Leland Devon Melvin 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 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 appeared as an elimination challenge guest judge in the 12th episode of Top Chef and with his dogs in the 7th season of the The Dog Whisperer. He is the president of the Spaceship Earth Grants, a public benefit corporation whose mission is to make space more accessible through human spaceflight and parabolic flight awards to individual applicants. 

February 15th, 1964 in Lynchburg (Age 60)