A NASA astronaut sang the national anthem before the NCAA championship game, but who is she?

HOUSTON – A NASA astronaut sang the national anthem before the NCAA National Championship game played by UConn and San Diego State Monday night, but who is she?

Meet Tracy Caldwell Dyson, Ph.D.

Arcadia, California native Tracy Caldwell Dyson, Ph.D., began working as a NASA astronaut in 1998. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from California State University, Fullerton in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California at Davis, (UC Davis) in 1997, according to NASA’s website.

Throughout her career, Dyson has designed, constructed and implemented electronics and hardware associated with the study of atmospheric gas phase chemistry, and has developed and presented several papers on methods of chemical ionization for the spectral interpretation of trace compounds.

Dyson served as a Mission Specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavor on STS-118. In 2010, she served as Flight Engineer for Expedition 23/24. She has logged more than 188 days in space, including over 22 hours in three spacewalks, NASA said.

Dyson was a recipient of the NASA Space Flight Medal in 2007 and 2010. She also received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 2010.

Did you miss her performance? Watch it here.

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