It is with sorrow that we announce the passing of Professor Emeritus Robert (Bob) Eugene Skelton, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and recognized as the principal pioneer in the field of tensegrity, on Feb. 15, 2023, in Fairhope, Alabama. He was 84.
The breadth and depth of Skelton’s impact and his contributions in the field of tensegrity are extensive, ranging from art, to architecture, to biology, physics and medicine, as well as to the building of bridges, large telescopes, space structures, and efficient-wave energy conversion systems in the ocean.
Skelton built his own research group in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UC San Diego around the subject of Structural Systems and Control, focusing specifically on the design, analysis, and control of tensegrity systems, a mathematically elegant, yet innately practical research paradigm related to lightweight controllable structures. To see a glimpse of Skelton’s work on display, visit the lobby of Jacobs Hall – the fulcrum of Engineering at UC San Diego – and look up to see his sculpture Wings in E Minor: a deployable structure concept. This is a shining example of a controllable, deployable wing based on tensegrity structures for aerospace applications.
Upon his arrival at UC San Diego, Skelton architected the Dynamic Systems and Controls group in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Building upon an interdisciplinary vision, he recruited an eclectic group of talented, like-minded controls faculty. Under his leadership, this faculty group grew steadily over two decades into one of the strongest academic modeling and controls programs in the country, with close to 20 active research faculty now extending across control, systems, robotics, and related interdisciplinary areas.
As an academic mentor and advisor and teacher to many, Skelton’s gentle, approachable and humble manner was driven by his irrepressible and infectious scientific curiosity. Though the campus and larger scientific community mourn his loss, his diverse, substantial, and lasting impacts, as a brilliant scientist, as an innovative colleague, and as a true friend are celebrated.
Working at the Marshall Space Flight Center, he was integral to the design of control systems on Apollo, Skylab, the space shuttle, and the Hubble telescope. He was Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue for 22 years before joining UC San Diego in 1996. He retired in 2009, and continued doing research on campus as emeritus faculty until 2014. After leaving San Diego, realizing that retirement didn’t suit his insatiable scientific curiosity, he spent seven additional impactful years as a Distinguished Research Professor in Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M.
Skelton was born in Elberton, Georgia to David and Sara Skelton. He received an electrical engineering degree from Clemson, a master’s from the University of Alabama, and a doctorate in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from UCLA.
As a renowned professor who wrote four textbooks and published over 200 journal articles, Skelton received numerous awards across many different engineering disciplines. He was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2012, “for contributions to robust control, system identification, and methodology for control-structure interaction.” He was the inaugural holder of the Daniel L. Alspach Endowed Chair in Dynamic Systems & Control at UC San Diego. Skelton also was a life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society and a life member of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. His major awards include: the SKYLAB Achievement Award, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Award, the Humboldt Foundation Senior US Scientist Award, the Norman Medal from the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Humboldt Foundation Research Award, and the NASA Appreciation Award.
He is survived by Judy, his wife of 51 years, sisters Glenda and Lynne, daughter Leigh, sons Jeff, Buzz, and David, daughters-in-law Jenny, Rachel, and Michele, nine grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
In Memoriam
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to one of the following organizations:
- Texas A&M Foundation, 401 George Bush Drive, College Station, TX 77840. Please designate the Professor Robert "Bob" Skelton Memorial Award in Aerospace Engineering in the memo line of the check.
- Community Hospice of Baldwin County: 1450 N. McKenzie St, Foley, AL 36535
- Fairhope United Methodist Church: 155 S. Section St., Fairhope, AL 36532
