February is Black History Month, the time of year to celebrate the influence Black figures have had not just on the country but also on the world.
Today, the Edison Public Library recognizes engineer, NASA astronaut, and STEM ambassador Leland D. Melvin.
Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Leland Melvin attended the University of Richmond on a football scholarship. While studying for his bachelor's degree in chemistry, Melvin excelled on the football field, becoming a University of Richmond Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee and setting records for the school. He was an 11th round draft pick in 1986 bythe Detroit Lions in the 11th but due to an injury in training camp, he was passed around the Candaian Football League to the Dallas Cowboys before his professional football career eventually ended.
After receiving his Master of Science in Materials Science Engineering from the University of Virginia in 1989, Melvin was hired by NASA to test the integrity of in composite and metallic structures. Less than a decade later, he was selected as an astronaut and assigned to NASA’s Education Department in Washington, D.C. Much of his career was spent travelling the country to discuss space exploration with teachers and students, during which time he became a major proponent of STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Melvin was assigned to two Space Shuttle Atlantis missions as a mission specialist aboard STS-122 and STS-129, the latter of which was celebrated for “the record low amount of interim problem reports” by shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach.
Melvin retired from NASA in 2014, but he continues to champion STEM programs around the country. He has written two books,appeared in popular television shows Top Chef and The Dog Whisperer, and given the world the greatest photo of an astronaut ever taken.
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