Dr. Irene Duhart Long was the first woman and the first minority member to hold the position of chief medical officer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and also the first African American to serve in the center’s Senior Executive Service. These honors were just two of many firsts in her 31-year career at NASA.
While she was breaking barriers in her own life, she was also committed to giving others more opportunities. She helped create the Spaceflight and Life Sciences Training Program at Kennedy in partnership with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, a program that encouraged more women and minority students to consider careers in science. She also motivated and mentored her coworkers and took a keen interest in their careers at NASA.
“One of Irene Long’s admirable qualities was her inclusion mentality toward women in the workplace,” said Patricia Bell, a counselor at Kennedy Employee Assistance. “She was a pioneer in women’s advocacy.” Long helped coordinate a women’s education forum that focused on health, mental wellness and other topics of interest to women. Long died on August 4, 2020, at the age of 69.
On Women’s Equality Day, read more about Dr. Long’s legacy at NASA.
Photo credit: NASA
