Thomas E. Stelson
Encyclopedia
Thomas Eugene Stelson was an American civil engineer
. He was the Vice President for Research at the Georgia Institute of Technology
from 1974 to 1988 and Executive Vice President (Provost
) of the Institute from 1988 until 1990 when he left Georgia Tech to become a founding administrator at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
. Stelson also served as the interim director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute
from 1975 to 1976. He took a leave of absence from Georgia Tech to serve as Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Solar Energy for the Carter Administration from 1980 to 1984.
in 1949, 1950, and 1952.
Stelson eventually became head of Carnegie Mellon's Civil Engineering department. In 1967, the Silver Bridge
failed, and NBC News
hired Stelson to inspect the pieces days later; his more detailed findings were eventually published in Popular Science
.
from 1974 to 1988, where he emphasized the importance of basic research, applied research, and academics, given that the relative merits of each formed somewhat of a longstanding cultural war at the school. An increased focus on research activities allowed more funding for academics, which allowed the school's ranking to start a long and continuing rise from the 20s. Stelson simultaneously served as the interim director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute
from 1975 to 1976, during which time he reorganized the station into eight semi-autonomous laboratories in order to allow each to develop a specialization and clientele, a model it retains (with slight modifications) to this day.
Stelson served on the board of the MTS Systems Corporation
from 1979 until at least 1994. He took a leave of absence from Georgia Tech to serve as Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Solar Energy for the Carter Administration from 1980 to 1984.
In 1988, Stelson endowed the Stelson Lecture Series, named for his mathematician father, Hugh Stelson. From 1988 to 1990, Stelson was the Executive Vice President (Provost
) of the Institute. Stelson had hoped to become the next president of Georgia Tech, but John Patrick Crecine
was selected instead. Under Crecine, Stelson helped with a dramatic and controversial reorganization of Georgia Tech into five colleges. During Stelson's tenure at Georgia Tech, annual research spending grew from $8 million in 1974 ($ today) to $122 million in 1990 ($ today).
. Stelson held that position until 1994, whereupon he became an independent engineering consultant. He died on November 13, 2005 from complications from brain surgery.
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
. He was the Vice President for Research at the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
from 1974 to 1988 and Executive Vice President (Provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
) of the Institute from 1988 until 1990 when he left Georgia Tech to become a founding administrator at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is a public university located in Hong Kong. Established in 1991 under Hong Kong Law Chapter 1141 , it is one of the nine universities in Hong Kong.Professor Tony F. Chan is the president of HKUST...
. Stelson also served as the interim director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute
Georgia Tech Research Institute
The Georgia Tech Research Institute is the nonprofit applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
from 1975 to 1976. He took a leave of absence from Georgia Tech to serve as Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Solar Energy for the Carter Administration from 1980 to 1984.
Carnegie Mellon
Stelson graduated from Carnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
in 1949, 1950, and 1952.
Stelson eventually became head of Carnegie Mellon's Civil Engineering department. In 1967, the Silver Bridge
Silver Bridge
The Silver Bridge collapsed in 1967, killing 46 people. The terms Silver Bridge or Silverbridge may also refer to:* Silver Memorial Bridge, the replacement for the above bridge, opened in 1969....
failed, and NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
hired Stelson to inspect the pieces days later; his more detailed findings were eventually published in Popular Science
Popular Science
Popular Science is an American monthly magazine founded in 1872 carrying articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. Popular Science has won over 58 awards, including the ASME awards for its journalistic excellence in both 2003 and 2004...
.
Georgia Tech and Carter Administration
Stelson was the Vice President for Research at the Georgia Institute of TechnologyGeorgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
from 1974 to 1988, where he emphasized the importance of basic research, applied research, and academics, given that the relative merits of each formed somewhat of a longstanding cultural war at the school. An increased focus on research activities allowed more funding for academics, which allowed the school's ranking to start a long and continuing rise from the 20s. Stelson simultaneously served as the interim director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute
Georgia Tech Research Institute
The Georgia Tech Research Institute is the nonprofit applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
from 1975 to 1976, during which time he reorganized the station into eight semi-autonomous laboratories in order to allow each to develop a specialization and clientele, a model it retains (with slight modifications) to this day.
Stelson served on the board of the MTS Systems Corporation
MTS Systems Corporation
MTS Systems Corporation is a testing and sensing solutions company located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a southwest suburb of Minneapolis.MTS is a provider of mechanical test systems, material testing, fatigue testing and tensile testing services as well as motion simulation system and calibration...
from 1979 until at least 1994. He took a leave of absence from Georgia Tech to serve as Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Solar Energy for the Carter Administration from 1980 to 1984.
In 1988, Stelson endowed the Stelson Lecture Series, named for his mathematician father, Hugh Stelson. From 1988 to 1990, Stelson was the Executive Vice President (Provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
) of the Institute. Stelson had hoped to become the next president of Georgia Tech, but John Patrick Crecine
John Patrick Crecine
John Patrick "Pat" Crecine was an American educator. After receiving his early education in Lansing, Michigan, Michigan public schools, he earned a bachelor's degree in industrial management, and master's and doctoral degrees in industrial administration from the Graduate School of Industrial...
was selected instead. Under Crecine, Stelson helped with a dramatic and controversial reorganization of Georgia Tech into five colleges. During Stelson's tenure at Georgia Tech, annual research spending grew from $8 million in 1974 ($ today) to $122 million in 1990 ($ today).
Later career
In 1990, Stelson left Georgia Tech to become a founding administrator (Vice President for Research and Development) at Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyHong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is a public university located in Hong Kong. Established in 1991 under Hong Kong Law Chapter 1141 , it is one of the nine universities in Hong Kong.Professor Tony F. Chan is the president of HKUST...
. Stelson held that position until 1994, whereupon he became an independent engineering consultant. He died on November 13, 2005 from complications from brain surgery.