PERSONAL DATA: Born October 30, 1964 in Belleville, Illinois. Enjoys soccer, reading, travel, water activities.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Belleville West High School, Belleville, Illinois, in 1982; received a bachelor degree in physics and a master degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1986 and 1990, respectively, and a doctorate from the School of Material Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1996.

ORGANIZATIONS: ASM/TMS (Metallurgical/Material Society), Material Research Society.

SPECIAL HONORS: Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award (1994 and 1996), Saturn Team Award (1994), Performance Bonus Award (1989).

EXPERIENCE: During 1986 to 1991, Magnus worked for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Company as a stealth engineer where she worked on internal research and development studying the effectiveness of RADAR signature reduction techniques. She was also assigned to the Navy's A-12 Attack Aircraft program primarily working on the propulsion system until the program was cancelled. From 1991 to 1996, Magnus completed her thesis work which was supported by NASA-Lewis Research Center through a Graduate Student Fellowship and involved investigations on materials of interest for "Scandate" thermionic cathodes. Thermodynamic equilibria studies along with conductivity and emission measurements on compounds in the Ba O^.SC₂O₃^.WO₃ ternary system were conducted to identify compounds with potential use in these types of cathodes.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in April 1996, Dr. Magnus reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996. Having completed two years of training and evaluation, she is qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist. From January 1997 through May 1998 Dr. Magnus worked in the Astronaut Office Payloads/Habitability Branch. Her duties involved working with ESA, NASDA and Brazil on science freezers, glove boxes and other facility type payloads. In May 1998 Dr. Magnus was assigned as a "Russian Crusader" which involves travel to Russia in support of hardware testing and operational products development. Currently, Dr. Magnus is assigned to STS-112 scheduled to launch in 2002.