Robert L. Parker is an American geophysicist and mathematician, currently holding a Professor Emeritus of Geophysics position at the
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography (sometimes referred to as SIO, Scripps Oceanography, or Scripps) in San Diego, California, US founded in 1903, is one of the oldest and largest centers for oceanography, ocean and Earth science research ...
at the
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego or colloquially, UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California. Established in 1960 near the pre-existing Scripps Insti ...
in La Jolla, California.
The Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics in La Jolla
After completing a B.A. in Natural Sciences in 1963, M.A. in 1964, and Ph.D. in 1966
in Geophysics at
Downing College, Cambridge
Downing College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge and currently has around 650 students. Founded in 1800, it was the only college to be added to Cambridge University between 1596 and 1869, and is often described as the olde ...
in England, Parker moved to the U.S. to work at the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP). He has subsequently built on work by
Freeman Gilbert
James Freeman Gilbert (August 9, 1931 – August 15, 2014) was an American geophysicist, best known for his work with George E. Backus on inverting geophysical data, and also for his role in establishing an international network of long-period s ...
and
George Backus
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...
regarding
inverse theory
An inverse problem in science is the process of calculating from a set of observations the causal factors that produced them: for example, calculating an image in X-ray computed tomography, sound source reconstruction, source reconstruction in ac ...
. He is a former director of IGPP.
Personal life
Parker is an avid bicyclist and keeps track of all of his miles. He has also written about the energy behind bicycle physics.
Awards
*
John Adam Fleming Medal
John Adam Fleming, (January 28, 1877 – July 29, 1956) was an American geophysicist interested in the magnetosphere and the atmospheric electricity.
Fleming worked first at the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey with his superior Louis Agricola Baue ...
, American Geophysical Union (2008)
*
Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society
The Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society is the highest award given by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS). The RAS Council have "complete freedom as to the grounds on which it is awarded" and it can be awarded for any reason. Past awar ...
(1998)
*Fellow, Royal Society of London (1989)
*Fellow,
American Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of Earth, atmospheric, ocean, hydrologic, space, and planetary scientists and enthusiasts that according to their website includes 130,000 people (not members). AGU's act ...
(1976)
*
James B. Macelwane Medal
The James B. Macelwane Medal is awarded annually by the American Geophysical Union to three to five early career scientists (no more than 10 years beyond having received their Ph.D.). It is named after James B. Macelwane, a Jesuit priest and one of ...
of the American Geophysical Union (1976)
*
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the ar ...
(1975)
*Sloan Fellowship (1969–1971)
*Downing College Bye Fellowship (1965–1966)
*Downing College, Major Open Scholarship (1960–1963)
*State Scholarship Grant (1960–1963
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parker, Robert Ladislav
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
Alumni of Downing College, Cambridge
American geophysicists
University of California, San Diego faculty
Recipients of the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fellows of the American Geophysical Union
Fellows of the Royal Society