WINGS Speaker Series: Inspiring Interview featuring Dr. Bonnie Dunbar with Col. Terry Wilcutt

Fourth Saturday of Each Month @ 11:30 am

Be inspired by women in aviation and STEM sharing their journeys in their fields of expertise and addressing the importance of innovation, curiosity, and perseverance. This interview-style program between the expert(s) and moderator encourages audience engagement. Young women and girls interested in aviation and STEM are encouraged to attend to soak up the wisdom shared by the trailblazing women who came before. Free with museum admission and open to all audiences.

July 26, 2025

Dr. Bonnie Dunbar & Col. Terry Wilcutt, astronauts on the Space Shuttles Atlantis and Endeavor

Dr. Dunbar is a retired NASA astronaut, engineer and educator. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in ceramic engineering from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in mechanical/biomedical engineering from the University of Houston. She worked for The Rockwell International Space Division Company building Space Shuttle Columbia and worked for 27 years at NASA, first as a flight controller; then as a mission specialist astronaut, where she flew five space shuttle flights, logging more than 50 days in space. Dr. Dunbar is currently with Texas A&M Engineering as a Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering. Col. Wilcutt is a United States Marine Corps officer and retired NASA astronaut. He earned a degree in mathematics and taught high school math for two years before joining the Marine Corps. He earned his wings in 1978 and attended the Navy Fighter Weapons School, also known as “TOPGUN”. In 1986, Wilcutt was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Pilot School. He has over 6,600 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft. During his military service, he was assigned to several aviation roles, including maneuvering instructor and test pilot. Col. Wilcutt was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1990 and served as both space shuttle pilot and space shuttle commander. He piloted missions STS-68 (1994), Space Radar Lab, and STS-79 (1996), Shuttle/MIR Program. Wilcutt commanded mission STS-89 (1998) Shuttle/MIR Program to the Mir space station, and STS-106 (2000) to the International Space Station. Wilcutt served in a variety of leadership, technical, and operational positions within the astronaut office. Including, serving as NASA’s Director of Operations in Star City, Russia for 6 months in 1998-1999. Beginning Sept 1, 2011, Wilcutt served as NASA’s Chief of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA HQs in Washington DC. In that role, he was responsible for the development, implementation and oversight of all safety and mission assurance policies and procedures for all NASA programs. After his shuttle missions, he was NASA’s chief of safety and mission assurance before retiring from NASA in 2020. Col. Wilcutt has had an incredible career full of adventure and accomplishments, including over 11 special honors.