(Editor’s note: The following article is the third in a series of three detailing the accomplishments of the gentlemen selected as honorees for the Tyrone Area School District’s Distinguished Alumni Recognition Weekend, scheduled to begin Oct. 17.)
“Accomplishment will prove to be a journey, not a destination.” – D.D. Eisenhower.
As a distinguished alumni, Dr. Robert W. Charles has used this motto as a goal in life. He has a series of accomplishments which have only lead to the future. Dr. Charles is the proud son of Robert J. and Phyllis V. Charles, Village of Bald Eagle, and the loving husband of the former Lisa Decker. He and Lisa currently reside in Ranchester, Wyo.
Among the distinguished educational credits Dr. Charles has earned throughout his lifetime include: a Bachelor’s Degree in physics from Bucknell University (cum laude), a Master’s Degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix, and a Doctor of Philosophy in geology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dr. Charles has strong roots in the Tyrone area. He has very fond memories of his educational career which began at the Bald Eagle Elementary School, a one-room school. He matriculated to the Oak Ridge Elementary School, and then to the Tyrone Area Junior-Senior High School where he was an honor student.
Dr. Charles refined his athletic skills in both track and basketball. At both Tyrone and Bucknell, he was captain of the track team.
In recognition of his outstanding academic and athletic achievement, he was awarded the G.C. (Bud) Wilson Scholar Athlete Award in the spring of 1963.
His strong foundation of education begun in the Tyrone Area prepared him well for the future.
Dr. Charles had a strong commitment to scouting, where he was an Eagle Scout, patrol leader and later, assistant scoutmaster of Troop 103. He served as camp director at Camp Anderson in the late 1960s.
While an undergraduate at Bucknell, Dr. Charles underwent training as a soldier. During that time, he served as a reserve officer’s Training Corps Brigade Commander. He earned awards as a Distinguished Military student as well at The United States Army Medal. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the army upon graduation. Others honor at Bucknell include Physics Honor Society, Mathematics Honor Society, election to the Society of Sigma Xi (Physics), and an academic scholarship.
At MIT, he was awarded a National Defense Education Act Traineeship, a pre-doctoral fellowship at the Carnegie Institute of Washington Geophysical Laboratory.
He continued his avid interest in sports with selection to MIT’s rugby team, first side. Upon graduation, he received a post-doctoral fellowship to the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
The major portion of Dr. Charles’ career evolved at The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Established in 1943, the Los Alamos Laboratory stands as one of the nation’s premier research institute charged with the task of applying science and technology to the challenges of U.S. National Security. During his 23 years at Los Alamos,
Dr. Charles served as a research scientist and in a variety of management positions. He is the author of more than 100 technical publications.
Upon his retirement from Los Alamos in 1997, although far from retired, he and his wife acquired a small ranch in northern Wyoming where he pursues interests in consulting, ranching, traveling, model railroading, gardening, woodworking and entertaining grandchildren.
