Dr Janet L Kavandi

Dr. Janet L. Kavandi serves as Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Glenn is engaged in research, technology, and systems development in support of the nation’s space propulsion, space power, space communications, aeronautical propulsion, microgravity sciences, and materials development programs. Prior to accepting the director’s position, Dr. Kavandi served as Glenn’s Deputy Director. Before coming to Glenn, Dr. Kavandi worked at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where she served as the Director of Flight Crew Operations. Dr. Kavandi also served as the Deputy Director of the Health and Human Performance Directorate, where she was responsible for the NASA flight surgeons and human research investigations on the International Space Station (ISS). Dr. Kavandi was selected as a NASA astronaut in December 1994 as a member of the fifteenth class of U.S. astronauts. She is a veteran of three space flights, serving as a mission specialist on STS-91 in 1998, STS-99 in 2000, and STS-104 in 2001. Dr. Kavandi has logged more than 33 days in space, traveling more than 13.1 million miles in 535 Earth orbits.

Dr Kavandi has a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, a master of science degree in chemistry from the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, and her doctorate in analytical chemistry from the University of Washington in Seattle

Dr. Kavandi has been recognized with a Presidential Rank Award, two NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals, two Exceptional Service Medals and three NASA Space Flight Medals, and was inducted into the US Astronaut Hall of Fame on 6th April, 2019.