Two specialists in aerospace medicine have recently joined the College of Medicine faculty as part of the new Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (CASEEM). William (Ed) Powers, MD, previously served as director of flight medicine for Axiom Space and chief of NASA's Medical Operations Branch, supporting six shuttle missions and four Soyuz missions. Jennifer Fogarty, PhD, former chief scientist for NASA's Human Research Program, managed efforts to reduce health risks for Mars-bound astronauts.

CASEEM, led by Emmanuel Urquieta, MD, vice chair for aerospace medicine, draws faculty from medicine, engineering, computer science, psychology, and leadership fields to develop technologies for astronaut health and for similar needs in military, deep sea, and remote environments. The center aims to apply spaceflight discoveries to Earth-based medical challenges, such as leveraging radiation protection techniques for cancer patients and exploring therapeutic approaches to aging and inflammation.

Powers brings biomedical engineering expertise and extensive experience guiding research for commercial space medicine. He led emergency medicine training at Orlando Health and supported medical operations for space shuttle and private missions, including serving as lead flight surgeon for Ax3. Powers conducts FAA exams for pilots and contributes to research on medical readiness for future commercial spaceflight operations.

Fogarty's work focuses on recognizing and mitigating health risks of space travel, including cardiovascular disease management. At NASA and Baylor College of Medicine's Translational Research Institute for Space Health, she oversaw clinical research and solutions aimed at improving safety for astronauts, especially as commercial missions expand to include individuals with varied health backgrounds.

Faculty at the center collaborate to integrate engineering and computer science advancements into medical practice for space and extreme environments, address psychological impacts of isolation, and optimize astronaut team training. UCF's proximity to Kennedy Space Center and cross-college partnerships position it as a leader in space medicine, with discoveries intended for applications on Earth and in austere locations.

"When you put people into space and their life is unfolding, and unpredictable health issues emerge as they do, how are we prepared to handle that?" said Jennifer Fogarty.

"I handed him a bottle of water, and he sat there and stared at it because (in zero gravity) he hadn't seen water go to the bottom of a bottle for about six months," Powers recalled, describing astronaut Mike Barratt's return to Earth.

"I believe UCF will be a strong part of that ecosystem enabling research and operational support and providing occupational health knowledge and care." said Jennifer Fogarty

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