NASA Space Apps Yonkers Appoints Alvaro Lazaro Aguilar as Mentor in 2026
Alvaro Lazaro Aguilar is an engineer, inventor, and roboticist specializing in aerospace, robotics, AI, drones, and embedded systems. His work explores innovative technologies that connect engineering, automation, and human-centered solutions.
- (1888PressRelease) September 28, 2026 - YONKERS, N.Y. - Presented by All Knight Access in partnership with YWCA Yonkers, Shefik presents Invocation, Yonkers Public Schools, Yonkers Voice, Harlem Film House, and other notable stakeholders, NASA Space Apps Yonkers (https://spaceappsyonkers.org) invites innovators of all ages to register for the NASA Space Apps Challenge (https://www.spaceappschallenge.org/2026/local-events/yonkers/), taking place November 14-15, 2026. The 2026 theme is "The Next Frontier", and participants from Yonkers, New York, and surrounding areas throughout Westchester County will work alongside a vibrant community of scientists, technologists, and storytellers while competing with teams at hundreds of events worldwide.
Over two days, participants will use open data from NASA and its 17 Space Agency Partners to address the most pressing challenges scientists face in Earth and space exploration. In 2025, 114,000+ registered participants joined the NASA Space Apps Challenge from 551 Local Events worldwide. This year's Space Agency Partners include Angola National Space Programme; Bahrain Space Agency; Brazilian Space Agency; CSA (Canadian Space Agency); ESA (European Space Agency); ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation); Italian Space Agency; JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency); KASA (Korea AeroSpace Administration); Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre of the United Arab Emirates; National Space Activities Commission of Argentina; Nigeria National Space Research and Development Agency; Paraguayan Space Agency; Senegalese Space Studies Agency; Spanish Space Agency; Turkish Space Agency; and the UK Space Agency. For 2026, NASA Space Apps Yonkers appoints Alvaro Lazaro Aguilar as Mentor.
Alvaro is an engineer, inventor, roboticist, and technology innovator specializing in robotics, embedded systems, drones, and emerging artificial intelligence technologies. Originally from Cali, Colombia, Alvaro studied engineering at the University of South Florida, where he became deeply involved in aerospace, robotics, and brain-computer interface projects.
As an inventor, Alvaro has developed and contributed to a diverse range of technology projects spanning hardware, software, robotics, artificial intelligence, and immersive technologies. His work includes a 16-bit ASIC multiplier, a biometric dorm-room access system, an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot platform, and a virtual-reality tracking system combining ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging, inertial measurement units, and probabilistic sensor fusion. His approach to invention centers on combining emerging technologies to create practical solutions to complex technical challenges. Alvaro served as Chief of Engineering for the Society of Aeronautics and Rocketry (SOAR), contributing to advanced aerospace and robotics projects. His engineering work has included the development of drones, telemetry systems, digital twins, embedded hardware, and autonomous systems. He has also contributed to research involving virtual reality technologies for immersive training and participated in NASA-related student engineering initiatives.
Emmy® Award winner and technology maven Sir Shefik Macauley (https://shefik.info) serves as Managing Director and Local Lead of NASA Space Apps Yonkers, bringing the NASA Space Apps Challenge to the Yonkers, New York community and surrounding areas for its second consecutive year. The event will be held in-person on November 14-15, 2026, at YWCA Yonkers, located at 87 South Broadway, Yonkers, New York 10701, United States. Free registration is required and available for both in-person and virtual activities. Activities start each day at 9 a.m. ET. To significantly enhance accessibility and reach, there is also an option for participants to join virtually from anywhere in the world. All participants of NASA Space Apps Yonkers - both in-person and virtual - will receive a Certificate of Participation. Following the historic inaugural NASA Space Apps Yonkers event in 2025 - the first time Yonkers served as a host city for the NASA Space Apps Challenge - the 2026 edition continues the city's growing role in the global NASA Space Apps community. As part of the world's largest annual global hackathon, this year's theme challenges participants to develop innovative solutions that benefit humanity while contributing to the science and technology advancing exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
NASA Space Apps Challenge is a global, community-driven innovation and public engagement program of NASA. The program connects participants through hundreds of Local Events while encouraging collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and the practical application of open science and open data. Submitted projects are evaluated by subject-matter experts, with outstanding projects becoming eligible for NASA Space Apps Global Awards. For NASA Space Apps Yonkers, Shefik is continuing to build a substantial network of participants, collaborators, educators, technologists, community organizations, and supporters through his company All Knight Access. The objective is to expand access to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education, while creating an environment in which individuals with different levels of experience can contribute meaningfully to a common challenge. STEAM integrates arts, design, creativity, and humanities with the traditional STEM disciplines, encouraging hands-on learning, creative thinking, and innovative approaches to real-world problems.
The Yonkers event is designed to emphasize that participation in NASA Space Apps does not require a particular academic or professional background. A participant may contribute through programming, science, engineering, design, project management, research, communication, storytelling, business strategy, or simply a willingness to learn and collaborate. NASA specifically describes the Challenge as open to all ages, skill levels, and professional backgrounds. In 2026, NASA Space Apps Challenge will again connect local participants in Yonkers and surrounding areas with a worldwide community. Teams can work on challenges alongside participants from other cities, countries, and territories, demonstrating how locally organized events can contribute to a genuinely global innovation ecosystem. Over the history of the NASA Space Apps Challenge, cumulative statistics show more than 487,000 registrations and more than 3,400 Local Events, with participation spanning more than 190 countries and territories and collaboration with 17 Space Agency Partners. The 2026 event represents an emerging annual platform for STEAM, technological innovation, community engagement, global collaboration, and exploration in Yonkers. Whether an experienced developer, an aspiring scientist, a student, an educator, a creative professional, an entrepreneur, or someone encountering NASA Space Apps for the first time, participants are invited to bring their ideas, skills, curiosity, and imagination to NASA Space Apps Yonkers. The journey awaits for everyone.
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