BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Michael Miller Kersker was born on December 30, 1948,
to Peter B. and Marjorie W. Kersker. His birthplace, St.
Petersburg, Florida, was also his home during his
pre-collegiate experiences. He is a graduate of Northeast
High School, St. Petersburg, Florida, and holds a Bachelor
of Arts degree in chemistry from the University of South
Florida, Tampa, Florida.
After graduation, he attended Air Force Officers
Training School at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio,
Texas, and subsequently graduated from the Air Force Jet
Pilot Training Program at Webb Air Force Base, Big Spring,
Texas. After graduation, he accumulated thousands of
flying hours while serving in Germany, Thailand, and
finally with the 89th Military Airlift Wing at Andrews Air
Force Base, Maryland. He holds a civilian airline
transport pilot rating, the Ph.D. of flying.
In 1976, after the expiration of his military
obligation, he returned to Florida and was admitted for
graduate study at the University of Florida under
Professor John J. Hren. From 1981 to 1983 he was a senior
scientist at the Alcoa Technical Center, Alcoa Center,
Pennsylvania. From 1983 to the end of 1985, he was
201