James Pawelczyk
Astronaut
This prominent kinesiologist and physiologist conducted research aboard Space Shuttle Columbia during NASA's 1998 STS-90 Neurolab mission. His experiments during the space flight tested microgravity's impact on the human nervous system and brain.
After earning undergraduate degrees in psychology and biology from the University of Rochester, he received advanced degrees in physiology from Pennsylvania State University and the University of North Texas.
His autonomic neurophysiology research earned him the 1994 NASA Young Investigator Award.
He grew up in a Polish-American family in Buffalo, New York. He later raised two children: Brad and Katie.
He and Canadian neurologist Roberta Bondar both participated in NASA Spacelab research missions.