John Brooks Slaughter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Brooks Slaughter
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 11th President of Occidental College | |
| In office 1989–1999 |
|
| Preceded by | Richard C. Gilman |
| Succeeded by | Ted Mitchell |
| 5th (and last) Chancellor of the University of Maryland, College Park | |
| In office 1982–1988 |
|
| Preceded by | Robert Gluckstern |
| Succeeded by | William English Kirwan (as president) |
| 6th Director of the National Science Foundation | |
| In office 1980–1982 |
|
| President | Jimmy Carter Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Richard C. Atkinson |
| Succeeded by | Edward A. Knapp |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 16, 1934 Topeka, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | December 6, 2023 (aged 89) Pasadena, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Electrical engineering |
| Institutions | Navy Electronics Laboratory |
| Thesis | The solution of a class of optimal control problems by linear and piecewise-linear programming techniques (1971) |
John Brooks Slaughter (born March 16, 1934 – died December 6, 2023) was an amazing American electrical engineer and a leader in education. He was the first African-American director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). He also led several colleges as their president. John Slaughter was known for his work with computers, especially in making smart computer programs called computer algorithms. These programs helped make systems work better and process signals.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Slaughter was born and grew up in Topeka, Kansas. He went to Topeka High School. After two years at Washburn University, he moved to Kansas State University. There, he earned his first degree in electrical engineering in 1956.
He continued his studies, earning a master's degree in engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1961. Later, in 1971, he received his Ph.D. in engineering sciences from the University of California, San Diego.
Career in Science and Education
John Slaughter began his career working for the United States Navy Electronics Laboratory in San Diego in 1960. He worked there as a civilian. In 1975, he became the Director of the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington.
In 1977, he joined the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF is a U.S. government agency that supports science and engineering research. He started as an assistant director for different science areas. From 1980 to 1982, he served as the Director of the NSF. This was a very important role.
Leading Universities
After his time at the NSF, John Slaughter became a leader in higher education. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1982. From 1982 to 1988, he was the Chancellor of the University of Maryland, College Park.
Then, from 1988 to 1999, he served as President of Occidental College in Los Angeles. In 1999, he became a professor at the University of Southern California. He taught about leadership in education.
Awards and Special Honors
John Slaughter received many awards for his important work.
- In 2022, he was given the IEEE Founders Medal. This award recognizes outstanding leaders in electrical engineering.
- A mountain in Antarctica was named after him: Mount Slaughter. It is part of the Sentinel Range.
- In 2023, the engineering school at the University of Southern California renamed their Center for Engineering Diversity. It is now called the John Brooks Slaughter Center for Engineering Diversity. This honors his efforts to make engineering more open to everyone.
His Passing
John Brooks Slaughter passed away on December 6, 2023. He was receiving medical care at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, California.
