Astronaut Lawrence DeLucas
Reaching for the stars! Astronaut Lawrence DeLucas speaks at the 4th annual STEM Symposium. Retracing his long educational life and career—his degrees span chemistry, physiological optics, optometry and biochemistry—DeLucas shared how it all culminated in two weeks in orbit on space shuttle Columbia in 1992. As part of the STS-50 mission, DeLucas also became the first optometrist in space. These days, DeLucas is a primary investigator on a NASA project exploring ways to grow crystals in space. The research’s look into why certain proteins form purer crystals under the influence of microgravity could lead to new life-saving drugs.