Furnas, C. C. (Clifford Cook), 1900-1969

C. C. (Clifford Cook) Furnas (1900-1969) was an educator and engineer. He served as the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Defense for Research and Development from 1955 to 1957.

Chancellor, University of Buffalo, 1954-1962; chairman, Guided Missile Commission, Research and Development Board, 1952-1953; chairman, Department of Defense Advisory Panel on Aeronautics, 1954-1969; member, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, 1955-1957; Assistant Secretary for Defense for Research and Development, 1955-1957; chairman, Air Navigation Development Board, 1956-1957; member, Defense Science Board, 1957-1969; member, Naval Research Advisory Committee, 1958-1959; chairman, Defense Science Board, 1961-1965; vice chairman, National Research Council, 1968-1969.

Clifford C. Furnas (1900-1969), chemical engineer, metallurgist, aviator researcher, and Olympic athlete, was the University's ninth chief executive, holding the position of Chancellor from 1954 until 1962 when the University merged with the State University of New York and his title changed to President. Furnas undertook an extensive program of expansion and enrichment to meet the growing educational needs of Western New York. He was the guiding force in the merger of the private UB with the State University of New York in 1962. He served as President through 1966. Dr. Furnas was a nationally recognized scientist, educator, administrator, and author. He studied chemical engineering at Purdue University from 1918 to 1922 and taught Engineering at Yale in the 1930s. He directed the Airplane Division of Curtiss-Wright in Buffalo, New York from 1942 to 1945 and the Cornell Aeronautical laboratory from 1946 to 1954. From 1955 to 1957, Dr. Furnas served as Assistant Secretary of Defense a the Pentagon, under the Eisenhower administration.

His personal and professional achievements included his participation in the 1920 Olympic Games, authoring an award-winning book, and working on the project to develop the United States first space satellite, Explorer I.