SRI Fellows

The Fellowship Award recognizes exceptional staff members for their outstanding accomplishments. It is SRI’s highest recognition for technical, scientific or professional contributions. The Fellowship is given to individuals whose work enhances SRI’s image as a leading research and problem-solving organization.

Donald A. Shockey is an authority on material deformation and fracture. He characterizes, models and predicts the behavior of metals, ceramics, polymers, composites and geologic materials under fatigue, corrosive, impact and explosive loads, with special emphasis on microstructural influences. Currently developing advanced 3D fractography and lightweight fabric armor, he is a Fellow of the American Society of Materials and recipient of the John S. Rinehart award for pioneering work in dynamic fracture. He will be awarded the 2006 Murray Medal for distinguished technical contributions to the field of experimental mechanics.

Thomas Piantanida, an expert in human visual perception and virtual reality, developed biomedical, architectural, and training applications of virtual-reality systems. His research into the sensory and perceptual requirements of these systems focused on color vision, color vision genetics, stereopsis, stabilized retinal images, and the fill-in mechanism. He developed simulation systems and computational models related to color perception and color imaging.

Gerry Andeen worked on a variety of projects such as ink-jet printer development, membrane separation hydrodynamics, and manipulator design to reduce weight and implement touch sensing. A tutorial edited for a client was published as the SRI Robot Design Handbook. He served on the Menlo Park City Council and as a director of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.

Richard J. Waldinger is a Principal Scientist with the Artificial Intelligence Center, where he has been since 1969. His research is in theorem proving and its application to automated program synthesis and other problems on the border between software engineering and artificial intelligence. A Consulting Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University, he has co-authored several textbooks on the relationship between logic and computer science. He holds regular gatherings in his office for coffee and cookies.

1988

Philip S. Green has been a leader of medical technology research and development at SRI, where he invented, developed and licensed many clinical systems. His research in ultrasonic imaging and endosurgical telemanipulation, largely supported by the National Institutes of Health, contributed to significant advances in medical diagnosis and minimally invasive surgery. His many patents produced significant royalty income to SRI.

Ronald Swidler, an expert in dyes, fabric modifiers and color printing technology, invented Ankaphast, a new class of light- and laundering-stable dyes. He also developed and patented processes for making permanent-press fabrics and fire-retardant coatings for fabrics. He was a key participant in developing a completely new line of office copiers, using a new liquid-toner approach, bringing expertise in the chemistry of the photoconductive drum, toner development materials and the exposure process.

Oswald G. (Mike) Villard, Jr., a leader in electromagnetic theory and experimental methods, pioneered the concept and development of a large program to design and build over-the-horizon radars (OTHR) for detecting bombers and high-altitude missiles, starting with SRI’s Wide Aperture Research Facility (WARF). In addition, he conducted early experiments demonstrating feasibility of the stealth aircraft concept by using specially treated low-impedance surfaces. For this work he received the Department of Defense civilian medal of honor and was elected to the National Academies of Science and Engineering. Dr. Villard passed away in January 2004.

Joseph I. DeGraw is an internationally recognized researcher in discovery and development of new drugs based on antagonism of folic acid metabolism. The antifolate compounds synthesized in his laboratory have shown promising results in the treatment of experimental animal tumors and in human clinical trials for lung and breast cancer. Other activities have included new drugs for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and nonaddicting opiate-based analgesics. He is the author of more than 160 research publications and 30 patents during his career at SRI.

Arden Sher has been recognized for contributions to the understanding of the mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of semiconductor alloys. This understanding has led to patents and to improvements in broad classes of devices such as lasers, focal plane detector arrays and high-speed electronics, made from a variety of these alloys.

Jorge Heller is an expert in controlled drug delivery. Over the past 30 years, he developed several families of bioerodible poly(ortho esters). The first family was developed while he was employed at the Alza Corporation; the second and third families were developed at SRI. The latest family of poly(ortho esters) (developed at Advanced Polymer Systems) is now under intense investigation, both with respect to fundamental issues by university collaborators and as potential products.

Barbara S. Vold (deceased) was a biochemist and expert in the field of transfer nucleic acid molecules in bacteria. She was well known for her work on modified nucleosides and tRNA gene expression. Her work led to the development of a monoclonal antibody test of modified nucleosides for cancer diagnosis. Dr. Vold also developed tests for the early diagnosis of diabetes.

Hewitt D. Crane initiated four SRI programs: two novel digital-logic technologies—one based on multiaperture magnetic devices and the other on a form of traveling-wave structure that became known as neuristor logic; development of a highly accurate, noninvasive, eye-movement tracking instrument currently used worldwide in vision research and still in production; and a pen-input device for computers to replace the keyboard and mouse. The latter invention led to the formation of Communication Intelligence Corporation. His primary focus today is on digital image processing and global energy.

Donald C. Lorents led the Molecular Physics Laboratory into excimer laser research by his timely explanation of the atomic and molecular mechanisms that energize such lasers. Initial work on simple rare gas lasers led to a long-term program and to recognition as the premier resource on the kinetic mechanisms of the more successful rare gas halide lasers. The impact of this work was to expand the laboratory’s vision and lead to the utilization of lasers in many of its basic atomic and molecular studies, a direction that continues today.

1984

Margaret A. Chesney’s research at SRI and now at the University of California at San Francisco examines psychosocial factors, including stress, and their impact on health, including coronary artery disease and other chronic conditions. She helped isolate stress-related behaviors that increase risk for heart disease. Observing the link between psychosocial stress and cardiovascular disease, she conducted clinical trials of behavioral interventions to reduce risk and improve quality of life. She has won awards for her work, and has been President of the American Psychosomatic Society, American Psychological Association Division of Health Psychology and the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research.

Masato Tanabe is an expert on the chemistry, biology, and pharmacology of steroid hormone drug therapeutics. A core SRI steroid technology platform has developed through four decades of continuous support from pharmaceutical companies, the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. This highly successful steroid platform has created a robust business portfolio of high-value intellectual property centered on innovative steroid hormone therapeutics positioned at the forefront of pharmaceutical and medical uses. These novel steroid therapeutics may enhance the cure and treatment of diseases and elevate innovative and effective health care to new levels.

Ivor Brodie is an expert in the area of physical electronics, which is concerned with the generation and motion of electrons in vacuum, gases and condensed matter. His research has centered on thermionic and field emission electron sources for high-power microwave tubes, electron beam lithography tools, display tubes and other types of vacuum electron devices. He has also made important contributions to the understanding of electrophotographic processes.

Henry Wise, a leader in the field of heterogeneous catalysis, was manager of SRI’s Catalysis Group. The key research objective of the catalysis program was a fundamental understanding of those solid-state surface properties that govern catalyst reactivity and specificity. The work resulted in several significant scientific contributions to the field of metal and nonmetal catalysis. It also led to sustained opportunities for research sponsored by government agencies and commercial clients.

1982

Joseph H. McPherson (deceased) was a pioneer in studying the human process of innovation and how innovation can be stimulated, succored and managed. At SRI, he pioneered the Innovation Search Program (now the Technical Innovations Program) to provide a unique "out-of-the-box" approach to new product development, market expansion and increased profitability for private companies around the world. In addition, the program served many government agencies, which were seeking innovative solutions to difficult operational and strategic issues.

Gordon T. Pryor was an early leader in neuroscience. He did basic research on the brain biochemistry of electroconvulsive shock as a treatment for severe mental depression. He then began a long career studying the preclinical pharmacology and toxicology of abused substances. Foremost were studies of the interactions of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the major psychoactive ingredient in marihuana and various other drugs, and the potential harmful effects of various abused inhalants (e.g., the "glue-sniffing" syndrome). Published results are recognized nationally and internationally.

David M. Golden is an expert in chemical kinetics. His research has been applied to problems in combustion and atmospheric chemistry. His laboratory demonstrated the possibility of reactions on polar stratospheric clouds that helped to explain the Antarctic Ozone Hole. For this the group was given the Newcomb Cleveland Award for the Best Paper in Science in 1987. He received the American Chemical Society Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science and Technology in 1990. He and his colleagues are responsible for a large fraction of the extant data on energies of chemical bonds. He has served on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Panel on Rated Data for Stratospheric Modeling since its inception in 1977. He is a Fellow of The American Physical Society, The American Association for the Advancement of Science and The California Academy of Science. He was the Editor of the International Journal of Chemical Kinetics from 1983 through 1997.

Arnold Mitchell (deceased) was a consumer futurist who built a model of social maturation to explain the fragmentation of U.S. society in the 1970s. His work led to the development of the Values and Lifestyles (VALS) Program as a new area of social science research into how values and lifestyles were changing. He wrote the bestseller The Nine American Lifestyles. Advertising agencies become interested in VALS as a way of thinking of consumers beyond their demographics, and corporate subscribers still use the findings for scenario planning, marketing strategy and new product development.

Edward M. Acton was a leader in the chemical synthesis and preclinical evaluation of new anticancer drugs. This research produced candidate drugs that showed novel mechanisms of action and dramatically improved anticancer activity studies at the National Cancer Institute and other medical laboratories. Several anticancer compounds, under SRI patent protection were of commercial interest to pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. and Europe. Earlier, a project in synthesizing artificial sweeteners led to a product that was seriously evaluated by food companies here and abroad.

Walter G. Chesnut specializes in electromagnetic wave propagation in the atmosphere. Working primarily for the U.S. Department of Defense, he has evaluated the atmospheric effects of nuclear explosions, sun spots and missile reentry. He has published more than 60 technical papers in this area.