Doctor Scott J. Bolton is a theoretical and experimental space physicist.
Education
Bolton has a Bachelor of Surgery in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Doctor of Philosophy in Astrophysics from the University of California at Berkeley. He received the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Exceptional Achievement Medal in 2002 and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Outstanding Leadership Medal in 2012.
Career
He is the Director of the Southwest Research Institute Space Science and Engineering Division. His research area is planetary sciences with a focus on the giant planets and the origin of the solar system. Bolton is the principal investigator for Juno, a mission launched in 2011 to study Jupiter"s origin, atmosphere, magnetosphere and interior structure, part of National Aeronautics and Space Administration"s New Frontiers program to explore the outer planets of the solar system.
Doctor Bolton is a Company-Investigator on a number of National Aeronautics and Space Administration missions including experiments on the Cassini-Huygens mission.
Doctor Bolton chaired the Titan science group for the Cassini-Huygens mission and was responsible for the formulation of the scientific investigation of Saturn’s moon Titan. Doctor Bolton has been a Principal Investigator with National Aeronautics and Space Administration on various research programs since 1988.
His research includes the modeling of the Jovian and Saturnian radiation belts, atmospheric dynamics and composition, and the formation and evolution of the solar system. He has authored over 150 scientific papers, five book chapters, and consulted/appeared in five space science documentaries.
Doctor Bolton maintains a relationship with Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology through a special appointment as a Senior Staff Scientist.
Doctor Bolton also leads a number of educational programs aimed at developing science, math and art skills for children from elementary to high school and college level As part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Juno al Outreach Program (East/PO), He has dedicated developed educational programs involving both formal and informal education including the creation of science and math curriculum driving new national standards for elementary level education (an age bracket known to be underserved in this area). Doctor Bolton has worked with a number of corporate sponsors dedicated to space science educational programs, including Lego, Universal, Sony, and Time-Warner.
Bolton and his team worked with the company to include Lego figures representing Juno, Jupiter, and Galileo.
Doctor Bolton partnered with the Lewis Center for al Excellence on an innovative educational program that provides elementary to high school students an opportunity to experience the scientific and engineering process directly. This program trains teachers on science and math education and provides access to National Aeronautics and Space Administration research facilities and scientists for hundreds of schools around the country.
He has worked with a number of musical artists developing both educational and musical programs. He has worked with the composer Vangelis in creation the Vangelis Foundation in Athens, Greece dedicated to the combined study of Science, Mathematics, Art, Music and Philosophy.
Membership
Bolton previously served on the Galileo mission as a member of the plasma spectrometer team and plasma wave instrument team