Jerome Wiesner

Jerome Wiesner
13th President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
In office 1971–1980
Preceded by	Howard Johnson
Succeeded by	Paul Gray
Director of the Office of Science and Technology
In office January 20, 1961 – January 24, 1964
President	John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	George Kistiakowsky
Succeeded by	Donald Hornig
Personal details
Born	Jerome Bert Wiesner (1915-05-30)May 30, 1915 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died	October 21, 1994(1994-10-21) (aged 79) Watertown, Massachusetts, U.S.
Spouse	Laya Wainger
Education	University of Michigan (BS, MS, PhD)
Awards	IEEE Founders Medal (1977) Vannevar Bush Award (1992)
Scientific career
Fields	Electrical engineering
Institutions	Massachusetts Institute of Technology Los Alamos Laboratory
Thesis	Pre-ignition phenomena in gas switching tubes and related rectifier burnout problems (1950)

Jerome Bert Wiesner (May 30, 1915 – October 21, 1994) was a professor of electrical engineering, chosen by President John F. Kennedy as chairman of his Science Advisory Committee (PSAC). Educated at the University of Michigan, Wiesner was associate director of the university's radio broadcasting service and provided electronic and acoustical assistance to the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan. During World War II, he worked on microwave radar development at the MIT Radiation Laboratory. He worked briefly after the war at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, then returned to MIT's Research Laboratory of Electronics from 1946 to 1961. After serving as Kennedy's science advisor, he returned to MIT, becoming its president from 1971 to 1980.

He was an outspoken critic of crewed exploration of outer space, believing instead in automated space probes. He challenged NASA's choice of developing the Apollo Lunar Module as a means to achieving Kennedy's goal of landing men on the Moon. At Kennedy's direction, he investigated Rachel Carson's criticism of the use of the pesticide DDT, and issued a report in support of her claims. He was an advocate for arms control, and a critic of anti-ballistic missile defense systems. While MIT president, he was put on President Richard M. Nixon's extended "enemies list".