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).
One active alumnus
James E. “Jim” Bertelsmeyer, a 1966 chemical engineering graduate and the retired founder, chair and chief executive officer of Heritage…
Leading a national lab
At Sandia National Laboratories, Joan Woodard, a mathematics graduate in 1973, was the executive vice president and deputy laboratories director…
Bringing water to those in need
As co-founder of Water.org, Gary White has helped empower more than 29 million people worldwide with access to safe water…
Cheryl D.S. Walker: engineer, curator, lawyer, poet
Cheryl D.S. Walker, who earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1986, has many talents and many pursuits. Dedicated…
Stonehenge, ‘tis a magic place…’
When the band Spinal Tap sang of Stonehenge as a “magic place … where the moon doth rise with a…
They appraised the Titanic
After watching a documentary in which survivors of the April 1912 R.M.S. Titanic sinking recalled hearing a loud cracking noise…