Biography: Astronaut, alum, and retired Air Force Colonel E. Michael Fincke (SB ‘89) has returned home to MIT. Following his departure from NASA after a 30-year career that included four spaceflights totaling 549 days in space and nine spacewalks, Col. Fincke officially joined the faculty of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics as a full-time Professor of the Practice on September 1, 2026. Joining the Human Systems Laboratory (HSL), he will teach and develop courses, advise undergraduate and graduate students, and contribute his considerable expertise to research and education in human spaceflight, flight software, integrated testing, system safety, and spacecraft and habitat design. He brings an operational spaceflight perspective to the department, connecting engineering design with human performance, mission operations, leadership, and decision-making in high-consequence environments. (Adapted from AeroAstro)