JOHN ALEXANDER SIMPSON
1119 East 53rd Street
Chicago, Illinois 60615
Birthdate: November 3, 1916
Portland, Oregon
A.B. 1940, Reed College
M.S. 1942, New York University
Ph.D. 1943, New York University (University Heights)
D.Sc. 1981, Reed College (Honorary)
1940-1943 Graduate Assistant, Department of Physics, New York University
1942-1943 Research Assistant, (Part-Time) Office of Scientific Research and
Development, Department of Physics, New York University
1943 - PRESENT: THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
1943-1946Scientific Group Leader, Metallurgical Laboratory (A-Bomb Project)
1945-1946 Instructor, On leave from Inst. for Nuclear Studies and Dept. of Physics
1946-1947 Instructor, Institute for Nuclear Studies and Dept. of Physics
1947-1949 Assistant Professor, Institute for Nuclear Studies and Dept. of Physics
1949-1954 Associate Professor, Institute for Nuclear Studies and Dept. of Physics
1951-1952 Chairman, Committee on Instruction in Biophysics
1954-1968 Professor, Enrico Fermi Institute for Nuclear Studies, Dept. of Physics and the College
1968-1974 The first Edward L. Ryerson Distinguished Service Professor, Enrico Fermi Institute, Dept. of Physics and The College
1974-1986 The first Arthur H. Compton Distinguished Service Professor of Physics, Enrico Fermi Institute, Dept. of Physics and The College
1973-1978 Director, Enrico Fermi Institute
1987-Death Arthur H. Compton Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, Enrico Fermi Institute, Dept. of Physics and The College
HONORARY: Elected National Academy of Sciences (1959)
Phi Beta Kappa
Society of Sigma Xi
Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
John Simon Guggenheim Fellow (1972)
- Visiting Associate in Physics, California Inst. of Technology
- Visiting Scholar, University of California, Berkeley
NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement (1974)
Llewellyn John and Harriet Manchester Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (1980)
John Simon Guggenheim Fellow (1984-85)
- Visiting Scientist, Cambridge University, England (1984)
- Visiting Scholar, University of California, San Diego (1985)
Nora and Edward Ryerson Lecturer (1985-86)
Gagarin Medal for Space Exploration, U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences (1986)
Martin Marietta Chair for Space Science History, Smithsonian Institution (1987-88)
COSPAR Award of United Nations for Scientific Research in Space (1990)
Distinguished Physics Alumnus Award, New York University (1990)
Bruno Rossi Prize of the American Astronomical Society for Fundamental Research in
High Energy Astrophysics (1991)
The Parker Lecture of the American Geophysical Union (1992)
The Arthur H. Compton Centennial Lecture, Washington University, St. Louis (1992)
Arctowski Medal and Prize of the National Academy of Sciences (1993)
Distinguished Alumnus Award, New York University (1994)
Elected American Philosophical Society (1996)
The 1997 Victor Hess Memorial Lecture
The First Norman F. McLean Faculty Award (Shared) for Teaching and Training
Young Scientists (1997)
The Leo Szilard Award of the American Physical Society for Physics in the Public
Interest (1999)
The O’Ceallaigh Medal of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics
Commission on Cosmic Rays (1999)
The William Bowie Medal of the American Geophysical Union (2000)
NATIONAL: Fellow, American Physical Society
Fellow, American Geophysical Union
Fellow, Center for Policy Study, University of Chicago
Member, American Astronomical Society
Member, U.S. National Committee for the International Geophysical Year (1954-60)
(Technical Panel for Cosmic Rays)
Member, Space Science Board, National Academy of Sciences (1958-67),(1986-88); Consultant (1967-71)
Chairman, Atomic Scientists of Chicago (1945-46)
Co-Founder and Chairman, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (1945-46); Board of
Directors (1947-52, 1982 -); President (1993 - ).
Member, Astronomy Missions Board, NASA (1968-70)
Established Laboratory for Astrophysics and Space Research in the Enrico Fermi
Institute, University of Chicago (1962)
Chairman, Division of Cosmic Physics, American Physical Society (1970-71)
Board of Overseers, Visiting Committee in Astronomy, Harvard University (1970-71)
Member, President Ford's Science Advisory Group on Science Programs (1975-76)
Trustee, Adler Planetarium (1977-); Life Trustee (1989-)
Established Space Science Working Group (Washington, DC) (1982); Chair (1982-84)
Member, Space Studies Board, National Academy of Sciences (1995-98)
INTERNATIONAL:
Member , of the CSAGI (Special Committee to organize the International Geophysical Year; responsible for 68 nation participation in cosmic rays and solar particlephysics research (1954-60)
President, International Commission on Cosmic Radiation (I.U.P.A.P.) (1964-67)
Member, International Academy of Astronautics
Member, Committee on International Programs, National Academy of Sciences (1996-97)
CURRENT RESEARCH AREAS:
Origins of cosmic rays and their isotopic and elemental composition at their sources.
Heliospheric electro-dynamics and the heliosphere as a "laboratory" for charged particle
acceleration by shocks, modulation of galactic cosmic rays and the origin of the anomalous
nuclear component. Solar flare particle composition, acceleration and propagation.
Comparative abundance investigations of solar, interplanetary, cosmic ray and comet dust
matter. Magnetospheric particle acceleration at Mercury, Earth, Jupiter and Saturn. Dust
mass spectra experiments on probes to Comet Halley. Experiments for investigations of
the heliosphere and cosmic radiation in the third dimension - the Ulysses Mission over
the poles of the Sun and heliosphere. Principal Investigator for experiments on 32 space
missions.
Principal Investigator for Experiments in Space:
(Launch Dates)
PIONEER-2:Inner Radiation Belt (1958)
RANGER 1 Rocket Failure
RANGER 2 Rocket Failure
PIONEER-5: (The first deep space probe (1960)
PIONEER-6: First Solar Orbiting Satellite (1965)
PIONEER-7: Solar Orbiting Satellite (1968)
PIONEER-10: First to Jupiter and to 71 Astronomical Units (1972)
PIONEER-11: Jupiter, First to Saturn and Solar System Escape (1973)
MARINER-4: First U.S. Probe to Mars (1964-1965)
MARINER-10:First to Mercury (1974)
VEGA-1, -2:Probes (U.S.S.R.) to Halley's Comet (1986)
Ulysses: First spacecraft to go over polar regions of the Sun and Heliosphere (1990) *
EARTH SATELLITES:
• Discoverer Nos. 29, 31, 36 (1961-62)
• Explorer 6 (1959)
• IMP-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, -7, -8 (1963-1973)
• OGO-1, -3, -5 (1964-68)
• OGO-2 (1965), OGO-4 — J.A.S. later transferred to E.C.Stone, Caltech
• S81-1 (Phoenix 1) (1982)
• Chemical and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) (1990)
• NOAA-13 (EHIC) (1993)
Co-Investigator for:
Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) (1997)
Space Dust (SPADUS) Argos (1999)
Stardust (to Comet Wild) (1999)
CASSINI - Advisor for LASR Cosmic Dust Experiment (1997)
* Ulysses: Became Co-Investigator in 1997
Principal Investigator:
Neutron Monitor Network (Climax, Colorado; Haleakala, Maui)
Principal Instrumentation Invented For Research:
1944: The Gas Flow Proportional Counter
Multiwire Proportional Counter
1948: The Cosmic Ray Neutron Intensity Monitor
1959- The Solid State Charged Particle Telescope for Elemental, Isotopic and
Energy Measurements in space
1982 The Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) Detector for:
a) Super Heavy Nuclei in the Cosmic Rays
b) Dust Particles of Cometary and Interplanetary Origin