Kevin Fong

Dr. Kevin Fong (born Kevin Jeremy S. Y. Fong, 1971) is a leading expert on space medicine in the UK and the co-director of the Centre for Aviation Space and Extreme Environment Medicine (CASE Medicine), University College London (UCL). He is also a Lecturer in Physiology at UCL. He is best known for his television appearances, particularly as an occasional presenter of the long-running BBC2 science programme, Horizon.

Qualifications

Fong holds degrees in Astrophysics and Medicine from University College London.

Positions held (current and previous)

• Consultant (medicine) in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine.
• Anaesthetic Lead for both the Patient Emergency Response Team and Major Incident Planning at UCLH.
• Fellow of the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts.
• Chair of the UK Space Biomedical Advisory Committee.
• Co-Founder and Co-Director of CASE Medicine, UCL Medical School.
• Honorary Lecturer in Physiology at UCL.
• Trained and worked with NASA at Johnson Space Center, Houston and Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral.
• Advisor to the British National Space Centre.
• Medical officer for diving expedition in Fiji (2003).

In media

• Guest in Material World (BBC Radio 4), on January 20, 2000 where Dr Kevin Fong argued for British participation in space travel research, particularly focusing on the long-term effects on the human frame. A 1,000-day mission to Mars was due in 2004. However, it had been argued that, unless the European Space Agency and its partners had understood what could happen to a crew journeying through areas of high radiation, the project may have been scuppered.
• Featured in Esquire magazine's 2004 list “UK’s 100 Most Influential Men Under 40”.{cn}
• Presented Channel 4’s science program “Superhumans” in 2004.
• Was interviewed on Channel 4 program Sunshine about the making of the Danny Boyle film of the same name. He gave opinions and physiological risks of long-term space travel, and how these had been dealt with in a realistic manner in the film.
• Presented three episodes of BBC documentary series Horizon:
  • "Mars: A Horizon Guide", first broadcast in November 2009, explored the possibilities of human inhabitation of Mars.
  • "Back from the Dead", first broadcast in October 2010, followed the incredible survival story of Anna Bågenholm and documented pioneering uses of therapeutic hypothermia in surgery.
  • "How to Mend a Broken Heart", first broadcast in February 2011.
• Wrote and Presented Space Shuttle: The Final Mission (BBC) in July 2011, an hour-long documentary following the final mission of the Space Shuttle, meeting and interviewing those involved in the mission.

See also

• Space medicine
• British National Space Centre
• Astronautical hygiene

External links

• In space, who is the doctor? - The Guardian (June 29, 2000)
• Space, the final frontier - The Guardian (July 1, 2005)
• Why are there no Brits in space? - by Kevin Fong (January 27, 2005, The Guardian)
• Walking on the Moon - by Kevin Fong (July 6, 2001)
• Where doctors dare - NewScientist
• Space medicine in the United Kingdom - Student BMJ
• The next small step - Student BMJ
• Space holds medical secrets - BBC News (December 21, 2002)
• Centre for Aviation Space and Extreme Environment Medicine (CASE Medicine) - University College London
• NESTA - Kevin Fong awardee profile - NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts)
• Superhuman - Experts - Kevin Fong - channel4.com