Serena M. Auñón

Serena Maria Auñón (M.D., M.P.H.) (born April 9, 1976 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American physician, engineer, and NASA astronaut.

Education
Auñón holds a B.S in Electrical Engineering from George Washington University, a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston, Texas (2001), and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in 2006.

Medical career
Auñón was hired by NASA as a flight surgeon and spent over nine months in Russia supporting medical operations for International Space Station astronauts. She served as the deputy crew surgeon for STS-127 and Expedition 22. She also serves as the deputy lead for Orion – Medical Operations.

She received the 2009 Julian E. Ward Memorial Award from the Aerospace Medical Association for her contributions to spaceflight crewmember clinical care.

NASA career
Auñón was selected as an astronaut candidate in June 2009. She completed the astronaut candidacy training program in 2011. In June 2012, Auñón piloted a DeepWorker 2000 submersible as part of the NASA/NOAA NEEMO 16 underwater exploration mission off Key Largo, Florida.

In July 2015, Auñón participated as an aquanaut in the NEEMO 20 crew.

Personal life
Auñón married physicist, Jeff Chancellor and has a step daughter named Serafina Chancellor. Auňón and Chancellor currently live in League City, Texas. Auñón's father is Dr. Jorge Auñón, a Cuban exile who arrived in the United States in 1960. Her mother is Ms. Margaret Auñón.