Carolyn Huntoon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carolyn Huntoon
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Huntoon in 1994
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Carolyn Leach
August 25, 1940 Leesville, Louisiana, United States
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| Occupation | Scientist |
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| Spouse(s) | Harrison Hibbert Huntoon |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Buddy Leach (brother) |
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Carolyn Leach Huntoon (born August 25, 1940) is an American scientist and a former government leader. She is famous for being the first woman to lead the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. She held this important role from 1994 to 1996. Later, she served as an assistant secretary at the Department of Energy from 1999 to 2001.
Contents
Carolyn Huntoon's Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Louisiana
Carolyn Leach was born in Leesville, Louisiana, on August 25, 1940. She grew up with four sisters and an older brother. Her brother, Buddy Leach, later served in the United States House of Representatives. Carolyn finished Leesville High School in 1958.
Her Path to Becoming a Scientist
In September 1958, Carolyn started college at Northwestern State College in Natchitoches, Louisiana. She earned her Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in August 1962. After that, she became a medical technologist at Ochsner Foundation Hospital.
She continued her studies at the University of Texas at Houston for a year. Then, she went to Baylor College of Medicine. There, she earned her Master of Science (MS) degree in 1966 and her PhD in 1968. For her master's project, Carolyn studied a hormone called aldosterone. This hormone helps control salt in the body. This research was very interesting to National Air and Space Administration (NASA). Astronauts often had problems with body fluids and salts during spaceflight.
After getting her PhD, she received a special fellowship. This allowed her to study how space travel affected astronauts' bodies at NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas.
Carolyn Huntoon's Career at NASA
Joining the Space Program
Carolyn Huntoon joined NASA in 1970. She became the head of the Endocrine Laboratory. This lab was part of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory. Her team performed important tests on astronauts before and after their Project Apollo missions. During the Project Skylab missions, some of the experiments she had designed were carried out in space. Carolyn later married Harrison Hibbert Huntoon, and they had a daughter named Sally Ann.
In 1974, she became the head of the Endocrine and Biochemistry Laboratories. The Manned Spacecraft Center was renamed the Johnson Space Center in 1973. By 1977, she was the chief of the Biomedical Laboratories Branch.
Supporting Women Astronauts
Carolyn Huntoon was chosen to be on the selection panel for NASA Astronaut Group 8. This was the first time women were selected to become astronauts. In 1978, six women were chosen. This doubled the number of women in technical jobs at the Johnson Space Center. As one of the most senior women there, Carolyn became a role model. She helped prepare the center for women astronauts. She also became the main contact for any issues the women astronauts faced. She continued to serve on astronaut selection panels until 1994.
Leading Through Challenges
From 1984 to 1987, Carolyn Huntoon was the Associate Director of the Space and Life Sciences Directorate. During this time, she helped manage the difficult period after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. She provided steady leadership during a tough time.
In 1987, she became the Director of the Space and Life Sciences Directorate. This meant she was in charge of over 1,200 scientists, engineers, and doctors. Her team developed equipment for living in space, like food and medical supplies. They also studied how space travel affected humans.
First Woman to Lead a NASA Center
In 1994, Carolyn Huntoon made history. She became the director of the Johnson Space Center. She was the first woman ever to lead any NASA center! In this role, she was responsible for 15,000 workers. They supported 13 successful Space Shuttle missions. They also worked on developing what would become the International Space Station. From 1996 to 1998, she worked in Washington, DC, as NASA's representative in the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Carolyn Huntoon's Government Career
Carolyn Huntoon left NASA in 1998. She then joined George Washington University. The next year, President Bill Clinton nominated her for a new role. She became the Assistant Secretary for the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management.
In this job, she oversaw the cleanup of nuclear weapons sites across the United States. There were 113 such sites in 30 states. She also managed the DOE's offices at places like the Idaho National Laboratory and the Hanford Site. After the 2000 presidential election, President George W. Bush asked her to stay on for a while. She agreed to help until a new person could take over. She retired in the summer of 2001 and moved to Barrington, Rhode Island. Her husband passed away in April 2021.
Awards and Honors for Carolyn Huntoon
Carolyn Huntoon has received many awards for her amazing work.
- In 1974, she was given the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal.
- She received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1985.
- The NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal followed in 1989.
- In 1992, she earned the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.
- She also received the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive in 1994.
In 2003, she was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame. In September 2014, the Women in Aerospace organization gave her a lifetime achievement award. This award recognized her "sustained and exemplary leadership at NASA, the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Department of Energy." It also honored her scientific contributions and her dedication to mentoring astronauts and other aerospace professionals.
