To LSU and Beyond!
Louisiana State University has produced quite a few stars over the last century in academics, athletics, and the arts. This fall, LSU will welcome another star into its galaxy, and in this case, it will be someone who has literally flown among them.
Astronaut Leroy Chiao will join the LSU College of Engineering and its Department of Mechanical Engineering as a visiting professor. Chiao will be the first visiting professor to fill the newly established Smiley and Bernice Romero Raborn Chair.
The Raborn Chair is part of the College of Engineering’s effort to recognize Max Faget, a 1943 LSU engineering alumnus who designed the Mercury spacecraft and contributed to the designs of the Space Shuttle. Faget, who died in 2004, is a member of the National Space Hall of Fame, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and a recipient of the NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership.
“The Raborn Chair is the foundation of the effort to recruit high-caliber faculty and enhance the research and educational initiatives of the Mechanical Engineering Department,” said LSU College of Engineering Dean Zaki Bassiouni. “Leroy Chiao’s addition to our team of expert faculty members will ensure that our college continues to produce quality research and projects that are recognized nationally and internationally.”
A veteran of four space missions, with a 15-year career at NASA, Chiao is a space station commander and space shuttle mission specialist. He was also a fully certified co-pilot of the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. He is an expert in all facets of U.S. and Russian Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) hardware and operations, and is EVA certified in U.S. and Russian spacesuits, tools, and training programs. Chiao has logged more than 229 days in space, and most recently, served as commander of Expedition 10 aboard the International Space Station.
“Leroy Chiao is a prominent figure in the aerospace industry, and his expertise will be a wonderful asset to the College of Engineering,” LSU Chancellor Sean O’Keefe said. “His time at LSU will benefit our engineering students and will contribute to our continuing efforts to attain national recognition.”
Chiao received a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1983 and master of science and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1985 and 1987, respectively. Chiao is a native English speaker and also speaks Russian and Mandarin Chinese. Throughout his career, he has flown space missions and worked closely with U.S., Japanese, European, and Chinese astronauts and affiliated space agencies.
“Dr. Chiao’s decorated career with NASA, Hexcel, and Lawrence Livermore make him an ideal inaugural candidate to fill the Raborn Chair. His professional and academic achievements will inspire our students, provide them with applications, and add to the classroom and laboratory experience,” said Department of Mechanical Engineering Chair Glenn Sinclair.
The LSU community is proud to welcome Leroy Chiao and his stellar pedigree to its growing galaxy of stars. With faculty of this caliber, the Department of Mechanical Engineering is surely destined to “…live long and prosper.”
Kristine
Calongne, Todd Miller | LSU Office of Public Affairs
Spring 2006
