Joseph M. “Joe” Acaba
![Joseph Acaba](/sites/default/files/styles/az_medium/public/migrated/images/alumni/joseph_acaba.jpg?itok=kqq-qVqW)
Joseph M. “Joe” Acaba is an educator, hydro geologist, and NASA astronaut. In May 2004 he became the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to be named as a NASA astronaut candidate, when he was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Training Group 19. Acaba served as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station, having launched on May 15, 2012. He arrived at the space station on May 17 and returned to Earth on Sept. 17, 2012