Deborah E. Dooley is an honorably discharged veteran of both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard, with over ten years of active duty service and six years of reserve duty including; three years underway treaty enforcement in the Bering Strait on a high-endurance cutter, 12-months isolated duty operating a LORAN-C station on Kure Island, and two tours of duty during the Persian Gulf War (Desert Storm) and Iraqi Freedom with the 250th Artillery Regiment in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. Ms. Dooley was awarded a Special Operations Medal in 1991, and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant, Communications – Electronics Staff Officer in the California National Guard in 1997.

A graduate of Cogswell Polytechnic College with a degree in Electronics Engineering and Computer Systems, Ms. Dooley also holds degrees in Engineering Technology and Comparative Literature and several professional certifications. She earned a Masters degree in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota in 2009, and is a charter graduate of the Daniels School of Business 30-week collaborative program, “Execution in a Program Management Enterprise.”

Ms. Dooley is a PhD candidate at the University of Denver, her research focuses on the development of cognitive systems and assistive robotics for the elderly. She is an accomplished classical guitarist, a successful restaurateur, licensed Private Pilot and FCC Radio Operator, as well as a certified International High-Speed Morse Code operator, certified Sky Diver, Wilderness Trekking instructor, and a certified Master SCUBA Diver and PADI Divemaster. Deborah has received five Presidential Volunteer Service Awards (two Silvers and three Bronzes) from the President’s Council on Service & Civic Participation, for her community service in California, New York, and Colorado.

After military service, Deborah spent seven years as an International Oceanic Air Traffic Controller; five years as mission-essential civilian personnel attached to the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron, Osan AFB, ROK, four years as a Nuclear Power Generation Engineer for Advanced Boiling Water Reactors, a year designing and testing underwater digital video housings and High-Intensity Discharge lighting systems for underwater cinematography, and four years at Lockheed Martin Skunkworks on various advanced development programs.

Deborah is currently employed by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, in the Civil Space Division, on the NASA Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) as an electrical integrator. Her responsibilities on MPCV include horizontal integration of subsystems (GN&C, ECLSS, Avionics, etc), and engineering analysis of the design, and performance of external & internal electrical interfaces. She aspires to earn a second PhD in Space Studies, SCUBA dive in Antarctica, solo hike the Appalachian Trail, become a space tourist, ride her bicycle self-supported across North America, and retire in the South of France (Hawaii would be ok, too). When time permits, Deborah enjoys sleeping.

Svetlana Shkolyar graduated from the Space Studies distance program in May 2011 with a Master of Science degree. She received a BS in Physics and an MA in Science Track Mass Communication prior to her studies at UND. She has experience in chemical sensor laboratory research at UNF, solar physics and astronomy at UND as a distance thesis student, and in astrobiology at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. She has also spent time writing about science for various publications and doing outreach for NASA Goddard. Her future plans are to pursue a PhD in astrobiology and continue inspiring the public through communication and outreach activities.

Jim Weichold graduated from the Space Studies program at the University of North Dakota in 2006. Prior to that he received an AAS degree in Electronic Engineering Technology and a BS in Physics. After receiving his BS he entered the United States Air Force and retired from the Air Force in 2007. At that point he worked at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center as a test/metrology engineer and a laboratory manager. With the retirement of the Space Shuttle he was laid off at his position at NASA and shortly after that started his own aerospace company working contracts for companies such at Lockheed Martin.