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Mary Ellen Weber, Ph.D., M.B.A.
- Two-time Space Shuttle Astronaut
- Speaker
- Executive
- World Record and Championship Skydiver
- Jet Pilot
Dr. Mary Ellen Weber was a NASA Astronaut for ten years and is the veteran of two Space Shuttle flights. She is among the youngest Astronauts ever to venture into space, traveling 297 earth orbits and 7.8 million miles. In 2000, she flew aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission 101, a pioneering and critical construction mission for the International Space Station. She also flew in 1995 on mission 70, launching a $200 million communications satellite. In addition to her experience in mission operations and development at NASA, she held key positions in building businesses from space research, in strategic communications, and in program oversight, and she received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal.
Dr. Weber is currently Vice President for government affairs at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where she is responsible for over $130 million in annual funding. She also serves on two museum boards, on multiple civic committees, on a NASA advisory committee, and as an advisor with a seed-stage venture fund.
With over 3,500 skydives, Mary Ellen Weber is a nine-time medalist at the U.S. National Skydiving Championships and held a world record for the largest formation with 300 skydivers. In addition, she is an instrument-rated pilot with over 800 hours flying time including 600 in jet aircraft. She also is an avid golfer (12 handicap) and scuba diver.
Dr. Weber received her Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Berkeley, an M.B.A. from SMU, and a B.S. in chemical engineering from Purdue. She has published eight scientific papers and received one patent.
