Distinguished Engineer
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Physics & Mathematics,
Fredrick Harold Leinbach, Jr., earned an M.S. degree from Cal Tech in 1950 following his graduation from South Dakota State College and went on to earn a Ph.D. from the University of Alaska in 1962. Leinbach held positions with the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska, the U.S. Chemical Corps, the University of Iowa and the University of Colorado. He then served as acting director of the Space Environment Laboratory of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) of the U.S. Department of Commerce where he participated in the development of the Riometer, a special radio receiver for recording cosmic radio noise. He designed and supervised construction of a spectro-helioscope for solar observations and was involved in the calibration of a satellite experiment for measuring electrons and patrons. Leinbach’s work resulted in numerous papers, on subjects relating to the ionosphere solar activity, cosmic rays, polar cap absorption, radio wave absorption and geomagnetic storms. His father, Fredrick H. Leinbach, Sr., was president of SDSC from 1947 to 1951.