Peggy Whitson became the first NASA ISS Science Officer on June 5, 2002.
On June 5, 2002, Peggy Whitson was named NASA's first International Space Station Science Officer, a groundbreaking position where she was responsible for leading scientific research aboard the ISS. This role enabled her to orchestrate an array of experimental studies that expanded the knowledge boundaries in life sciences and microgravity research. Whitson's pioneering work as Science Officer established a framework through which future science personnel would operate, underscoring NASA's commitment to furthering scientific exploration in space.