N. Wayne Hale Jr. 

N. Wayne Hale Jr. earned his master's degree in mechanical engineering in 1978. Following graduation, Hale joined NASA as a propulsion officer at the Johnson Space Center. Over the next decade, he advanced through the ranks, eventually serving as a flight director in Mission Control for 41 Space Shuttle missions. Later, Hale relocated to the Kennedy Space Center, where he was deputy manager of the Space Shuttle program, responsible for overall management, integration and operation. Throughout his career, Hale received numerous honors, including NASA's Outstanding Leadership Medal and Exceptional Service Medal. Purdue presented Hale with a Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award in 2011.