Dr.Emmett W. Chappelle Archives

Dr. Emmett W. Chappelle was born on October 25, 1925, to Viola White and Isom Chappelle in Phoenix, Arizona. Immediately after his Phoenix Union Colored High School graduation, Chappelle was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he was assigned to the Army Specialized Training Program. During the program, he took engineering courses until he was reassigned to the all-Black 92nd Infantry Division in Italy. When he returned to the U.S., Chappelle earned his associate’s degree from Phoenix College and Bachelor’s of Science from the University of California at Berkeley, which allowed him to teach Biochemistry, remarkably without graduate training, and conduct his own research that was recognized by the scientific community. He then accepted the opportunity to earn his Master’s of Science in Biology with a focus on Biochemistry from the University of Washington and went on to begin his Ph.D. at Stanford.

Instead of finishing his degree, Chappelle entered the workforce and joined the Research Institute for Advanced Studies in Baltimore, where he helped create safe oxygen supplies for astronauts and ultimately received his first U.S. patent. He then worked for Hazleton Laboratories, before starting with NASA. At NASA, he was an Exobiologist and Astrochemist who pioneered the development of the ingredients that make the cellular material, the techniques still used to detect bacteria, and laser-induced fluorescence to sensitively detect plant stress. He then worked for Goddard Space Flight Center as a scientific analyst who monitored remote sensing devices.

In 2001, Chappelle retired from NASA, with a credit of 14 U.S. patents, over 35 peer-reviewed scientific or technical publications, nearly 50 conference papers, and co-authorship or editorship of a number of publications. He has been recognized for his achievements, notably earning the Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal from NASA, a member of five scientific societies, and in 2007 was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of fame. Throughout his career as a scientist who made valuable contributions in the Medical, Philanthropic, Food Science and Astrochemical fields, Chappelle has mentored minority high school and college students. Now he has retired alongside his wife, after passing down the torch to future generations of Black STEAMers.

If you or someone you know is eligible, apply for the NASA Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Bridge Scholarship! http://vsgc.odu.edu/sf/Bridge/

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