Leland D . Melvin Leland Devon Melvin ( February 15 , 1964 , Lynchburg , Virginia ) is an American engineer and a NASA astronaut . He served on board the Space Shuttle " Atlantis " as a mission specialist on STS - 122 , and as mission specialist 1 on STS - 129 . Melvin was named the NASA Associate Administrator for Education in October 2010 . Melvin attended the Heritage High School and then went on to the University of Richmond on a football scholarship , where he received a bachelor ' s degree in Chemistry . In 1991 he received a Master of Science degree in Materials Science Engineering , from the University of Virginia . His parents , Deems and Grace Melvin , reside in Lynchburg , Virginia . His recreational interests include photography , piano , reading , music , cycling , tennis , and snowboarding . Melvin recently appeared as an elimination challenge guest judge in the 12th episode of " Top Chef " ( season 7 ) and with his dogs in the 7th season of the The Dog Whisperer . Football career . Leland Melvin was a wide receiver on the University of Richmond football team from 1982 - 85 . Melvin is first on University of Richmond ' s career lists with 198 receptions for , and fourth on Richmond ' s career touchdown receptions list with 16 . He was an AP honorable mention All - America selection in 1984 and 1985 and second team Apple Academic All - America in 1985 . A team captain during his senior season , Melvin had his best year in 1985 , with 65 catches for and eight TDs . His top game was in 1984 against James Madison University , when he had 10 catches for and one touchdown . Melvin caught at least one pass in every game he played as a Richmond Spider ( 39 ) . He was inducted into the University of Richmond Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Class of 1996 - 97 and selected for the All - UR Stadium Team in 2009 , which commemorates the greatest Spiders to have played at the stadium in its 81 year history . Melvin was chosen by the Detroit Lions in the 11th round of the 1986 NFL Draft , as a wide receiver . During training camp , he pulled his hamstring and was released from the team . He reported to the Dallas Cowboys the following spring but pulled his hamstring a second time , officially ending his professional football career . He also participated in the Toronto Argonauts football training camp . Melvin began working in Nondestructive Evaluation Sciences Branch at NASA Langley Research Center in 1989 . His responsibilities included using optical fiber sensors to measure strain , temperature , and chemical damage in both composite and metallic structures . In 1994 , he was selected to lead the Vehicle Health Monitoring team for the cooperative Lockheed / NASA X - 33 Reusable Launch Vehicle program . In 1996 , he co - designed and monitored construction of an optical NDE facility capable of producing in - line fiber optic sensors . Selected as an astronaut in June 1998 , Melvin reported for training in August 1998 . He has since been assigned to the Astronaut Office Space Station Operations Branch , and the Education Department at NASA Headquarters , Washington , D . C . As co - manager of NASA ' s Educator Astronaut Program , Leland Melvin has traveled across the country , discussing space exploration with teachers and students , and promoting science , technology , engineering and mathematics . He next served in the Robotics Branch of the Astronaut Office . Melvin flew two missions on the Space Shuttle " Atlantis " : as a mission specialist on STS - 122 ( February 7 – 20 , 2008 ) , and as mission specialist 1 on STS - 129 ( November 16 – 27 , 2009 ) .