Anthony Llewellyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anthony Llewellyn
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| Born |
John Anthony Llewellyn
22 April 1933 |
| Died | 2 July 2013 (aged 80) Madeira Beach, Florida, U.S.
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| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut candidate | |
| Selection | NASA Group 6 (1967) |
John Anthony Llewellyn (born April 22, 1933 – died July 2, 2013) was a scientist from Wales who later became an American citizen. He was a chemist, a candidate to be a NASA astronaut, and an NOAA aquanaut. An aquanaut is like an astronaut, but for underwater exploration!
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Anthony Llewellyn was born in Cardiff, Wales. He finished Cardiff High School in 1949. He loved science and continued his studies at University College, Cardiff. There, he earned his first degree in 1955. He then went on to get his PhD in chemistry in 1958. A PhD is a very advanced degree. He married Valerie Mya Davies-Jones, and they had three children.
Starting His Career
After finishing his PhD, Dr. Llewellyn moved to Ottawa, Canada. He worked as a researcher at the National Research Council of Canada. In 1960, he moved to Florida State University in the United States. He started as a research associate in the Chemistry Department. Later, he became a professor there.
Diving and Space Training
Dr. Llewellyn learned to dive from the famous explorer Jacques Cousteau. He became the training director for Florida State University's diver program. This was one of the first programs in the U.S. to teach people how to scuba dive. He even certified a young diver named E. Lee Spence in 1964. Spence later became a pioneer in underwater archaeology. Dr. Llewellyn's diving experience was very helpful. It gave him a feeling similar to weightlessness, which prepared him for astronaut training.
Becoming a NASA Astronaut Candidate
In August 1967, NASA chose Dr. Llewellyn as a scientist-astronaut. He was one of only two people chosen who were not U.S. citizens at the time. He began flight training with NASA Astronaut Group 6. However, he found it challenging to fly jets, especially when the cockpit was blacked out. Because of this, he left flight school and resigned from NASA in September 1968.
Life After NASA
In 1971, Dr. Llewellyn joined the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For nearly five years, he was part of a four-person team living on the ocean floor. They lived in a special underwater habitat called Hydrolab in the Bahamas.
Teaching and Research
Also in 1971, Dr. Llewellyn became a full professor. He taught in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Florida. He also led the College of Engineering's computing department. Later, he became the University Director of Academic Computing. He helped start courses in advanced computing and online learning. He retired from his director role in 2007. Until his death, he was a Professor Emeritus in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering. His research focused on new ways to deliver medicines and genes. He shared his work at major science conferences.
Death
Dr. Llewellyn passed away on July 2, 2013, after having a stroke.
