UMass Amherst Honors College Will Welcome Astronaut Cady Coleman

AMHERST, Mass. – UMass Amherst alumna and retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman will deliver the Commonwealth Honors College 2019 Kathryn and Paul Williamson Lecture. Coleman’s free, public talk, “Lessons from Space Lead Straight Back to Earth,” is on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 5 p.m. in the Honors College events hall.

Established in 2000 by alumni Kathryn and Paul Williamson, this lecture series brings distinguished visitors to the university to interact with Commonwealth Honors College students and present public talks.

Coleman, a former U.S. Air Force colonel, has logged nearly 4,500 hours and 180 days in space as a NASA astronaut. She is a veteran of two space shuttle missions and participated in a six-month tour on the International Space Station. Coleman earned a doctorate in polymer science and engineering from UMass Amherst and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While completing work for her Ph.D. at UMass, she joined the Air Force as second lieutenant, retiring in 2009. Currently, Coleman serves as a liaison to NASA’s newest commercial space partners, where she helps assemble and integrate supply ship operations aboard the International Space Station.

Coleman’s talk will use the compelling background of her space missions to showcase valuable lessons that are essential to solving present and future challenges. With extraordinary photos and videos from space, Coleman will share her perspective on how everyone can bring their best to the table and bring out the best in others on their teams.