Stone, Edward C., 1936-

Edward Carroll Stone was born on January 23, 1936 in Knoxville, IA. He earned his Associate of Arts Degree in 1956 from Burlington Junior College before continuing his studies at the University of Chicago. After receiving his Masters of Science Degree in 1959, and Doctoral Degree in Physics in 1964, he joined Caltech as a research fellow in physics. Stone was named a Professor of Physics in 1976, and appointed chairman of Caltech's Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy in 1983 and Vice President for Astronomical Facilities in 1988.

He served as Chairman (1988-91,1994-97), and Vice Chairman (1992-94, 1997-current) of the Board of Directors of the California Association for Research in Astronomy, which is responsible for building and operating the two W. M. Keck Observatory ten-meter telescopes on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. He is also a director of the W. M. Keck Foundation (1993-current) and trustee for the International Academy of Astronautics (1989-current).

Since 1961, Dr. Stone has been a principal investigator on nine NASA spacecraft missions and a co-investigator on five other NASA missions. He developed high-resolution instruments for measuring the composition of energetic cosmic-ray nuclei which launched on an Air Force satellite, Discoverer 36, in December 1961. Nearly two years later, Dr. Stone began his career at Caltech, in January 1964.

Dr. Stone has served as the Project Scientist for the Voyager mission since 1972, participating in both hardware development and mission operations. Following launch in 1977 of the twin Voyager spacecraft, he coordinated the efforts of eleven teams of scientists in their studies of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, "The Grand Tour."

Stone was honored six times by NASA, with the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, and two NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals. Dr. Stone also has received the National Medal of Science in 1991 from President Bush, the American Philosophical Society Magellanic Award, the American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award, and the COSPAR Award for Outstanding Contribution to Space Science.

Dr. Stone was a Sloan Foundation fellow and has received the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Dryden Medal, Space Science Award, von Kármán Lectureship in Astronautics.

Dr. Stone is the recipient of the Aviation Week & Space Technology Aerospace Laurels Award, and was inducted into the Aviation Week & Space Technology Hall of Fame. Other honors include the National Space Club Science Award, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems National Award, the Aviation/Space Writers Association Distinguished Public Service Award, the International von Kármán Wings Award, the American Astronautical Society Space Flight Award, the American Astronautical Society and the Planetary Society Third Carl Sagan Award, and the International Astronautical Federation Allan D. Emil Memorial Award.

Dr. Stone has received the First Distinguished Alumnus Award from Southeastern Community College in Burlington, Iowa, and honorary degrees from Washington University in St. Louis, Harvard University, University of Chicago, and University of California-Los Angeles.

Dr. Stone is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Geophysical Union, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Royal Aeronautical Society in London, England. He is also a member of the American Astronomical Society, the International Astronomical Union, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and the California Council on Science and Technology.

In July 1990, Stone was selected to succeed Dr. Lew Allen, Jr. as Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), effective January 1, 1991.

In 2000, JPL established the Edward Stone Award for Outstanding Research Publication, to recognize and encourage publication of significant research results in science and technology by JPL employees throughout their professional careers.

Dr. Stone retired as Director of JPL on April 30, 2001. He continues as David Morrisroe Professor of Physics at Caltech, doing research involving experimental galactic and solar cosmic rays, magnetosphere physics at Caltech's Space Radiation Laboratory.

From the description of Edward C. Stone Collection, 1976-2001. (Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives). WorldCat record id: 733102101