Astronaut and UCLA alumna K. Megan McArthur to speak at UCLA Engineering awards dinner
By Wileen Wong Kromhout
November 03, 2009
WHAT:
NASA astronaut and Space Shuttle Atlantis crew member K. Megan McArthur will be in special attendance at this year's UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science Awards Dinner. She will speak about her recent mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope and make a special presentation to UCLA Chancellor Gene D. Block, UCLA Engineering Dean Vijay K. Dhir and Professor Leonard Kleinrock. Ten UCLA Engineering alumni, faculty and students will also be honored at the annual dinner for their exceptional achievements.
WHO:
K. Megan McArthur was selected as a mission specialist by NASA in 2000. Following two years of training and evaluation, she was assigned to the Astronaut Office Shuttle Operations Branch, where she worked on shuttle systems technical issues in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory. McArthur then served as the crew support astronaut for the Expedition 9 crew during their six-month mission aboard the International Space Station in 2004. She also worked in the Space Station and Space Shuttle mission control centers as a capsule communicator.
K. Megan McArthur was selected as a mission specialist by NASA in 2000. Following two years of training and evaluation, she was assigned to the Astronaut Office Shuttle Operations Branch, where she worked on shuttle systems technical issues in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory. McArthur then served as the crew support astronaut for the Expedition 9 crew during their six-month mission aboard the International Space Station in 2004. She also worked in the Space Station and Space Shuttle mission control centers as a capsule communicator.
In May 2009, McArthur served aboard STS-125, the final Space Shuttle mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. The mission successfully extended and improved the observatory's capabilities through 2014. McArthur received her bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from UCLA and her doctorate in oceanography from UC San Diego.
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:
McArthur will be available for one-on-one interviews throughout the event. Interested media should call UCLA Engineering's media contact ahead of time to schedule an interview.
WHEN:
5:30–10 p.m., Friday, Nov. 6
• 5:30 p.m.: Reception
• 7 p.m.: Awards program and dinner
• 9:25 p.m.: McArthur presentation
WHERE:
The Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel
9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, Calif. 90212
MEDIA CONTACT:
Wileen Wong Kromhout, UCLA Engineering Media Relations and Marketing, 310-206-0540