The 2016 ASEF Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Dr. Ronald M. Sega, a Slovenian-American Professor at Colorado State University and a retired NASA astronaut for unwavering and exemplary leadership in furthering educational opportunity internationally.

Ronald come from a Slovenian immigrant family. He received a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and physics from the United States Air Force Academy in 1974, a master of science degree in physics from Ohio State University in 1975, and a doctorate in electrical engineering from University of Colorado at Boulder in 1982. He published more than 50 scientific articles.

Sega became an astronaut in July 1991 after selection in 1990. From November 1994 to March 1995, Sega was the NASA Director of Operations, Star City, Russia (The Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center) responsible for managing NASA activities at Star City. These activities involved building an organization and infrastructure to support astronaut and cosmonaut mission and science training for flight on the Russian Space Station Mir. He also participated in training on Russian Space Systems and was the first American to train in the Russian EVA suit (Orlan) in their underwater facility (Hydrolaboratory). A veteran of two space flights (STS-60 in 1994 and STS-76 in 1996), Sega logged over 420 hours in space.

He received 2016 ASEF Lifetime Achievement Award during ASEF Gala 2016, organised by ASEF Fundation - the American Slovenian Education Foundation that supports a broadly diverse community of highly talented, prospective students to build a community of educators and leaders of excellence, character and service.

Source: Wikipedia, ASEF

Photo: Wikimedia