Biography
Name: Sean Kevin Roden
Born: Midland, Texas
Residence: Bryan, Texas
Name: Sean Kevin Roden
Born: Midland, Texas
Residence: Bryan, Texas
Sean Roden as Flight Surgeon at NASA Mission Control Center
Sean Roden by a DA40 Diamond Star
Sean Roden in a C-17 Globemaster III
The Rodens in Space, courtesy of Ed Lu aboard the International Space Station in 2003
Sean Roden beside a T-38 Talon with Rick Hull
Sean Roden taking part in the NASA Reduced Gravity Research Program
Graduated from Midland High School in 1983; received associates degree in paramedic technology from Austin Community College Austin, Texas; received bachelor of arts in kinesiology and exercise physiology from The University of Texas at Austin – Austin, Texas; received master of science in genetics from The University of Texas Permian Basin - Odessa, Texas; received his doctor of medicine from The University of Texas Medical Branch - Galveston, Texas.
Post doctoral work included Externship with the “Royal Flying Doctor Service” and “The Australian Rural Health Service” Yuendumu Aboriginal Nation, Northern Territory, Alice Springs, Australia. Residency in Emergency Medicine at Scott & White Hospital in Temple, Texas and a Fellowship in Aerospace Medicine at NASA / UTMB Galveston, Texas
After graduating postdoctoral training from Scott & White, he returned to Midland, Texas and practiced emergency medicine. He also practiced in rural West Texas along the border, Central Texas, and the Big Bend region. He developed the Texas Flying Doctors and was an F.A.A. aviation medical examiner practicing from his clinic on the family ranch. He supported the ranching community that utilized aircraft for operations. During this time he also supported the Commemorative Air Force as medical director in 1999.
Aviation experience: 3rd class airman medical certificate and Class III Air Force medical certificate, Private pilots license (single engine land) complex aircraft endorsement, unusual attitudes endorsement, T-38 configured centrifuge profile to 7.5 G, parachute training, ejection seat training: Air Force, Navy and NASA. He has logged 350 hours in over 15 aircraft.
Dive experience: Basic, Advanced Open Water, and Aquanaut (Underwater Habitat) PADI Certification, PADI Rescue Diver, Nitrox-NAUI, Semi-Closed Rebreather-TDI, Advanced Open Water PADI Certification. NBL Nitrox certified. Hyperbaric Introduction Course PADI, Chamber dives 10 hours Max Depth 165 fsw. Recognition and Treatment of Diving Casualties NDSTC/USN. Hyperbaric Medical Officer/USN. He has logged 250 dives.
Selected to the NASA/UTMB aerospace medicine fellowship in 2000. He completed his masters of public health and was deployed to Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia to support crew training operations. He was selected as deputy crew surgeon for Expedition 7 in 2002. He supported Expedition 8 landing operations as the NASA/DOD liaison flight surgeon in Kustani, Kazakhstan 2003. He was the lead flight surgeon for Expedition 10 and selected as lead flight surgeon for ISS medical operations in 2004. NASA training includes; International Space Station Primary Flight Surgeon course, United Space Alliance Flight Training Academy Parts I, II, III, and IV, Space Shuttle Crash Investigation, Air Force Aerospace Medicine Primary Flight Surgeon, Navy Hyperbaric Medical Officer, Space Operations Medical Training Course, Air Force Critical Care Air Transport Team.
In December of 2006 he left the ISS lead position to begin training for STS support missions including: Ascent and Entry Surgeon for STS-118, Deputy Crew Surgeon for STS 120, Crew Surgeon for STS 10 A stage. He was the deputy flight surgeon for AOD, training and is a medical officer in the C-9 Reduced gravity flight program. He was selected to NEEMO XII and XIII as back up crewmember. In May of 2008 he left NASA for private practice in Bryan / College Station.