UNL will confer its Charles Bessey Medal to NASA astronaut Clayton Anderson during fall commencement ceremonies Dec. 18.

The Bessey Medal is presented by UNL in recognition of distinguished achievement in the sciences or in fields grounded in the sciences. The medal’s namesake, Charles Bessey, was one of the world’s pioneers in botany. Bessey was a faculty member at the University of Nebraska in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is often credited with originating ecology as a field of scientific inquiry. Bessey twice served the university as acting chancellor, from 1888-91 and 1899-1900, both times to much acclaim and esteem from the faculty.

Anderson is a native Nebraskan who has flown missions with the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. While not a Nebraska graduate, Anderson has often worn Husker-related garb during his space missions, bringing recognition to the university.

Anderson will deliver the undergraduate commencement address during ceremonies that begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.