Scientist to Discuss Physics, National Security in UA’s Mills Lecture

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — R. Michael Dowe Jr., chief scientist of Raytheon Ktech, will discuss “A Career in Physics and National Security,” for the the Helen Crow Mills and John Carroll Mills Lecture at The University of Alabama Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. in room 227 of Gallalee Hall.

The lecture is free and open to the public.

Dowe, a UA alumnus who studied physics, will discuss how his education prepared him for his decade-long career in the Army and his subsequent work in the defense research and development industry.

Prior to becoming chief scientist of Raytheon Ktech in 2011, Dowe served as president and CEO of Information Systems Laboratories and was founder, president and CEO of Pi Cubed Inc. and its Beamcor affiliate. He has more than 40 years of experience in national security-related industrial research and development.

Dowe earned a Bachelor of Science in military engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1950 and earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees in physics from UA in 1961 and 1965, respectively. He also has served as a faculty member in UA’s department of physics and astronomy, the University of Kansas and the University of Virginia.

During his time as a U.S. Army officer, Dowe received an official commendation from President Eisenhower for his contributions to the Eisenhower Commission to Formulate a Code-of-Conduct for the Armed Forces. He has received various military awards for heroism and service, including the Purple Heart.

The Mills lectureship was established and endowed in UA’s College of Arts and Sciences by Helen Mills Pittman and her late husband, Dr. John Mills, of Birmingham, to bring successful and distinguished alumni and citizens to campus to speak as a way to motivate and inspire students.

Helen Mills received a bachelor’s degree from the College of Human and Environmental Sciences at UA in 1959. She is president of Crow Real Estate and Insurance Co. in Birmingham and a longtime member of the Leadership Board of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences.

The late John Mills received his bachelor’s degree in pre-dental studies from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1955 and a dentistry degree from UA’s School of Dentistry in Birmingham in 1958. He practiced endodontics for 29 years and was a diplomat of the American Board of Endodontics.

Mills was a pioneer in endodontics in Alabama and the only board certified endodontist in private practice in Alabama for many years. After leaving private practice, Mills became director of the endodontic program at UA’s School of Dentistry in Birmingham.

UA’s College of Arts and Sciences is the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.

Contact

Stephanie Kirkland, communications specialist, College of Arts and Sciences, 205/348-8539, stephanie.kirkland@ua.edu

Source

Rebecca Florence, director of college relations, rebecca.florence@ua.edu