Richard “Ricky” Arnold is a former NASA Astronaut, educator, marine scientist, and aquanaut. Before joining NASA, he taught science and mathematics at schools in the United States, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Romania. He also worked in marine science and earned a Master of Science in Marine, Estuarine and Environmental Science from the University of Maryland. Selected by NASA in 2004, Arnold flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-119 and later served as a Flight Engineer aboard the International Space Station during Expeditions 55 and 56. Across his two spaceflights, he logged more than 209 days in space and completed five spacewalks totaling 32 hours and 4 minutes. His NASA experience also included serving as a CAPCOM in Mission Control, living and working underwater during NASA’s NEEMO 13 mission, and leading an international cave-exploration mission for the European Space Agency. As an Astronaut speaker, Ricky Arnold shares powerful lessons from the classroom, the ocean, extreme environments, and space. His presentations explore leadership, teamwork, resilience, scientific discovery, international collaboration, STEM/STEAM education, and the determination required to transform an unexpected career path into an extraordinary journey. Before joining NASA, Arnold built an extraordinary career as a science educator around the world. He began working at the United States Naval Academy as an oceanographic technician before becoming a middle-school science teacher in Maryland. While teaching, he earned a master’s degree and conducted marine-science research involving biostratigraphy and radiometric dating. Arnold later taught biology, environmental science, mathematics, and other science subjects at international schools in Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Romania. His years in international education gave him extensive experience communicating across cultures, making complex scientific subjects accessible, and inspiring students to become curious about the natural world. NASA selected Arnold as a Mission Specialist in May 2004. He completed Astronaut Candidate Training in 2006, which included instruction in Space Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training, T-38 aircraft training, and water and wilderness survival. He also served as a Capsule Communicator, or CAPCOM, in NASA’s Mission Control Center and accumulated more than 1,000 hours flying in multiple aircraft. In 2007, Arnold completed aquanaut training and served as a Mission Specialist during NEEMO 13, a joint NASA and NOAA mission aboard Aquarius, the world’s only undersea research laboratory. During the 10-day mission, Arnold lived and worked underwater while the crew conducted experiments and practiced operations for a simulated lunar outpost. He later trained as a DeepWorker submersible pilot and supported underwater research for NASA NEEMO and the Pavilion Lake Research Project. Arnold’s first spaceflight was aboard Space Shuttle Discovery during STS-119 in March 2009. The mission delivered the final pair of power-generating solar-array wings and a truss element to the International Space Station. During the 13-day mission, Arnold completed two spacewalks totaling 12 hours and 34 minutes. Discovery traveled approximately 5.3 million miles and completed 202 Earth orbits before landing at Kennedy Space Center. In 2016, Arnold led a multinational crew during a six-day European Space Agency expedition that mapped and explored an extensive cave network in Sardinia. This mission added another extreme environment to his career, requiring scientific observation, teamwork, communication, adaptability, and leadership far from conventional support systems. Arnold returned to space in March 2018 aboard Soyuz MS-08. He served as a Flight Engineer on International Space Station Expeditions 55 and 56 alongside an international crew. During the mission, Arnold witnessed the arrival and departure of six visiting spacecraft, supported scientific research and station operations, and participated in numerous educational downlink events connecting students on Earth with the International Space Station. He also completed three additional spacewalks to perform maintenance and upgrades outside the station. Those spacewalks totaled 19 hours and 30 minutes, bringing his career total to five spacewalks and 32 hours and 4 minutes working in the vacuum of space. By the conclusion of his second mission, Arnold had logged more than 209 days in space across his two flights. Arnold holds a Bachelor of Science from Frostburg State University, completed the university’s teacher-certification program, and earned a Master of Science in Marine, Estuarine and Environmental Science from the University of Maryland. As an Astronaut speaker, Ricky Arnold brings audiences an uncommon combination of experience in education, marine science, undersea exploration, international collaboration, and human spaceflight. His journey from the classroom to the International Space Station offers powerful lessons about leadership, teamwork, resilience, curiosity, preparation, and pursuing opportunities that may initially appear beyond reach.