Dr. Larry DeLucas is the only Optometrist who became a Space Shuttle astronaut. His career started with a PhD in protein crystallography through studies at UAB, followed by getting into eye care due to an "accidental" meeting with the Dean of the UAB School of Optometry.
In this episode, you will hear about how his dad served in WW2, with an incredible story of survival as a POW. He simplifies the complex science of protein crystallography and how it’s applied to drug creation. Of particular interest is the story of the prolonged process to become chosen as a Payload Specialist for the Space Shuttle program. He flew on STS-50 in 1992, on which he monitored over thirty different science experiments .
As interesting as the stories are about his flight to space, the training stories are equally impressive. You will also learn his perspective on the future of space travel, as well as his company’s role in helping deliver vaccinations to the world.
The Stories within the Story include:
0:48 The Two Doctorate Story
6:23 The Greatest Generation Story
12:23 The Family Story
13:18 The Optometry Faculty Story
15:16 The Protein Crystallography Story
17:35 The Becoming an Astronaut Story
21:30 The Space Shuttle Story
24:10 The Astronaut Training Story
29:35 The Shuttle Astronaut Reunion Story
31:29 The Future of Space Travel Story
35:51 The Solar Harnessing Story
39:54 The Never-Ending Pursuit Story
41:39 The Children Story
42:40 The Power of Research Story
Runtime: 45 min
Access the content via:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/04qoPyciI34
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