Background
Parkinson, Bradford Wells was born on February 16, 1935 in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Son of Herbert and Metta Tisdale (Smith) Parkinson.
educator Astronautical engineer
Parkinson, Bradford Wells was born on February 16, 1935 in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Son of Herbert and Metta Tisdale (Smith) Parkinson.
Bachelor of Science, United States Naval Academy, 1957. Master of Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1961. Doctor of Philosophy, Stanford University, 1966.
Graduate (distinguished), United States Air Force Command and Staff College, 1969. Graduate (distinguished), Naval War College, 1972.
Commissioned Second lieutenant United States Air Force, 1957, advanced through grades to colonel, 1972. Division chief Air Force Test Pilot School, 1966-1968. Chair department astronautics and computer science United States Air Force Academy, 1969-1971.
Director engineering ABRES, 1972. Program manager NAVSTAR Global Positioning System, 1972-1978. Retired United States Air Force, 1978.
Professor mechanical engineering Colorado State University, Fort Collins, 1978-1979. Vice president advanced engineering Rockwell International, Downey, California, 1979-1980. General manager, vice president Intermetrics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1980-1984.
Professor emeritus, associate director gravity probe-B Stanford (California) University, since 1984. Chief Executive Officer, president Trimble Navigation Ltd., 1998-1999. Chair advisory council Jet Propulsion Laboratory National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Director Trimble Navigation Ltd., Sunnyvale, California, NTV, Cambridge. Past chair board directors Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, California.
Fellow American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Royal Institute Navigation (Gold medal 1983), Institute Navigation, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (Kirchner award 1986, Pioneer award 1994, Sperry award 1999, Simon Remo medal). Member Associate of Applied Science, National Academy of Engineering (councillor, Charles Stark Draper Prize, 2003), International Academy Astronautics, Sigma Xi, Tau Beta Pi.
Married Virginia Pinkham Wier, November 26, 1977. Children: Leslie, Bradford II, Eric, Ian, Bruce, Jared Bradford.