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Neurologist and space medicine expert Dr. Jonathan Clark to deliver Marietta College Fall 2025 Krause Science Lecture

Marietta, OH (10/22/2025) — Marietta College will welcome Dr. Jonathan Clark, a renowned neurologist and space medicine expert, to deliver the Fall 2025 Krause Science Lecture. His presentation, "Enhancing Health, Safety, and Resilience in Space and Beyond," will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 29, from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Alma McDonough Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public, and no tickets are required.

Dr. Clark's career in space medicine was deeply influenced by the 2003 NASA Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, which claimed the life of his wife, NASA astronaut Dr. Laurel Clark, along with six other astronauts. As a NASA flight surgeon, Clark contributed to the investigation of the disaster, an experience that continues to shape his professional career.

Over the past two decades, Dr. Clark has combined his academic interests, his military experience, and his biomedical expertise to examine a wide range of topics. His work expands beyond space and aeronautical explorations. In his Krause Science Lecture, Clark will discuss how issues of health, safety, and resilience inform a broad spectrum of exploration. From high altitude free fall to Mars missions, to interpersonal and organizational leadership, Clark will consider the ways exploration is intricately tied to the human condition and the lessons we can learn about resilience and flourishing.

Clark, adjunct associate professor of neurology and space medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, brings decades of aerospace, medical, and military experience, including 26 years of active-duty service in the U.S. Navy. He has served as a U.S. naval flight officer, flight surgeon, diver, U.S. Army parachutist, and special forces free-fall parachutist. Clark's military assignments ranged from heading research facilities and the neurology and hyperbaric medicine divisions at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute to combat medical evacuation missions with the U.S. Marine Corps during Operation Desert Storm.

Clark spent eight years at NASA's Johnson Space Center, where he was a space shuttle crew surgeon on six missions, chief of the Medical Operations Branch, and a senior Federal Aviation Administration aeromedical examiner. He also played key roles on NASA research and advisory teams dedicated to spacecraft safety, EVA systems, and space medicine. Additionally, he served as a space medicine advisor for the National Space Biomedical Research Institute for more than a decade.

Clark's professional interests focus on the neurologic effects of extreme environments, crew resilience, and crew survival in space. He has served as chief medical officer for Excalibur Almaz and for the Inspiration Mars Foundation, as well as medical director for the Red Bull Stratos project, which achieved the highest stratospheric free-fall parachute jump in history. Clark is an experienced space medicine consultant, working alongside commercial space companies, including Space Perspective, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic, on human performance and safety in commercial spaceflight. He is board-certified in neurology and aerospace medicine and is a fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association.

"We are honored to have Dr. Clark join us as the 2025 Krause Lecturer. His broad interests in science and the human condition align perfectly with those of the late Dr. Richard Krause," said Dr. Mark Miller, professor of mathematics & computer science. "Dr. Krause's pioneering work with infectious diseases opened new frontiers in medicine and public health. It is in this spirit of discovery and exploration that Dr. Clark applies his expertise with equal parts warmth and passion."

In addition to the evening lecture, Dr. Clark will participate in Marietta College's Physics Colloquium Series earlier that day, giving a presentation, "Effects of Space and High-Altitude Exploration on the Human Body," at noon in the Selby 150 lecture hall of the Rickey Science Center. His visit will also coincide with the Discover Careers of the Future Day, an outreach program coordinated by Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C) that invites area high school students interested in STEM to explore science and space-related fields through hands-on activities with Marietta College faculty and students.

The Krause Lecture Series, established in 2002, is supported by gifts from the late Dr. Richard M. Krause '47, the son of E.L. and Jennie Mae Krause. Dr. Krause served on the College's Board of Trustees for 22 years and was a renowned physician, microbiologist, immunologist, and former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. For more information about the Krause Lecture Series, contact Dr. Mark Miller, professor of mathematics and computer science, at 740-376-4811, or visit marietta.edu/event/krause-lecture-features-dr-jonathan-clark.

About Marietta College

Located in Marietta, Ohio, at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, Marietta College is a four-year liberal arts college. Chartered in 1835, today Marietta College serves a body of about 1,000 full-time graduate and undergraduate students. The College is consistently ranked as one of the top regional comprehensive colleges by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, Forbes.com, Wall Street Journal/College Pulse and other rankings. marietta.edu/rankings-success

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