McNair Scholars Program

Who was Ronald E. McNair, Jr.?

Ronald E. McNair, Jr., was born 1950 in Salt Lake City, South Carolina, to Carl and Pearl McNair. He graduated from Carver High School in South Carolina, in 1967 and then attended North Carolina A & T State University graduating in 1971 with a degree in physics. Dr. McNair received a doctor of philosophy in Physics specializing in laser physics in 1976 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Dr. McNair continued his studies in laser physics at E'cole D'ete Theorique de Physique, Les Houches, France, followed by joining the staff of Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California. As a physicist, Dr. McNair developed lasers for isotope separation and photochemistry. He also conducted extensive research on the construction of ultra fast infrared detectors and scientific foundations for the martial arts. 

Having been accepted as a member of the NASA astronaut corp., Dr. McNair flew as a mission specialist on STS 41-B, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, February 3, 1984. Almost two years later, January 28, 1986, Dr. McNair was a mission specialist aboard the Orbiter Challenger launched from the Kennedy Space Center. One minute and thirteen seconds into launch, Dr. McNair, Commander Francis R. Scobee, pilot Michael J. Smith, Lieutenant Colonel E. S. Onizuka, Mission Specialist Dr. J. A. Resnik, and two civilian payload specialists, G. B. Jarvis and Christie McAuliffe, the Challenger exploded. This tragedy led to a program providing opportunities for thousands of students to attend graduate school and secure a doctorate.