Mary Ellen Weber
| Mary Ellen Weber | |
|---|---|
 |
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| NASA Astronaut | |
| Nationality | American |
| Status | Retired |
| Born | Cleveland, Ohio |
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Other occupation
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Scientist |
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Time in space
|
18d 18h 30m |
| Selection | 1992 NASA Group |
| Missions | STS-70, STS-101 |
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Mission insignia
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Mary Ellen Weber (born in 1962) is an American executive, scientist, aviator, speaker, and a former NASA astronaut.
Weber was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Bedford Heights, Ohio. She graduated from Bedford High School in 1980; received a B.S. in 1984 in chemical engineering (with honors) from Purdue University, where she was a member of Phi Mu sorority; received a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1988; and received an M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University in 2002.
As an undergrad, Weber was a chemical engineering intern at Ohio Edison, Delco Electronics, and 3M. In her doctoral research at Berkeley, she explored the physics of chemical reactions involving silicon. At Texas Instruments she researched new processes and revolutionary equipment for making computer chips, with SEMATECH and Applied Materials. She holds one patent and published nine papers in scientific journals.
Weber was selected by NASA in the fourteenth group of astronauts in 1992. During her ten-year career with NASA, she held several positions. She worked extensively in technology commercialization, and as part of a team reporting to NASA’s chief executive, she worked directly with a venture capital firm to successfully identify and develop a business venture leveraging a space technology. In addition, Weber was the Legislative Affairs liaison at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C., interfacing with Congress and traveling with NASA’s chief executive. Prior to this appointment, she was Chairman of the procurement board for the Biotechnology Program contractor, and she also served on a team that revamped the $2 billion plan for Space Station research facilities. Weber’s principal technical assignments within the Astronaut Office included Shuttle launch preparations at the Kennedy Space Center, payload and science development, and development of standards and methods for crew science training. A veteran of two space flights, STS-70 and STS-101, she was among the youngest to fly in space and she logged over 450 hours. She is the recipient of the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. She resigned from NASA in December 2002.
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