SOCIETY OF NASA FLIGHT SURGEONS
An Affiliate Organization of the Aerospace Medical Association
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GENERAL
The Society of NASA Flight Surgeons (SNFS) is an organization of those flight surgeons and physicians, medical officers and physician-astronauts who are currently on active duty with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) or who have served during one of the previous space missions. Established as an affiliate organization of the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) in 1978, the purpose of the Society is:
- To advance the science, art and identity of space medicine by defining and delineating its province, roles and responsibilities in human exploration of space and by furthering the bases for future developments and performance within the subspecialty.
- To identify and document the historical achievements and precedents of those contributing individuals and their prior programs and for the present and posterity to plan, guide, encourage and otherwise assist development of operational excellence.
- To promote camaraderie within the group and to foster the ideals of prevention, protection and prosperity regarding life and well being of space travelers.
- To identify and effect action to resolve problems associated with future space flight.
SNFS EMBLEM
The SNFS emblem depicts the unity of aspiration and endeavor by all those sharing the stated goals and objectives. The background progresses in a smooth gradation from the light proximal to and surrounding the blue planet earth to the ethereal black of space.
The gold winged motif symbolizes technology from aviation and space progress as well as the Aesculapian staff, entwined by the green serpent, traditional to medicine through the ages. This wing sweeps upward from the left lower figure of the moon, signifying the culmination of aggregated efforts during Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs in the historical manned lunar landings.
A small torroidal space station then appears suggesting the next logical major goal when Shuttle brings the technical capability. Proceeding further in a counterclockwise direction (that of the solar system movements as seen from the Northern Hemisphere) an image of Mars beckons to man for an achievable manned exploration.
There follow the familiar five stars of the Southern Cross separated by the winged Aesculapian staff from its two well recounted bright neighbors, Beta and Alpha Centauri. The latter is identified by the Greek letter Alpha signifying the first, the primary, the epitome. Alpha Centauri, being the nearest known stellar system to the sun, may indeed become the first object attainable beyond the finite solar system.
Finally, and majestically, the Andromeda Nebula, flanked by two lesser island galaxies, looms as a cosmological wisp declaring its unsearchable mysteries open to the hopes and strivings of those who would know them or PER ASPERA AD ASTRA.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The current members of the Executive Committee of the Society of NASA Flight Surgeons are:
President.............................................................Joseph Kerwin, MD
First Vice President...........................................Smith
Second Vice President.......................................Arthur Arnold, MD
Secretary-Treasurer..........................................Sean Roden, MD
Historian.............................................................George Martin, MD
Member-at-Large...............................................Philip Stepaniak, MD
Immediate Past President.................................Philip Scarpa, MD
The W. Randolph Lovelace II Award is presented annually by the Society of NASA Flight Surgeons to promote or commemorate contributions to space medicine.
The President’s Special Award is given at the discretion of the acting President of the Society of NASA Flight Surgeons in recognition of outstanding contributions in support of the Society.
The Executive Committee will annually select an Honorary Member. These Honorary members are distinguished clinicians, scientists, members of foreign space agencies or others who have given noteworthy support to space medicine.
MEMBERSHIP
The Society currently (February 2005) has 125 members and 30 honorary
members.
List of Current Members
Membership in the Society is open to any flight surgeon, physician, medical
officer or physician-astronaut who is currently on active duty with the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) or who has served during
one of the previous space missions. Anyone meeting the criteria for membership
and interested in joining the Society may apply for membership to the Society
of NASA Flight Surgeons by contacting the Secretary-Treasurer, Sean Roden, MD
at POB 68,
Current members may also update their address/email/phone by contacting the
Secretary-Treasurer, Sean Roden, MD.
The Society of NASA Flight Surgeons conducts its annual business meeting and
luncheon during the annual scientific meeting of AsMA.
The 2005 meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 11th
Six NASA physicians, arriving on Saturday evening, 6 May 1978, for the annual scientific sessions of the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) met according to prior plan in the lobby of the New Orleans Hilton and launched an idea long dormant: the formation of a mutual society for the many physicians who had contributed over the years to the manned space programs. In the preceding months they had drafted a proposed constitution and bylaws and had it tentatively ratified by about 35 of the more than 200 eligible physicians.
Those six quickly passed from the idea to hard business and agreed upon a strategy to bring about the Society of NASA Flight Surgeons. They formally endorsed the proposed constitution and bylaws, elected interim officers, and sent a hand written memorandum dated 7 May 1978, to the Executive Council of the AsMA setting forth the ground work already laid and requesting recognition and affiliate membership in the parent organization. The Council acted in the affirmative.
G. Wyckliffe Hoffler, MD
May 12, 1993
Historical List of Branch
Officers
Historical List of Award
Winners/Honorary Members
Historical
List of Flight Surgeon Support for Missions
The Society recently reached an agreement with the Wright State University Fordham Library to archive the records of the Society of NASA Flight Surgeons. Each member is encouraged to review their personal files for potential items for the archives.
To add to the archives, please contact:
Sean Roden, Secretary-Treasurer
POB 68
Email: mailto:Sean.K.Roden@nasa.gov
To access the SNFS Archives, please contact:
Ms. Dawne Dewey
Head of Special Collections and Archives
Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
Email: dawne.dewey@wright.edu
Phone: 937-775-2011
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November 2004 - February 2005 |
Make nominations for election and select award winners and speaker for the next year's meeting |
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February 2005 - March 2005 |
Newsletter, election ballots mailed to all members |
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April 2005 |
Annual Report to AsMA |
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Annual Business Luncheon |
SNFS Emblem Henley T-shirt - $20.00
To order, contact Sean Roden, MD. Checks can be made payable to the Society of NASA Flight Surgeons.
Last Updated: February 2005
by
Phil Scarpa, MD, phone:
321-867-6386, fax: 321-867-2679
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