Veteran astronaut to discuss space shuttle experience on Thursday
TOWSON, Md. (Jan. 8, 2007)—Dr. Donald Thomas will discuss some of his unique
experiences of flying in space and review some of the
experiments that he performed during his shuttle missions in a lecture, "The Space Shuttle, the Space Station, and Beyond," to be held Thursday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. in Smith Hall, room 356.
He will also discuss some of NASA's programs to involve
students and teachers in the International Space Station with
much of the work directed toward inspiring the next
generation of explorers for NASA's future planned missions to
the moon and Mars.
Dr. Thomas has been an astronaut since 1990 and is a veteran of four Space
Shuttle flights logging over 44 days in space. During his nearly 20 years at
NASA, Thomas has served as a materials engineer, branch chief of the
Astronaut Payloads Development Branch, NASA representative in charge of
NASA operations and astronaut training at the Gargarin Cosmonaut Training
Center at Star City, Russia, and as International Space Station program
scientist at the Johnson Space Center.
A native of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Thomas received a B.S. degree in physics with a minor in anthropology from Case Western Reserve University,
and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell University in materials science and
engineering. He is the recipient of the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, one
of the highest honors possible for civilians at NASA.
For further information, contact Ms. Jo Schmidt, Office of the FCSM Dean, by e-mail at joschmidt@towson.edu or by phone at 410-704-2121.
8000 York Road | Towson, MD 21252 | 410-704-2000
of flying in space and review some of the
experiments that he performed during his shuttle missions in a lecture, "The Space Shuttle, the Space Station, and Beyond," to be held Thursday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. in Smith Hall, room 356.
