Topic: Leroy Chiao

Dr. Leroy Chiao (born August 28, 1960) is an American engineer, former NASA astronaut, entrepreneur, motivational speaker and engineering consultant. Chiao flew on three shuttle flights, and was the commander of Expedition 10, where he lived on board the International Space Station from October 13, 2004 to April 24, 2005.

Chiao was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and raised in Danville, California. Chiao graduated from Monte Vista High School in Danville in 1978. In 1983 he received a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. He earned a master of science degree and then a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1985 and 1987, respectively.

Chiao’s father (Tsu Tao Chiao) grew up in Shandong Province in China; his mother, Dr. Cherry Chiao, was born in Tsingtao and grew up in Suzhou. After World War II, both fled to Taiwan, where they met and married. His parents immigrated to the United States in the 1950’s. In an interview with a reporter from the China Daily newspaper, Chiao revealed that his radio call name in space is "Shandong", from the name of the province in China where he still has family members.