James Michael (Mike) Duncan, M.D., joined the NTSB on January 17, 2012, as the Chief Technical Advisor for Medical Issues. Prior to joining NTSB, Dr. Duncan was at NASA. He began his work with NASA when he joined Wyle Laboratories in Houston, Texas, in January 1999, to provide medical coverage to astronauts in training in Star City, Russia. Subsequently, he became a NASA flight surgeon, in October 2000, at NASA/Johnson Space Center (JSC) in the Space Life Sciences Directorate. He participated in the Space Shuttle Program as deputy crew surgeon for STS-104 and STS-108 before being named the lead crew surgeon for the International Space Station Expedition 6. He served as Manager, Medical Operations from February 2002 to December 2004. He served as the Chief of Space Medicine from December 2004 until he became the Deputy Chief Medical Officer at JSC in January 2009. Dr. Duncan served in that capacity until October 2010, when he transitioned to NASA Headquarters working in the Office of International and Interagency Relations as Associate Manager for DOD Affairs. Dr. Duncan led the NASA team that went to Chile in September 2010 in support of the rescue of the 33 trapped miners. Awards include the JSC Superior Achievement Award, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, and the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal. The 2011 Samuel J. Heyman, Service to America, National Security and International Affairs Medal was awarded to Dr. Duncan and his NASA team for their support of the Chilean miner rescue.

Dr. Duncan was a native of Wichita, Kansas. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering from Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS. He served in the U.S. Navy for 8 years and was in private practice in Virginia for 13 years. Dr. Duncan was a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and was certified in Internal Medicine (permanent), Pulmonary Disease (permanent), and Critical Care Medicine (1987-2007). He was an FAA Senior Aviation Medical Examiner prior to joining the NTSB. He was a full member of the International Academy of Astronautics having been elected by his peers in June 2010. He was a Fellow in the American College of Physicians, a Fellow in the American College of Chest Physicians, and an instrument-rated private pilot.