Chun C. Lin received his B.S. degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1951 and Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1955. His thesis advisor was J. H. Van Vleck. Lin was on the faculty at the University of Oklahoma from 1955 to 1968. In 1968 he moved to the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he is now the John and Abigail Van Vleck Professor of Physics.

Lin began his career in the field of microwave spectroscopy. While at the University of Oklahoma he initiated a program on electon excitation of atoms in collaboration with Robert M. St. John. Much of his research in this field is directed toward understanding the basic nature of the atomic and molecular processes in ionized gases. For many years, Lin also worked on the theory of the electronic structure

Dr. Neal Lane, besides his faculty appointment at Rice Uiversity, also holds appointments as a Senior Fellow of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, where he is engaged in matters of science and Technology policy, and in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Born in Oklahoma City in 1938, Dr. Lane earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in physics from OU under the direction of Prof. Chun Lin.

Prior to assuming his current position at Rice University, Dr. Lane served as Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and as Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and member (ex officio) of the National Science Board. Before becoming the NSF Director, Dr. Lane was Provost and Professor of Physics at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He first came to Rice in 1966, when he joined the Department of Physics as an assistant professor. In 1972, he became Professor of Physics and Space Physics and Astronomy. Dr. Lane left Rice from mid-1984 to 1986 to serve as Chancellor of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. In addition, from 1979 to 1980, while on leave from Rice, he worked at the NSF as Director of the Division of Physics.

Widely regarded as a distinguished scientist and educator, Dr. Lane's many writings and presentations include topics in theoretical atomic and molecular physics and science and technology policy. He also holds the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the OU College of Arts and Sciences.

Scientific pioneer Alva T. Stair, Jr. was born in Oklahoma City, raised near Canton, OK and graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in mathematics in 1952 and a Ph.D. in physics in 1956 under J. R. Nielsen. He has published many scientific papers throughout his career and was visiting lecturer in applied physics at the Lowell Technological Institute in Massachusetts from 1960 to 1962, before becoming a Ph.D. advisor at Utah State University (1965-1970). Dr. Stair was also appointed as an Air Force project scientist (1970-1977), branch chief (1975-1982) and was named chief scientist in the senior executive service of the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory in 1982. He retired from the Air Force in 1986. In 1988 Dr. Stair was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. His is currently president of Visidyne Inc.

A. T. Stair, Jr. helped develop two major technologies: Fourier transform spectroscopy and totally cryogenic infrared sensors for laboratory, rocket and space use. Within his own laboratory he created the equivalent of entire physics and chemistry departments to study infrared radiation processes of aurora, airglow and nuclear induced backgrounds.