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 Native American Connections
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Nathan Chasing Horse Nathan Chasing Horse representing the Lakota Nation will be joining us LIVE during this year's Sun-Earth Day webcast.
Click here to view a 9.8M movie with John Herrington signing
autographs at the American Indian Science and Engineering Conference!
NAME: John Bennett Herrington (Commander, USN)
NASA Astronaut
PERSONAL DATA: Born September 14, 1958 in Wetumka, Oklahoma. He grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Riverton, Wyoming, and Plano, Texas. Married to the former Debra Ann
Farmer of Colorado Springs, Colorado. They have two children. He enjoys rock climbing, snow skiing, running, cycling. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. James E. Herrington, reside in
Spicewood, Texas. His brother, James E. Herrington, Jr., resides in Sandy Spring, Maryland. His sister, Jennifer D. Monshaugen, resides in Spicewood, Texas.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Plano Senior High School, Plano, Texas, in 1976; received a bachelor of science degree in applied mathematics from the University of Colorado at Colorado
Springs, in 1983, and a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1995.
ORGANIZATIONS: Life member of the Association of Naval Aviation, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Alumni Association. Sequoyah Fellow, American Indian Science and
Engineering Society.
SPECIAL HONORS: Distinguished Naval Graduate from Aviation Officer Candidate School, Pensacola, Florida, in 1984. Awarded Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit
Commendation, Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation, Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon, National Defense Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbons (3), and
various other service awards.
EXPERIENCE: Herrington received his commission from Aviation Officer Candidate School in March 1984 and was designated a Naval Aviator in March 1985. He reported to Patrol
Squadron Thirty-One (VP-31) at the Moffett Field Naval Air Station, Mountain View, California for initial training in the P-3C Orion. His first operational assignment was with Patrol
Squadron Forty-Eight (VP-48) where he made three operational deployments, two to the Northern Pacific based from Naval Air Station Adak, Alaska and one to the Western Pacific
based from the Naval Air Station Cubi Point, Republic of the Philippines. While assigned to VP-48, Herrington was designated a Patrol Plane Commander, Mission Commander, and
Patrol Plane Instructor Pilot. Following completion of his first operational tour, Herrington then returned to VP-31 as a Fleet Replacement Squadron Instructor Pilot. While assigned to
VP-31 he was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland in January 1990. After graduation in December, 1990, he reported to the Force Warfare
Aircraft Test Directorate as a project test pilot for the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System. Herrington conducted additional flight test assignments flying numerous variants of the
P-3 Orion as well as the T-34C and the DeHavilland Dash 7. Following his selection as an Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officer, Herrington reported to the U.S. Naval Postgraduate
School where he completed a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering in June 1995. Herrington was assigned as a special projects officer to the Bureau of Naval Personnel Sea
Duty Component when selected for the astronaut program.
He has logged over 3,000 flight hours in over 30 different types of aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in April 1996, Herrington reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996. Having completed two years of training and evaluation, he is
qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist. Initially, Herrington was assigned to the Flight Support Branch of the Astronaut Office where he served as a member of the
Astronaut Support Personnel team responsible for Shuttle launch preparations and post-landing operations. Currently, he is assigned to STS-113 scheduled to launch in 2002.
AUGUST 2001
David K Martin - NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
Tribal affiliation: Mohawk
Clan: Bear
Military Service: U.S. Navy
Background: In 1966 I started work at Scientific Data Systems as a stock
clerk. In 1969 I transferred to the Customer Engineering Group as a system
Engineer. When I left the company in 1984, I was a Senior Systems Engineer.
I then went to work for NASA in 1985 where I am now an Electronics
Technician. I am working in the Environmental Lab, where I perform tests
using Environmental Chambers and the Vibration Shaker System. I also do
acoustic testing and calibration of Microphones and Accelerometers. I also
perform Environmental Testing on any electronic gear that is going into an
aircraft, an often I test equipment coming off an aircraft. I am chairman of
the Dryden Native American Advisory council. The picture shows me at the
controls to the 747 we use to transport the shuttle to the Kennedy Space
Center.
Mike Liu - NASA Ames Research Center
Tribal affiliation: Navajo
Clan: Many Goats
Education: Bachelorâs Degree in Astronomy from U.C. Berkeley
Background: I was growing up during the early days when NASA was sending
Astronauts into space, when I was 5 years old I wanted to work for NASA and
be an Astronaut. As I grew older I developed an interest in Astronomy. When
I was attending High School I became involved with a work experience program
at NASA. I went to Junior college and they had a COOP program with NASA.
When I graduated from College in 1981, I got a Computer Programming job with
a company that had a contract with NASA. In 1990 I was finally able to get a
job working directly for NASA. I work in the Wind Tunnel Systems Branch at
the NASA Ames Research Center as the Deputy Branch chief. I am the Chair of
the Native American Advisory Committee here at NASA Ames Research Center. If
you have a dream stick with it, you will eventually find a way to make that
dram happen.
filler space
David Begay Ph.D. (Dine') -
David Begay is a Grant Writer for the Shonto Preparatory School. He is also a Navajo Cultural Consultant of Higher Education Programs.
He received his BA and MA from the University of Arizona, Tucson, in Political Science with a concentration in Policy Analysis and American Indian Policy
and Law Studies. He received his Ph.D. from the California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, with a concentration in Indigenous
Education and Application of Traditional Knowledge. He currently works with the Stargazer Program and Space Grant in the
Department of Physics and Astronomy at NAU. He also consults with Jet Propulsion Lab/NASA on curriculum development and indigenous astronomy.
Click here to view a 53.7M movie on Joseph Chasing Horse.
Joseph Chasing Horse-
Joseph Chasing Horse is a Native American Cross Cultural consultant of the Black HIlls of South Dakota.
He is an Ambassador to the United Nations for the Lakota Sioux Nations, an ordained Sundance Chief and a descendant
of the great Spiritual Leader, Crazy Horse. He serves as Emissary to Mr. Arvol Looking Horse, the nineteenth caretaker of the
Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe. Mr. Chasing Horse is an internationally known Native American Cultural consultant and gifted Speaker. With
expertise in the fields of Educational and Environmental issues, he has worked with NASA (National Aeronautics and space Administration).
As a Cross Cultural Consultant he has assisted JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) in developing Lakota Star Knowledge Curriculum.
He also serves as liaison between NASA and many traditional Indian communities including the Navajo (Dine') Nation, and as far
reaching as the Nahaut of Mexico and the Athabascan of Alaska. With inspired vision, Mr. Chasing Horse is responsibly committed
to the well being of the next Seven Generations: For the last 14 years Joseph has sponsored thousands of Youth for the annual Spring Gathering
Ceremony in the Black Hills, promoting Cultural Awareness through education. He remains instrumental concerning the Cultural Preservation and renaming of
Native american Sacred Sites. In 1999, he led many nations on a 500 mile Spiritual Walk, from the Black Hills to Yellowstone,
culminating in the protection of the last remaining free-roaming bison herd in Yellowstone National Park. With over 25
years of Sundance Ceremony experience, Joseph Chasing Horse has played an integral role in Native American Cultural Revival.
Ed Little - "Navajo science and cultural consultant"
Anita Abrego - NASA Ames Research Center
Tribal affiliation: Lummi and Quinault
Education: Bachelor's Degree in Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering from the University of Washington
Background: I was born in Houston, Texas and the yourngest of 7 children. While in high school, I moved to the Lummi
Reservation, located just outside of Ferndale, Washington. I enjoy playing basketball and softball, attend as many
powwows as possible, and am a fancy shawl dancer. My first internship experience began at NASA in 1991, where I
learned about rotorcraft flight testing. I returned to Ames each summer, gaining experience in the areas of finite element
alalysis, modal testing, neural networks, flight testing, and wind tunnel testing. I am currently working as researcher and test
director for various rotor tests in the 7- by 10-foot wind tunnel. Being the first in my family to go to college, I learned
about many of the educational opportunites that are available. In doing so, I have been able to share that knowledge with
others in my family and in my community.
Ken Cullings - NASA Ames Research Center
Tribal affiliation: Blackfeet
Education: Master's Degree CSU Dominguez Hills, Ph.D. U.C. Berkeley
Background: I'm Blackfeet, though grandma was adopted off the reservation in Browning before the 1935 census, so none of us can be official
members of the Blackfeet tribe. I'm a Space Scientist, and my specialty is Evolutionary Ecology. I'm working on the ecology of the
Yellowstone forests, and of some of Yellowstone's mid-temperature thermal pools. I'm adjunct at CSU Dominguez Hills,
in Carson CA., a CSU campus designed to service the minority community of South Central LA. I got my master's there, and I'm
helping put together a new program in Environmental Biology. I am also adjunct at Montana State. I got my PH.D. at
Berkeley. I'm a surfer, and ride a read bike when I can't get waves. I'm also quickly becoming an obsessed fly fisherman.
Mary Buford Howard - NASA Ames Research Center
Tribal affiliation: Cherokee
Education: Bachelor's Degree in Education, Central State University, Ohio
Background: Biologically I am Cherokee, French and African-American. I was born in Little rock, Arkansas, but have been
told that my Cherokee great-grandparents were originally from Oklahoma. My mother was born in Prescott, Arkansas and
my father in Little rock. My growing up years were spent in Chicago, Illinois. Family
history regarding the Cherokee side of the family has been somewhat difficult to trace due to the fact that many
historical family records have been lost or destroyed. My position at NASA Ames Reareach Center is as Executive and Lead
Secretary in Code S, Astrobiology and Space Research Directorate. This position requires me to provide administrative assistance
to the Director, Deputy Director and Associate Director. Code S has many sub-codes which adds a requirement for me to assist
other administrative workers regarding policies, rules and regulations. Another requirement is extensive dealings and coordination
with other research and development activites external to the Directorate and outside the Center.
Tianna Shaw - NASA Ames Research Center
Tribal affiliation: Yurok
Education: A dual Bachelor's Degree in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern
California.
Background: I grew up on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation in Northern California and am a member
of the Yurok Tribe. Both my mother and my grandmother have strongly infuenced my value system and my cultural
identity. Although I am from a small rural community, I have always been encouraged to pursue my interests.
I have found that it is possible to live away from home and still maintain strong ites to family and culture.
In the course of my education and work life, I have been able to enhance myself by maintaining contact with
other Native Americans in addition to pursuing my educational and professional goals. I believe that this
has made me a much more rounded person with valuable experiences working with people of diverse backgrounds.
Presently, I am the Manager of the Facilites Utilization Office (FUO)within the Life Seiences Division of NASA Ames
Research Center which is responsible for operating and maintaining the Center for Gravitational Biology Research
(CGBR). The CGBR is a collection of research facilities, including both centrifuges and linear sleds, which allow investigators to
study the effects of gravity on living systems. As the FUO Manager, I provide oversight for CGBR operations, maintenance
and upgrades, technical support, budget, experiment planning and scheduling.
Marcellus A. Proctor
Marcellus was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Lanham, Maryland. He is a member of the Piscataway Nation located in Southern Maryland. He attended Laurel High for two years and finished his last two years at Eleanor Roosevelt High where he earned is High School Diploma and Certificate or Merit.
After graduation from high school he entered the Native American Technical and Office Experience Program (NATOE) under the Prince GeorgeÕs Indian Education Office directed by Ms. Betty Proctor. He participated in that program for two summer sessions (Õ93-Õ94). He then participated in the Summer Institute in Engineering and Computer Applications (SIECA) Program for another 2 summer sessions (Õ95-Õ96) under Bowie State University directed by Dr. Joan Langdon. Both programs were held at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
In August 1998, Marcellus earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland College Park. After graduation he worked for Tracor Systems Technologies, which is now BAE SYSTEMS, as a Systems Engineer on the STANDARD Missile Block IVA Program for three years.
His professional memberships include the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).
Currently, Marcellus works at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as an Electronics Engineer on the NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program. His major emphases in the program are Plastic Encapsulated Parts (PEMs) and DC-DC Converters. He is also attending Johns Hopkins University earning is Masters in Electrical Engineering with a focus in Optics. Marcellus is an advisor to the Goddard Native American Program.
MU-SPIN Summer Students
2001 Visiting Student Enrichment Program (VSEP)
http://muspin.gsfc.nasa.gov/new/html/summer_students01/summer_students_01.ht
ml
MU-SPIN hosted three students this summer in conjunction with the Visiting
Student Enrichment Program (VSEP). The students worked with Goddard
scientists, during their 10-week stay. Upon completion, the students submit
a written report, participate in a poster session and to deliver a 15-minute
oral presentation.
One of the students, Marla Billey, represented the Navajo Nation and devoted
her project to help NASA educate Native American students by creating
learning opportunities for them to explore space sciences that will benefit
life on earth.
Fred Begay |
