Background
Junkins was born in Oakman, Georgia May 23, 1943.
Junkins was born in Oakman, Georgia May 23, 1943.
1965 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, Auburn University, Alabama
1967 Master of Science, University of California, Los Angeles
1969 Doctor of Philosophy, University of California, Los Los Angeles
He holds the Royce East. Wisenbaker Endowed Chair at Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University and also serves as the founding Director of the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University Institute for Advanced Study. Junkins is a Professor, inventor and aerospace engineer Junkins professional history has seen him working in government (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), industry, and academia over a five decade career.
Junkins" scholarship is documented in over 400 professional publications, including seven texts, 220 archival papers and several patents.
His work has supported numerous spaceflight missions including the final three Apollo missions and his inventions have led to commercial products including navigation sensors for autonomous aerial refueling of aircraft, and for pointing navigation of spacecraft based on star pattern recognition. He also patented an early electronic whiteboard in 1994 for use in computer conferencing and academic classrooms.
He has directed over 120 graduate students, including 47 (as of March, 2012) who completed their Doctor of Philosophy under his direction. His former students have given rise to three generations of Doctor of Philosophy descendants.
1965 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, Auburn University, Alabama 1970–1977, University of Virginia 1978–1985, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 1985 – present, Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University.
Junkins is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the International Academy of Astronautics and an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.