Navy SEAL, Doctor, Astronaut Jonny Kim to Speak at Harvard

From combat medic to emergency room physician to orbiting the Earth nearly 4,000 times, Jonny Kim has built a life dedicated to serving others in the most extraordinary ways imaginable.

The Navy SEAL veteran, Harvard Medical School graduate, and NASA astronaut will speak at Harvard Alumni Day on June 5. He recently completed an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station, where he conducted experiments aimed at improving life on Earth and advancing plans to return humans to the moon.

Kim's journey started in Los Angeles, where South Korean immigrants raised him through what he describes as a difficult childhood. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, joining the elite SEAL Team 3 in 2005.

He served as a medic, sniper, and navigator on more than 100 combat operations across two tours in Iraq. Treating wounded teammates under fire earned him both Silver and Bronze Stars and sparked his calling to medicine.

Through the Navy's enlisted-to-officer program, Kim earned a mathematics degree from the University of San Diego in 2012. He then headed to Harvard Medical School, where a chance meeting with a physician-turned-astronaut changed everything.

Scott Parazynski encouraged Kim to dream even bigger. In 2017, while completing his emergency medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, Kim applied to NASA alongside 18,000 other candidates.

He was one of just 12 people selected. By 2023, he had earned the rare distinction of becoming both a naval aviator and a flight surgeon.

His recent space mission logged 245 days orbiting Earth, traveling nearly 104 million miles. The experiments he conducted will help NASA prepare for missions to Mars and beyond.

Why This Inspires

Kim credits his family, mentors, and communities like Harvard for his success. He's now a lieutenant commander, a husband, and a father of three who has spoken openly about how support systems transformed his life.

His story proves that difficult beginnings don't determine destinations. From the front lines to the emergency room to the stars, Kim found purpose in serving something larger than himself.

Harvard President Alan Garber says Kim embodies the determination to leave the world better than he found it. That message will resonate with alumni who share those same values when they gather next month.