LELAND MELVIN is a space thought leader, astronaut, engineer, educator, and former NFL wide receiver for the Detroit Lions.
     Leland is the first person drafted into the National Football League to have also flown in space.
     He was featured on National Geographic's One Strange Rock, hosted by Will Smith, where he explained how his brain repaired itself after an injury that left him deaf and almost stopped him from ever going to space.
     Even after being medically disqualified to fly in space by NASA flight surgeons, Leland completed two Space Shuttle missions to help build the International Space Station.
     Served as the co-chair of the White House's Federal Coordination in STEM Education Task Force, developing the nation's 5-year plan for STEM education.
     His memoir, Chasing Space, shares his personal journey from the gridiron to the stars, examining the intersecting roles of community, perseverance, and grace that align to create opportunities for success.
     Leland served as a consultant on National Geographic's second season of Mars. 

 Topics 

 Motivational
 TED Speakers Astronaut
 Thought Leaders
 Team Building
 Disability
 Adventure & Exploration
 Diversity⸒ Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
 Education
 Innovation
 Black History & Culture
 Science & Technology