
Col. Thomas Akers, Math’73, MS Math’75, has logged more than 800 hours of space flight and 29 hours of space-walking experience. He was selected for NASA’s astronaut program after joining the Air Force and was a mission specialist on four space flights – including on the Discovery, Endeavour and Atlantis. Following his career in the Air Force, Akers returned to his alma mater and taught math at S&T for 11 years before retiring in 2010.
Akers earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, both in mathematics, from S&T in 1973 and 1975, respectively.
Share This Story
Spark a Memory?
Share your story! Fill out the form below to share your fondest memory or anecdote of S&T. If you'd prefer not typing, you can also share by phone at 833-646-3715 (833-Miner150).
Taylor Husman and Tyler Recker
Taylor Husman and Tyler Recker met on the patio of Kappa Sigma fraternity on their second night at S&T in…
First woman department chair
In 1990, Dr. Elizabeth Cummins was named chair of Missouri S&T’s English department. She joined S&T as an instructor in…
Katherine (Reid) and Josh Warner
Katherine (Reid) met Josh Warner in February 2011 at a social event co-hosted by her service sorority, Delta Omicron Lambda,…
Megan (Jekel) and Jonathan Pardeck
Megan (Jekel), a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, and Jonathan Pardeck, a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity, met through…
Setting new trends
Tamiko Youngblood, MinE’92, MS EMgt’94, PhD EMgt’97, was a woman of many “firsts.” She was the first African American woman…
George Mueller: ensuring the ‘moonshot’
“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things,” President John F. Kennedy said…