James van Hoften, better known by his callsign Ox, is a veteran NASA Astronaut.  Following graduation from University of California, Berkeley, he earned his MS and PhD degrees in Fluid Mechanics from Colorado State University in Fort Collins.  Between the MS and PhD, he joined the Navy and following flight training was a fighter pilot flying F4 Phantoms.  He was an early selectee for the Navy Fighter Weapons School (Topgun) and made two combat cruises to Vietnam.  Following graduation, Dr. van Hoften spent two years as a professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Houston. 

In 1978, Ox was selected as an Astronaut Candidate in the first class of Space Shuttle Astronauts, the TFNG (Thirty Five New Guys).  He flew on two missions, STS 41-C and 51-I where he performed 4 space walks (EVAs) to retrieve and repair two disabled satellites. 

Following retirement from NASA, Ox joined the Bechtel Corporation where he became a Senior Vice President and Partner.  He started their space business, building the LC-40 launch complex and then moving to Hong Kong to become the program manager of the $23 billion Hong Kong Airport Core Program including the New Hong Kong Airport. Moving to the London, he managed the Airport business and was responsible for airports worldwide including the New Doha International Airport.

Following retirement, Ox was active on six different boards including 10 years on the London Gatwick Airport Board, and Senior Advisor to the Global Infrastructure Partners.  He served 12 years on the UC Berkeley Board of Trustees. He has been an active Trustee of ASF and enjoys working on the selection committee for the ASF Scholar awards.