Astronaut Hawley to join KU faculty / LJWorld.com

Archive for Thursday, February 28, 2008

February 28, 2008

Steve Hawley had two dreams growing up: to be an astronomer and to be an astronaut.

He's got one of those goals down, and now he's coming back to Lawrence and Kansas University to become an astronomer. The 1973 physics and astronomy graduate of KU has been a NASA astronaut since 1978, heading into space five times.

Sometime after May, Hawley will return to KU to teach in the department from which he graduated.

"You only get a chance to make a hire like this once or twice in a lifetime," KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway said. "He will be a huge addition to the faculty."

Hemenway and Hawley went on a trip around the state announcing his return to Kansas and to KU. In Topeka, Hawley received a resounding welcome from the state Senate.

He also appeared in Salina and at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson.

Hawley, a Salina native, received a doctoral degree from the University of California. He said one of his primary missions in Kansas would be to promote the benefits of advanced scientific degrees to students across the state.

"KU gave me a great start in life," Hawley said. "I always said if I ever got the chance, I'd return to Kansas and be an astronomer again."

Hawley will remain a NASA employee until May and then anticipates moving back to Lawrence. He expects to begin teaching this fall.

Staff writer Scott Rothschild contributed to this report.