As a member and officer of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, he worked with other similarly interested students to build prototype exercise devices for use in space, and had the opportunity to test them in simulated microgravity aboard NASA's "zero-g" aircraft, the KC-135.

[5][6][10] Dory was also active in programs sponsored by the Colorado Space Grant Consortium, including the Citizen Explorer Satellite, a student-designed and built spacecraft, which measures global atmospheric ozone concentrations and transmits its data directly to classrooms throughout the United States.

[9] Among other activities, Dory took part in the underwater construction of a prefabricated structure as an analog to EVA assembly operations on the International Space Station.

Dory wrote during the mission, "I recall the surreal feeling of looking at our new home, blue sky above filled with a school of 1 1/2 meter barracuda for clouds, and a big yellow life support buoy for a sun.

He enjoys reading science and technology books, teaching himself to play guitar, drawing the human form, weightlifting, SCUBA diving, snowboarding and rock climbing.