Science Friday highlights MAE alumnus George Pantalos' out-of-this-world research

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MAE alumnus George Pantalos (left) and his colleagues from Carnegie Mellon University tested methods to safely conduct surgeries in a zero-gravity environment with their aqueous immersion surgical system (AISS). Photo credit: NASA.


On the latest Science Friday episode, which aired on Nov. 17, MAE alumnus George Pantalos ('75 BS, '78 MS, '83 PhD) discussed the possibility of bringing medical care to space. He was joined by author Andy Weir, who engineered a lunar city in his new book, "Artemis.


Click here to listen to Dr. Pantalos' feature on Science Friday.

He is introduced at the 10:30 minute mark.


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MAE alumnus George Pantalos even represents his Buckeye pride in zero-gravity. (Photo credit: NASA)
As shared by Science Friday, "Andy Weir researched how to smelt aluminum in space, combat fire hazards in an enclosed moonbase and run a lunar city’s economy in the world of Artemis. Weir discusses how wealthy tourists and day-to-day workers navigate life in this fictional urbanized moon."

Dr. Pantalos served as the subject-matter expert for the Nov. 17 segment and shared how his work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is making it possible for future surgeries to be conducted in space.

Dr. Pantalos is a three-time Ohio State graduate. He earned his bachelor's degree in aeronautics and astronautics engineering in 1975, his master's degree in biomedical engineering in 1978 and a PhD in physiology in 1983.

Today, he is a professor of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery and a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Louisville. Dr. Pantalos’ work with NASA explores cardiovascular adaptation during the weightlessness of space flight and the return to Earth. He has participated in 43 parabolic flight research missions and 27 research missions on the NASA Zero-G airplane. Dr. Pantalos led the development of a cardiovascular experiment that included an artificial heart, which has flown twice on the Space Shuttle Discovery.

He is a member of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering's External Advisory Board and was named the department's 2017 recipient of the Rudolph Edse Award in Space Engineering.

 

Category: Alumni