Suzanne Bell ’98 PhD, is the most recent recipient of Olivet Nazarene University’s Maggie Sloan Crawford Award, which is presented to an outstanding woman whose life exemplifies the highest Christian ideals and whose faith is evident in her commitment to service. Dr. Bell is the first civil servant in history to have the role of Lead Scientist of NASA’s Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory, guiding efforts to understand how astronauts can go farther, stay longer and come home safely.
This award was created and endowed by the four sons of Olivet’s first graduate, Maggie Sloan Crawford, as a lasting tribute to their mother. Maggie was the first graduate of Olivet in 1907 and became a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Attending the award presentation during chapel on October 28, 2026, were several members of the Crawford family, including Marsha (Crawford) Coats, Maggie’s granddaughter and previous recipient of the award, and her husband, Dan Coats, former U.S. Senator and former director of U.S. national intelligence; and Dr. Greg Crawford, Maggie’s grandson, and his wife, Susan. Dr. Bell’s parents also attended.
Dr. Bell’s groundbreaking research is helping to shape the future of human space exploration. For NASA’s historic Artemis II mission (April 1–11, 2026), she helped lead the research efforts. Artemis II is the first time humans have traveled into deep space since the Apollo Era. As part of this mission, the astronauts flew farther away from Earth into deep space than any humans in history — reaching a peak record-breaking distance of 252,756 miles from Earth.
She holds bachelor’s degrees in both Psychology and History, as well as a minor in business, from Olivet. She earned her Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Texas A&M University. Prior to joining NASA, she was a tenured professor and internationally recognized expert in team science and organizational performance.
In speaking to Olivet students in chapel, Dr. Bell focused on three lessons that God has taught her during her life:
1) Have faith in God, even though you cannot see the future.
“I came into Olivet as a pre-med major,” she said. “When I took my first psychology class, I loved it. As a student, I worked on a research project with Dr. Lisa Gassin, who is still on Olivet’s faculty. NASA was God’s plan for me. Be open to God’s promptings and say yes to the opportunities He places before you.”
2) God loves teamwork and uses teamwork to amplify our gifts.
“The bigger the mission, the less one person can do it alone,” she said. “That’s true in space exploration, in the workplace, in life and in families. Every person contributes something essential. Teamwork is built into God’s design. Every person’s gift matters.”
3) Be a faithful steward of what God has entrusted to you.
“Trust God because He can see the entire path,” she said. “He is faithful. Beyond every horizon, God is already there.”
Chapel services are streamed live each week on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. and Thursday at 9:30 a.m., and the message portion can be replayed on-demand. Visit Olivet.edu/Chapel for more information.
