Dr. James M. Vanderploeg, professor of Aerospace Medicine in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, has received the 2016 Joe Kerwin Award from the Aerospace Medical Association.
The award is named after Dr. Joe Kerwin, the first physician selected for astronaut training in the U.S. space program. Kerwin was the scientist/pilot on the first manned Skylab in 1973. The award is presented to those who have made advancements in understanding the effects of spaceflight on humans and innovations in the practice of space medicine to support optimal health and performance in space.
Vanderploeg received the award at the AsMA’s annual meeting in April for his groundbreaking work evaluating individuals with chronic medical conditions undergoing a simulated commercial spaceflight experience.
Vanderploeg’s work will enhance the safety of commercial suborbital flight which is a growing industry. He is also active in other areas of aerospace medical research as a principal investigator and the executive director of the Federal Aviation Administration Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation at UTMB.
Vanderploeg earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa, College of Medicine in 1975. In addition to his position at UTMB, he is also the Chief Medical Officer for Virgin Galactic where he is responsible for developing and implementing the medical programs for spaceflight participants.
Before joining UMTB he served as the chief of the Flight Medicine Clinic at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, chief of the Medical Operations Branch and also director of NASA’s Space Biomedical Research Institute.
“It is a particular honor to receive the Kerwin Award since I had the opportunity to work for Dr. Kerwin when he appointed me as the first director of the NASA Space Biomedical Research Institute” says Vanderploeg. “Dr. Kerwin was a true pioneer in practicing the art and science of medicine in space.”