship is designed to assist undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in fields of study related to aeronautics. Scholarship recipients like Carnes will have the opportunity to intern with NASA researchers and work on developing technologies to increase efficiency in air traffic management, reduce aircraft noise, fuel consumption and emissions, and improve air safety.

Carnes said that, while he is personally more interested in studying spacecraft, he is prepared to focus on aeronautics when he interns with NASA.

"I mean it's NASA," he said. "Maybe they'll convince me to change directions."

Currently Carnes is working with Dr. Eric Johnson, studying design optimization for UAVs.

"We are designing a program to optimize part selection so that the vehicle you build will be able to meet all mission requirements, like having a certain amount of thrust or attaining a certain speed," he said.

"Right now, it's a bit of guesswork, sometimes."

Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate in Washington had high praise for Carnes and his fellow aeronautics scholars.

"These students represent the future in aeronautics research. Besides receiving NASA assistance to pay college costs, they will work side-by-side with NASA scientists and engineers to help solve today's most demanding air transportation system problems."