Leland Melvin, astronaut, NFL player and educator
7:00 p.m. — Conversation, Main Theatre, UAlbany Performing Arts Center
Leland Melvin is an engineer, educator, former NASA astronaut and NFL wide receiver. He served on board the Space Shuttle Atlantis as a mission specialist on mission STS-122 (2008) and STS-129 (2009), helping to construct the International Space Station. Subsequently, he led NASA Education and co-chaired the White House’s Federal Coordination in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Education Task Force, developing the nation’s 5-year STEM education plan. His 2017 memoir, Chasing Space: An Astronaut's Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances, shares his life story as an athlete, astronaut, scientist, engineer, photographer, and musician in order to help inspire the next generation of explorers to pursue STEAM careers.
Presented by the Albert Bunshaft ’80 and Caryn Bunshaft ’82 Lecture Endowment, Alumni Association, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Honors College, Office of Student Affairs, NYS Writers Institute, and University Auxiliary Services.
About the Bunshaft Lecture
Established through the generosity of Albert Bunshaft ’80 and Caryn Bunshaft ’82, The Bunshaft Endowment in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences supports programming that provides information and inspiration to UAlbany’s student community about careers in computing and engineering sciences.
