Irene D. Long
1950-2020
The First Woman Medical Officer To Hold The Highest Position At NASA
Irene D. Long was an American physician and was an official at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. She was the first female chief medical officer at the Kennedy Space Center.
Education: Northwestern University (B.A., Biology), Saint Louis University (MD), Wright State University (MS, aerospace medicine)
Long, the second of two children was born to Andrew and Heloweise Davis Duhart in Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated from East High School in Cleveland, and in 1973, she received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Northwestern University. In 1977, Long received her medical degree from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine followed by residencies at the Cleveland Clinic, Mt. Sinai Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, and Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, as the second civilian to enter the Wright State University School of Medicine’s aerospace medicine program, and where she received her Masters of Science degree in aerospace medicine.
In 1982 Long went to work for NASA as a physician. There, she contributed to the creation of the Spaceflight and Life Sciences Training Program. Notably, she was the medical officer on duty in January. 28, 1986, the day of the space shuttle Challenger disaster. In 1994, she was appointed director of the Biomedical Operations and Research Office at the Kennedy Space Center. In 2000, she was appointed as Chief Medical Officer and Associate Director of Spaceport Services at the Kennedy Space Center. She retired at the age of 63 and David Tipton assumed the duties as Chief Medical Officer in 2013. She worked for NASA for 31 years.
Awards
1986 – Kennedy Space Center Federal Woman of the Year Award
1995 – Society of NASA Flight Surgeons Presidential Award
1998 – Women in Aerospace Outstanding Achievement Award
2001 – Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame
2005 – Lifetime Achievement Award, Women of Color Technology Awards Conference
2010 – Strughold Award, Space Medicine Association