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Robert Lee "Bobby" Satcher Jr. (born September 22, 1965) is an American
orthopedic surgeon Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics (American and British English spelling differences, alternative spelling orthopaedics) is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgic ...
,
chemical engineer A chemical engineer is a professional equipped with the knowledge of chemistry and other basic sciences who works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of Product (chemistry), products and deals with ...
, and former
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...
. He participated in two spacewalks during
STS-129 STS-129 (ISS assembly sequence, ISS assembly flight ULF3) was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). ''Space Shuttle Atlantis, Atlantis'' was launched on November 16, 2009, at 14:28 Eastern Time Zone, EST, and lan ...
, accumulating 12 hours and 19 minutes of
extravehicular activity Extravehicular activity (EVA) is any activity done by an astronaut in outer space outside a spacecraft. In the absence of a breathable atmosphere of Earth, Earthlike atmosphere, the astronaut is completely reliant on a space suit for environme ...
. Satcher holds two doctorates (
Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...
,
M.D. A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...
) and has received numerous awards and honors as a surgeon and engineer.


Early life

Robert Lee Satcher Jr. was born in
Hampton, Virginia Hampton is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 137,148 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, seve ...
on September 22, 1965 to Robert Lee Satcher and Marian Hanna Satcher. Robert Lee Satcher was the president of Saint Paul's College in Lawrenceville, Virginia, and was from Lawrenceville. Marian Hanna Satcher, from Calhoun County, Alabama was a graduate from Alabama State University. Robert L. Satcher and Marian H. Satcher had four children - Serena Maria Satcher, a physician, Rodney Levi Satcher, and Robin Leon Satcher. Satcher is the nephew of Admiral
David Satcher David Satcher (born March 2, 1941) is an American physician, and public health administrator. He is a four-star admiral in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and served as the 11th Assistant Secretary for Health, and the ...
, who was the 10th U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health and the 16th U.S. Surgeon General. Satcher began school in
Corvallis, Oregon Corvallis ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Benton County, Oregon, Benton County in central western Oregon, United States. It is the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton Co ...
then to
Hampton Hampton may refer to: Places Australia *Hampton bioregion, an IBRA biogeographic region in Western Australia * Hampton, New South Wales *Hampton, Queensland, a town in the Toowoomba Region * Hampton, Victoria ** Hampton railway station, Melbour ...
, at the Hampton University Laboratory School and Spratley Middle School. Then, his family moved to Denmark, South Carolina. Satcher graduated from a predominantly black Denmark Olar High School in
Denmark, South Carolina Denmark is a city in Bamberg County, South Carolina, United States. The population at the 2010 census is 3,538. Geography Denmark is located in northwest Bamberg County at (33.321173, -81.142289). U.S. Route 78 and U.S. Route 321 cross in De ...
in 1982 as valedictorian.


Early career

He went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in 1986 as well as a
doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...
in Chemical Engineering from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
in 1993. He then went on to study medicine at
Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...
, and received his
medical doctorate A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...
in 1994 through the Harvard–MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology. Satcher did his internship and residency at the
University of California, San Francisco The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Francisco, California, United States. It is part of the University of California system and is dedic ...
from 1995–2000, and postdoctoral research fellowship at
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
in 1998, and an
orthopedic Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternative spelling orthopaedics) is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...
oncology Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's Etymology, etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγ ...
fellowship at the University of Florida from 2000–2001. His specialties are orthopedics and oncology and has contributed to research in adult and child bone cancer. Prior to being accepted into the astronaut program by NASA, Satcher was the Assistant Professor at The
Feinberg School of Medicine The Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, formerly Northwestern Medical School from 1906 to 2002, is the medical school of Northwestern University and is located in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in ...
,
Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...
, in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in 2001. Satcher also held appointments as an Attending Physician in Orthopaedic Surgery at
Children's Memorial Hospital Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, formerly Children's Memorial Hospital and commonly known as Lurie Children's, is a nationally ranked pediatric acute care children's hospital located in Chicago, Illinois. The hospital has ...
in
Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, specializing in Musculoskeletal Oncology; and an Adjunct Appointment in the Biomedical Engineering Department at Northwestern University School of Engineering. Satcher was also a member of the
Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University (Lurie Cancer Center) is a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center located on Northwestern Memorial Hospital's downtown medical campus in ...
and the Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Advanced Medicine at Northwestern University. Satcher was also
Schweitzer Fellow
at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital, in
Lambaréné Lambaréné is a town and the capital of Moyen-Ogooué in Gabon. It has a population of 38,775 as of 2013, and is located 75 kilometres south of the equator. Lambaréné is based in the Central African Rainforest at the river Ogooué. This riv ...
,
Gabon Gabon ( ; ), officially the Gabonese Republic (), is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and ...
. Satcher's experience in engineering includes internships at
DuPont Dupont, DuPont, Du Pont, duPont, or du Pont may refer to: People * Dupont (surname) Dupont, also spelled as DuPont, duPont, Du Pont, or du Pont is a French surname meaning "of the bridge", historically indicating that the holder of the surname re ...
in the Textile Fibers Research Group, and the Polymer Products Division.


NASA career

Satcher names Ronald E. McNair PhD '76, a fellow MIT alumni, who had lost his life in the 1986 Challenger accident as an inspiration. Selected by NASA in May 2004, Satcher completed Astronaut Candidate Training in February 2006. He was trained on scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in shuttle and International Space Systems, physiological training, T-38 flight training and water and wilderness survival training. Satcher later worked on the
STS-129 STS-129 (ISS assembly sequence, ISS assembly flight ULF3) was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). ''Space Shuttle Atlantis, Atlantis'' was launched on November 16, 2009, at 14:28 Eastern Time Zone, EST, and lan ...
mission as a mission specialist. During November 16-29, 2009, Satcher was the first orthopedic oncologist to complete an orbit around Earth on the Space Shuttle
Atlantis Atlantis () is a fictional island mentioned in Plato's works '' Timaeus'' and ''Critias'' as part of an allegory on the hubris of nations. In the story, Atlantis is described as a naval empire that ruled all Western parts of the known world ...
. He was also the first Black male astronaut and physician to act as the crew's medical doctor to the International Space Station on the STS-129 NASA Space Shuttle mission. During this mission, Satcher repaired ISS exterior robotic arms of the ISS and installed an antenna to improve satellite communication and file updates on Twitter. During the mission, he served as a mission specialist studying the influence of space on the immune system, specifically the effects of zero gravity on muscles and bone density. The mission resulted in 4.5 million miles of travel in 171 orbits. Satcher spent over 259 hours in space and participated in two of the three spacewalks, totaling 12hr 19min. File:STS-129 Three astronauts at Harmony.jpg, Satcher and
Leland Melvin Leland may refer to: Places United States * Leland, Illinois, a village * Leland, Iowa, a city * Leland, Michigan, an unincorporated community and census-designated place * Leland, Mississippi, a city * Leland, North Carolina, a town * Lelan ...
floating inside Node 2. Jeff Williams is enjoying a water drink. File:STS-129 Robert Satcher EVA2 Choreographer.jpg, Satcher in the Space Shuttle during
STS-129 STS-129 (ISS assembly sequence, ISS assembly flight ULF3) was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). ''Space Shuttle Atlantis, Atlantis'' was launched on November 16, 2009, at 14:28 Eastern Time Zone, EST, and lan ...
File:STS-129 EVA3 Robert Satcher 2.jpg, Satcher during his EVA


Post-NASA career

Satcher left NASA and joined The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in 2011, in the Department of Orthopaedic Oncology as a surgical oncologist and assistant professor. He researches the treatment of skeletal metastatic disease, soft tissue sarcoma, technology applications for improving surgical outcomes, teleoncology, and intra-operative navigation. He leads institution-wide efforts to create a clinical enterprise for virtual care. He works extensively at M.D. Anderson Cancer Care Center's Global Oncology enterprise that works with international healthcare partners on a construction of a Cancer Center in sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, he co-founded the eHealth Research Institute (eHRI) with Rice University and the
National Space Biomedical Research Institute The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) was a NASA-funded consortium of institutions studying the health risks related to long-duration spaceflight and developing solutions to reduce those risks. The NSBRI was founded in 1997 thr ...
. eHRI aims to improve access to specialized health with the latest research and technology. Dr. Satcher holds primary appointment as an associate professor at the University of Texas and is dual-appointed as an adjunct professor at the Ken Kennedy Institute of Information Technology at
Rice University William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University, is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. Established in 1912, the university spans 300 acres. Rice University comp ...
. In 2012, Satcher was invited to present to the commencement address at the Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina, while also receiving an honorary doctorate. He also received an honorary doctorate from Saint Paul's College in the same year. In 2019, Satcher was the keynote speaker for the Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine Class Day. Satcher has written numerous articles and book chapters over the course of his career. Satcher possesses extensive research, teaching, and practicing experience in the U.S. and has been on mission trips to Gabon, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Venezuela.


Professional qualifications

* American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery * Illinois Medical License * Texas Medical License * Medical Board of California: Physicians and Surgeon's Certificate * National Board of Medical Examiners * DEA Authorization * Medical Board of California: Physician Assistant Supervisor * California Fluoroscopy X-Ray Supervisor and Operator * ATLS and CPR Certifications * Professional Association of Divers International (SCUBA)


Professional organizations

* American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons * Musculoskeletal Tumor Society * American Academy of Cancer Research * Connective Tissue Oncology Society * National Medical Association * Society of Black Academic Surgeons * Doctors United in Medical Missions * National Comprehensive Cancer Network * Orthopaedic Research Society * MIT Alumni Association * Black Alumni at MIT * Harvard Alumni Association * American Telemedicine Organization


Awards and honors

Satcher was a
National Merit Scholar The National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and university scholarships. The program is managed by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a privately funded not-for-profit ...
, and received the Monsanto Award and the Albert G. Hill Award from MIT, fellowships from both the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is an American philanthropic organization. It is the largest one focused solely on health. Based in Princeton, New Jersey, the foundation focuses on access to health care, public health, health equity, ...
and
UNCF UNCF, the United Negro College Fund, also known as the United Fund, is an American philanthropic organization that funds scholarships for black students and general scholarship funds for 37 private historically black colleges and universities. ...
/ Merck Research department, and is a member of the
Tau Beta Pi The Tau Beta Pi Association (commonly Tau Beta Pi, , or TBP) is the oldest engineering honor society and the second oldest collegiate honor society in the United States. It honors engineering students in American universities who have shown a ...
Engineering Honor Society. Additional honors include: * Leadership Fellow of American Academic of Orthopaedic Surgeons * ABC Fellow of American Orthopaedic Association * Bloomberg Leadership Fellow


Non-medical activities and interests

* Big Brother for Youth at Risk Counseling Program, Department of Corrections, San Francisco, California * Tutor for Black Student's Union Tutorial Program, MIT * National Society of Black Engineers * American Institute of Chemical Engineering * Supervising Adult for Cub Scout for Boys, Nashville, Tennessee * Open Airways Tutor (asthma awareness) * Proctor for Freshman Dormitory, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts * Lay Episcopal Minister (primary responsibility is visiting sick and shut-in members of the church) at St. Edmund's Episcopal Church, Chicago, Illinois, and at St. James Episcopal Church, Houston, Texas


Personal life

Satcher was married to D'Juana Oweta White, MPH, MD, who is a pediatrician, at the First Presbyterian Church in
Mt. Vernon, New York Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is an inner suburb of New York City, immediately to the north of the Borough (New York City), borough of the Bronx. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Moun ...
on June 28, 1997. They have one daughter and one son. He enjoys running, scuba diving, and reading.


See also

*
List of African-American astronauts African-American astronauts are Americans of African descent who have been part of an astronaut program, regardless of whether they have traveled into space. African-Americans who have been passengers on space-tourist flights are also included in ...


References


External links

* *
Spacefacts biography of Robert Satcher




{{DEFAULTSORT:Satcher, Robert L. 1965 births Living people Physician astronauts MIT School of Engineering alumni Harvard Medical School alumni University of California, Berkeley fellows University of Florida fellows Northwestern University faculty NASA civilian astronauts People from Hampton, Virginia Space medicine doctors Space Shuttle program astronauts Spacewalkers American orthopedic surgeons