(Retired) Program Manager, NASA
B.S. AE 1957, The University of Texas at Austin
M.S. Engineering Administration 1965, Southern Methodist University
Ph.D. Public Administration 1988, University of Colorado Boulder
Humboldt “Hum” Mandell Jr. held NASA executive positions in the Space Shuttle, Space Station, and planetary exploration programs. In the 1990s, Mandell was the manager of NASA’s Mars/Moon Exploration Program (EXPO) and also served as NASA liaison to the office of the Governor of Texas, the Texas Space Grant Consortium and the UT Center for Space Research.
He received his bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, a master’s of science in engineering administration from Southern Methodist University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado.
Mandell twice received NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal for leading design teams on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. For these efforts, he was also awarded the NASA Outstanding Manager Award (AMA) and NASA Exceptional Achievement Awards.
Since his retirement from NASA, Mandell has been a Research Fellow at The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Space Research. There, he is currently leading projects that include a summer program for exceptional high school students from across the nation working on real-life NASA programs here at UT and a Design Challenge for teams of college students from across Texas who compete for prizes in designing actual hardware for NASA. He is also a consultant to the aerospace industry.
Mandell is a past president of the Texas Exes student association, where he has endowed two scholarships.
A United States Air Force Veteran, Mandell has three daughters and four grandchildren. He is a member of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and currently resides in Austin.
