Online university hires former astronaut to run School of Science and Technology

Online university hires former astronaut to run School of Science and Technology

Officials at American Public University System (APUS), an accredited online education provider, have announced that the school has hired former NASA astronaut Jim "JR" Reilly as dean of the School of Science and Technology.

Reilly will build up the faculty in the school while directly managing several programs including math, environmental science and space studies.

"We are extremely pleased that JR has joined the faculty at APUS," said Karan Powell, senior vice president at APUS.

"His first-hand knowledge of aerospace and extensive research in geosciences will greatly enhance student experience at [the school]," she added. "We look forward to his continued contributions to our growing university system."

Before joining APUS, Reilly had a long career at NASA where he logged over 800 hours in space. He also served as the curriculum developer and instructor for the U.S. Navy in Space Operations.

Today, nearly 4 million students are taking online courses and earning online college degrees. At the secondary school level, over 700,000 high school students are taking one or more courses online and nearly 40 states have established state-led virtual schools.