My Career Journey

How is a nutritionist involved with the shuttle/Mir missions? It is important to know which nutrients (such as vitamins, minerals, protein) are needed in the astronauts' diets to keep them healthy. That is part of my job. I work in the Nutrition and Metabolism Laboratory at Johnson Space Center to research nutrient requirements for astronauts' diets for long-duration spaceflight missions. I discuss my findings with a food scientist. The food scientist uses this information to develop spaceflight menus that will match nutrient needs.

I also have been a co-investigator for four previous flight experiments: two studied how the fluid from the lower body moves toward the chest and head during spaceflight; the third studied the relationship between calcium in the diet and bone loss during flight; and the fourth experiment studied changes in red blood cells in microgravity.

Three of the experiments were for the 115-day Mir/Atlantis mission. We collected data before, during and after the mission. I traveled to Star City, Russia three times for two weeks each trip to help with the ground-based studies. I enjoyed working with Russian scientists and cosmonauts and even learned to read the Russian alphabet!

Knowledge gained from this research benefits people like you and me as well as space explorers. The findings will help prevent negative effects on the body during spaceflight and will increase understanding of causes and development of treatments for nutrient-related diseases on Earth such as osteoporosis.

How Did I Decide on This Career?

Why did I decide to become a nutritionist? It wasn't always my goal. I attended Penn State University with the intent of going on to veterinary school or medical school. During my senior year I took an elective course, "Nutrition and Disease." That sparked my interest and changed my plans. After receiving my B.S. in Biology, I entered the Ph.D. program and eventually earned a Ph.D. in Nutrition.

Who Am I?

I moved four times and lived in three different states before I graduated from high school! I was born in Santa Ana, California, and lived there until I was five. My family moved to Dover, New Hampshire where I attended school through fourth grade. I completed the rest of elementary school and junior high in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. We then moved to Norristown, Pennsylvania where I attended Wissahickson High School. During my senior year in high school I had a physiology course which got me interested in understanding how the body works and influenced my decision of what to study at Penn State.

When I think about all the places I have lived, I have fond memories of the beautiful trees, mountains and snow in New Hampshire. The winter trips to Star City, Russia reminded me of New England. I liked seeing the fresh snow and forests of birch trees - not much of either is here in Houston! I've always said I want to move back to New Hampshire some day.

My Family

My family lives mostly on the East Coast. My mother lives close to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One brother lives in Massachusetts and another lives in New Jersey. My sister lives in Seoul, South Korea and I live here in Houston.

My wife, Kathy, and I have one daughter, Samantha, who was born in December 1995. Our family also includes one cat, Bonnie, and a dog, Bogart. Our jobs keep us busy - Kathy teaches hearing-impaired children at a nearby elementary. But we take time for fun, too. We enjoy going to the movies and to the theater. I also enjoy cooking, including making bread, pizza dough and pasta.