Astronaut named UW alumna of the year
June 23, 2004
Astronaut Bonnie Dunbar, who has logged 50 days and 20.4 million miles in space, was honored at this year's commencement ceremony as the 2004 UW alumna of year.
Now, the deputy director in the biological-sciences division of NASA's Space and Life Sciences Directorate, Dunbar's peers recognize her as one of the world's premiere female astronauts.
A 1971 UW engineering undergraduate, Dunbar helped develop the ceramic tiles of space shuttles' exteriors, enabling them to withstand extreme temperatures when re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.
Dunbar received her master's degree from the UW in 1975 before becoming a flight controller with NASA in 1978.
In 1995, she flew in the first mission to the Mir space station. During her second mission to Mir, Dunbar was photographed with a purple and gold UW banner. She also flew on both the Challenger and Colombia space shuttles -- both of which exploded on later missions.
The Alumna Summa Laude Dignata award was first given in 1938 and is presented annually to a UW alum. Past winners include artist Dale Chihuly and Minoru Yamasaki, the lead architect of the World Trade Center.
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