July 14, 2015
Thomas J. Eller, Ph.D. ASE ’74, was selected to receive the esteemed 2014 Air Force Academy Distinguished Graduate Award. Awarding only two graduates each year, the academy recognizes graduates “whose singular and distinctive contributions to our society and nation have set them apart from other alumni of the institution.”
Graduating from the Air Force Academy in 1961, Eller earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses, an Airman’s medal for non-combat heroism, seven air medals and numerous other honors.
In 1969 he earned a master’s degree from Purdue University’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, followed by a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.
During his time spent at UT-Austin, Eller received guidance from several professors including his dissertation faculty advisor, Professor Byron Tapley, and Professors Wallace Fowler, David Hull and Bob Schutz of the ASE/EM department.
“The quality of the scholarship in UT ASE/EM is essentially unparalleled and has been sustained all these years,” Eller said. “I am proud to be considered part of Dr. Tapley’s group of students.”
After completing his Ph.D. at The University of Texas, Eller returned to the Air Force Academy until 1981 where he held many positions, including academic instructor, professor, assistant dean of faculty and head of the Astronautics and Computer Science Department.
After retiring from the Air Force, he worked for aerospace firms such as Kaman Sciences and Martin Marietta Aerospace. Eller is also the co-inventor of the GPS Magnetic Momentum Dumping System, which helps significantly prolong satellite life, and led a team that developed software that selects launch windows to avoid space debris.
“I am pleased, yet humbled, to become part of the small group of Distinguished Graduates of the Air Force Academy,” Eller said. “I am sure that my experiences at UT and the professors I had went a long way in paving the way for that award.”
