PERSONAL DATA: Born December 14, 1960, in Charleston, South Carolina. Married to glass artist Josh Simpson. She enjoys flying, scuba diving, sports and music. As an undergraduate, she competed in intercollegiate athletics on MIT’s crew team. Her mother, Ann L. Doty, resides in Dayton, Ohio. Her father’s family resides in Vancouver, Washington.

EDUCATION: Graduated from W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, Virginia, in 1978; received a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1983 and a doctorate in polymer science and engineering from the University of Massachusetts in 1991.

EXPERIENCE: Coleman was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force in 1983 and began graduate work at the University of Massachusetts. Her research focused on polymer synthesis using the olefin metathesis reaction and polymer surface modification. In 1988, Coleman entered active duty and was assigned to WrightPatterson Air Force Base. As a research chemist at the Materials Directorate of the Wright Laboratory, she synthesized model compounds for optical applications, such as advanced computers and data storage. Coleman also acted as a surface analysis consultant for the Long Duration Exposure Facility (launched from STS-41C in 1984 and retrieved during STS-32 in 1990). In addition to assigned duties, Coleman was a volunteer test subject for the centrifuge program at the Crew Systems Directorate of the Armstrong Aeromedical Laboratory. She set several endurance and tolerance records during her participation in physiological and new equipment studies. Coleman retired from the Air Force in November 2009.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Coleman was selected by NASA in March 1992 and reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1992. Initially assigned to the Astronaut Office Mission Support Branch and detailed to flight software verification in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory, Coleman subsequently served as the special assistant to the Center Director, Johnson Space Center. She served in the Astronaut Office Payloads and Habitability Branch, working with experiment designers to ensure that payloads can be operated successfully in the microgravity environment of low Earth orbit. As the lead astronaut for long-term habitability issues, she led the effort to label the Russian segments of the International Space Station in English and also tracked issues, such as acoustics and living accommodations aboard the station. She served as a CAPCOM in mission control for both the space shuttle and space station for a number of years. She represented the astronaut office on the Tile Repair Team for NASA’s Return to Flight after the Columbia accident. Coleman also served as the Chief of Robotics for the Astronaut Office, tasked with overseeing astronaut robotics training and the integration of crew interfaces into new robotics systems. Coleman led supply ship operations for the Astronaut Office and pioneered efforts to integrate supply operations across NASA and the international and commercial and partners, including Space X, Orbital ATK. As her final assignment at NASA, Coleman led open-innovation and public-private partnership efforts for the Office of the Chief Technologist at NASA Headquarters.

SPACEFLIGHT EXPERIENCE: Coleman has logged more than 4,330 hours in space aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia and the International Space Station.

Cady is the Global Explore in Residence at Arizona State University and co-host of the podcast “Mission Interplanetary.” She’s also a research affiliate at the MIT Media Lab. She serves on several boards, including the Smithsonian Natinal Museum of Natural History, Greenfield Community College and Dent the Future.