Leland Melvin Biography

Fast Facts

• Was awarded two NASA Exceptional Service Medals as well as NASA's Distinguished Service Medal
• Was honored with the NFL Players Association's Award of Excellence and his Detroit Lions jersey was placed under glass at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his academic and athletic accomplishments
• Graduated from the University of Richmond with a degree in chemistry in 1986 and earned his master's in materials science engineering in 1989
• Began his career as a research engineer at the NASA Langley Research Center in 1989
• Was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 1986 College Draft and also played for the Dallas Cowboys before his career was cut short by a hamstring injury, making him the only NFL drafted person to have flown in space
• In addition to his work as an astronaut, he served as the associate administrator for education at NASA for four years
• Best known as a NASA astronaut who served on the Space Shuttle Atlantis on two missions and later became the host of the competition series "Child Genius․"
• Appeared on "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern," served as a celebrity judge on "Top Chef" and received help from Cesar Milan on "The Dog Whisperer․"