Dr. Alexander W. Dunlap acquired his doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State University in 1989 and his doctorate in Medicine from the University of Tennessee in 1996.

While attending school at Tennessee he assisted five NASA missions as a veterinarian and scientist. In 1996, Dr. Dunlap served as an Alternate Payload Specialist for the 25th flight of the shuttle, Columbia (STS-90). Payload specialist for NASA Neurolab. The flight was a 16-day research mission that investigated the effects of microgravity on the nervous system.

Currently, Dr. Dunlap is an emergency room physician at St. Bernard’s Hospital in Jonesboro, AR and serves as the Chief Veterinarian for NASA.