Johnny Conkin, Ph.D.
Research Scientist (Physiologist)
johnny.conkin-1@nasa.gov

Johnny Conkin received his B.S. in Biology (1979) from East Tennessee State University, a M.S. in Biology from the University of Houston Clear Lake Campus (1982), and his Ph.D. in Physiology (1993) from the State University of New York at Buffalo. His graduate work involved the probabilistic modeling of aviator decompression sickness. In 1979 he joined the NASA/JSC Environmental Physiology Laboratory. Dr. Conkin’s current research focuses on prevention of decompression sickness in astronauts during extravehicular activity. His objectives as an Environmental Physiologist are to manage technical projects and resolve technical problems dealing with man exposed to hazardous environments, to conduct basic and applied research into the limits of man's adaptability to his environment, and to apply quantitative concepts of human physiology to the design of life support equipment when adaptation to the environment is not possible.