List of Washington State University people

The Washington State University Alumni Association defines an alumnus as anyone who was a student at WSU and is no longer attending. This page lists accomplished alumni and faculty members of WSU.

Notable alumni

Academe

• Judith A. Bense, academic; current Interim President of the University of West Florida
• Howard Bowen, 1929 B.A. Econ, 1933 M.A. Econ., former president of Claremont University Center, the University of Iowa, Grinnell College, and the American Association of Higher Education; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1965
• David Comer, consultant in the field of circuit design for IBM, Intel, Lawrence Livermore National Labs, and Mobility Systems Inc.
• Gordon G. Gallup, psychologist currently working at the University at Albany's Psychology Department in the biopsychology program
• Weldon Gibson, 1938 B.A. Bus. Adm., executive vice president of Stanford Research Institute; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1979
• Henry Heald, 1923 B.S. Civil Engr., President of the Ford Foundation, New York University, Illinois Institute of Technology, and American Society for Engineering Education; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1962
• W. Hudson Kensel, historian of the American West
• David Miller, Seattle architect; co-founder of the Miller/Hull Partnership; architecture professor at the University of Washington; Chair of the UW Department of Architecture since 2007
• George B. Thomas, former professor of mathematics at MIT; best known for being the author of a widely used calculus textbook
• Jon Wefald, former President of Kansas State University
• Matsuyo Omori Yamamoto, 1937 B.A. Home Ec., the first chief of the Rural Home-living Improvement Section of Japan’s Ag. Extension; chief of the Education and Training Section, Home Economics Branch, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1967

Animal husbandry

• Leo Bustad, 1941 B.S. Ag., 1948 M.S. Ag., 1949 D.V.M., Dean of the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine from 1973–83; pioneer in the international human-companion animal bond movement; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1984
• Helen Elaine Freeman, conservationist and endangered species advocate; specialized in saving snow leopards
• Jack Gorski, 1956 M.S. Ani. Sci., 1958 Ph.D. Ani. Sci., discovered the estrogen receptor; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1999
• Ivan Peterson, 1942 D.V.M., member of Alpha Tau Omega; President of Sphinx Club and of the Crimson Court; veterinarian in California; worked with the television series Lassie; friend to Jane Goodall, and helped sponsor her chimpanzee research; died in 1967
• Charles Schroeder, 1929 D.V.M., Director of the San Diego Zoo for 19 years; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1979

The arts, literature and media

• Sherman Alexie, 1994 B.A. Am. St., author and filmmaker; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003
• Rudy Autio, sculptor, best known for his figurative ceramic vessels
• Deborah Gardner, Peace Corps volunteer murdered in Tonga in 1976; subject of American Taboo, by Philip Weiss
• Art Gilmore, 1931, voice actor and announcer
• Keith Jackson, 1954 B.A. Sp. Comm., ABC-TV sports commentator; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1978
• Edward Kienholz, pop art installation artist
• Gary Larson, 1972 B.A. Comm., Far Side cartoonist; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1990
• Blake Lewis, American Idol Season 6 runner-up
• Scott MacDonald, television actor
• Patrick F. McManus, outdoor humor writer; studied at Washington State College before it became Washington State University
• Edward R. Murrow, 1930 B.A. Speech, "father of television news broadcasting"; WWII radio correspondent; Hear It Now radio program host; See It Now television program host; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1963
• Barry Serafin, 1986 B.A. Hum., ABC news correspondent; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1991
• D. C. Simpson, creator of the webcomic Ozy and Millie and the political cartoon I Drew This
• Frances Yeend, lyric soprano opera singer

Krist Novoselic, bass player for Nirvana & activist

Business

• Paul Allen, 1977 (1973–75), co-founder of Microsoft; owner of Vulcan Enterprises, Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers; philanthropist; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1999
• Scott E. Carson, B.A. Bus. Adm., President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airlines
• Clint Cole, co-founder of Heartstream, creator of the first automatic external defibrillator (AED) for commercial use; co-founder of Digilent, a local Pullman electronics manufacturer
• J. Patrick Foley, 1955 B.A. Education, President of Hyatt Hotels Corporation (1978-1984); Chief Executive Officer of Braniff Airlines (1984-1988); served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of DHL Corporation Inc./DHL Airways Inc. (1988-1999)
• Bill Mundy, a leading authority in real estate appraisal in the US
• Robert Stevenson, 1929 B.A. Econ., CEO, president, and board chairman of Allis-Chalmers; trustee of Carroll College; board chairman of the Medical College of Wisconsin; director of Northwest Mutual Life Insurance Company, Marshall & Ilsey Bank, and Universal Oil Products Company; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983
• Mark Suwyn, 1967 Ph.D. Inorganic Chem., CEO of NewPage Corp.; former chair and CEO of Louisiana-Pacific Corp., 1996–2004; former executive at International Paper and E.I. DuPont; member and former chair of the WSU Foundation Board of Trustees
• Rhoda Altom, Real Estate Investor
• Brock Maxwell, 2011 B.A. Sports MGT. ISR NC Machinery CAT;

Government, law and politics

• Svend Auken, 1962, Danish politician, Minister of Environmental Affairs 1993-2001
• John Folger, 1914 B.S. Hort., 1917 M.S. Hort., US Ambassador to Belgium 1957-59; member of the Board of Governors of the New York Stock Exchange; president of the Investment Bankers Association of America; chaired the GOP National Finance Committee; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1963
• Walt Horan, politician; Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for ten terms
• Mike Lowry, 1962 B.A. Gen. St., former Governor of Washington
• Jim Moeller, politician from Washington, serves in the Washington State House of Representatives representing the 49th Legislative District
• Patty Murray, 1972 B.A. Rec., US Senator representing Washington
• Marshall Neill, 1936 B.A. Pol. Sci., Federal district court judge; Washington State Supreme Court judge; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1979
• George Nethercutt, 1967 B.A. Engl., US Congressman, 1995-2005
• Sam Reed, Washington Secretary of State
• Robert A. Roe, Democrat representing New Jersey in the US House of Representatives for over 23 years

Humanities

• James Blackwell, 1959 Ph.D. Soc., a national study ranked him fifth among black sociologists, living and dead, who made the most significant contribution to the field; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2002
• Gary J. Coleman, general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Anthony Curcio, 2004 Social Sciences, author and youth speaker; former standout athlete; became notorious criminal known as D.B. Tuber after masterminding one of the most elaborate armored car robberies in history;^[1] has since devoted his life to educating youth in the field of drug addiction^[2]
• Timothy Leary, 1946 M.S. Psych
• Laurence Peter, 1963 Ed.D., co-author of the international best seller, The Peter Principle: Why Things Go Wrong; author of three sequels, The Peter Prescription, The Peter Plan, and The Peter Pyramid; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980
• William Julius Wilson, 1966 Ph.D. Soc., wrote The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass and Public Policy and The Declining Significance of Race; one of nine people to receive the National Medal of Science for creativity, resolve and innovation; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1988

Military

• Robert Higgins, 1957 B.S. Pharm., Navy Rear Admiral, Deputy Surgeon General, and Medical Corps chief; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2002
• Ross Greening, Colonel in US Air Force; captained the Hari Kari-er in the Doolittle Raid of Japan
• James Fleming, Colonel in US Air Force; helicopter pilot; Medal of Honor recipient for life-saving actions at Duc Co, South Vietnam in 1968
• Dale Noyd, decorated captain and fighter pilot in the US Air Force who gained worldwide attention when he became a conscientious objector to protest the Vietnam War
• Sigmund R. Petersen, 1961 B.S. in civil engineering, rear admiral in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps); fourth director of the NOAA Corps (1990-1995)
• Robert D. Russ (1933-1997), 1955 B.A. Bus. Adm., four-star general in US Air Force; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1992

Science, space and technology

• John Abelson, 1960 B.S. Physics, co-founder and president of Agouron Pharmaceuticals; through rational drug design developed Viracept, the leading drug used for controlling HIV infections, which cut the death rate in half among AIDS patients in the mid-1990s; nephew of Philip Abelson and Neva Abelson; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2004
• Neva Abelson, 1934 B.S. Chem., developed the blood test for the Rh disease; wife of Philip Abelson; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1989
• Philip Abelson, 1933 B.S. Chem., 1935 M.S. Physics, "father of the nuclear-fueled submarine"; Manhattan Project participant; editor of Science; husband of Neva Abelson; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1962
• Gary L. Bennett, scientist and engineer, specializing in aerospace and energy
• Jacob Bigeleisen, 1941 M.S. Chem., founder of the modern school of isotope chemistry; Manhattan Project]participant; researcher at Brookhaven National Laboratory; vice president for research, dean of Graduate Studies and a leading chemistry professor at State University of New York at Stony Brook; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983
• William A. Bugge, 1922 B.S. Civil Engr., Washington director of highways 1949–63; project director for the design and construction of Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) System in San Francisco; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980
• Clint Cole, co-founder of Heartstream, creator of the first automatic external defibrillator (AED) for commercial use; co-founder of Digilent, a local Pullman electronics manufacturer
• John Fabian, 1962 B.S. Mech. Engr., NASA astronaut; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983
• Charles Glen King, 1918 B.S. Chem., leading authority on Vitamin C; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1964
• Simon S. Lam, 1969 B.S. Elec. Engr., 2004 ACM SIGCOMM Award winner; member of the National Academy of Engineering
• Wajih Owais, Jordanian professor and researcher; Chairman of Board of Directors of King Abdullah University Hospital;t President of Jordan University of Science and Technology
• Irwin Rose, 1948, 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner for his research in immune defense and proteins; discoveries may lead to the development of drugs to combat Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis, and cervical cancer; first year of undergraduate study was at WSU; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2005
• Karl Sax, 1916 B.S. Hort., radiation biologist and geneticist; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1966
• Edmund Schweitzer, 1977 Ph.D. Elec. Engr., founder of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
• Orville Vogel, 1939 Ph.D. Agronomy, wheat breeder whose findings sparked the "Green Revolution"; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1977
• Allan Wilson, 1957 M.S. Zoo., evolutionist; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1990
• Krist Novoselic, Nirvana bassist

Sports and athletics

• Hamza Abdullah, former NFL safety for the Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, and Arizona Cardinals
• Husain Abdullah, former National Football League (NFL) strong safety for the Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs
• Frank Akins, former NFL running back for the Washington Redskins
• Mike Akiu, football player
• Josh Akognon, member of the Nigeria national basketball team
• Calvin Armstrong, CFL offensive tackle for the Edmonton Eskimos
• Dominique Arnold, 1996, track & field NCAA champion; current American record holder in the 110m high hurdles (12.90)
• Rick Austin, former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers
• Byron Bailey, former NFL running back for the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers
• LaVar Ball, former basketball and football player
• Ed Barker, former NFL wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins
• Norton Barnhill, former National Basketball Association (NBA) guard for the Seattle SuperSonics
• Kyle Basler, NFL punter for the Cleveland Browns
• Aron Baynes, NBA center for the San Antonio Spurs; 2014 NBA champion with the Spurs
• Pat Beach, former NFL tight end
• Todd Belitz, former MLB pitcher
• Leon Bender, drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 1998, but died before playing an NFL game
• Troy Bienemann, NFL tight end for the Arizona Cardinals
• Gale Bishop, former player for the Philadelphia Warriors in the BAA
• Drew Bledsoe, 1993 B.A. educ., former NFL quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, and the Buffalo Bills
• Dorian Boose, former NFL defensive end for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins
• Ed Bouchee, former MLB first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets
• Adam Braidwood, first overall by the Edmonton Eskimos in the 2006 Canadian College Draft
• Bob Bratkowski, current offensive coordinator for the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals
• Bobo Brayton, 1950 B.A. Phys. Ed., 1959 M.S. Phys. Ed., former WSU baseball coach
• Chuck Brayton, former head coach of the Washington State Cougars baseball team, 1962-1994
• Ed Brett, former NFL defensive end
• Alex Brink, NFL quarterback for the Houston Texans
• Steve Broussard, former NFL running back and current WSU assistant football coach
• Mkristo Bruce, current NFL defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars
• Deone Bucannon, current NFL inside linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals
• Michael Bumpus, wide receiver with the Seattle Seahawks
• Joe Burks, former NFL center
• Greg Burns, defensive backs coach for Kansas State University
• Lewis Bush, former linebacker for the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs
• Hugh Campbell, former head coach of the Houston Oilers
• Ron Cey, former MLB third baseman, six-time All-Star and graduate of Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington
• Cliff Chambers, former MLB pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Cardinals
• John Chaplin, 1963 B.A. Geography, WSU Track & Field Coach, 2000 US Olympic Track & Field Coach
• Gail Cogdill, former NFL wide receiver, 3X Pro Bowl participant and 1960 NFL Rookie of the Year
• Erik Coleman, defensive back for the Atlanta Falcons
• Don Collins, former NBA player for the Atlanta Hawks
• Jed Collins, NFL fullback; signed with Philadelphia Eagles in 2008
• Gene Conley, former MLB All-Star and NBA player; first person to win a championship title in both sports
• Omowale Dada, NFL cornerback for the New Orleans Saints
• Joe Danelo, former NFL placekicker
• Devard Darling, NFL wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens
• James Darling, NFL middle linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals
• Jason David, NFL cornerback for the New Orleans Saints as of 2007
• Steve Dildine, linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers
• James Donaldson, former NBA center
• Dan Doornink, former running back for the New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks; currently a practicing MD of internal medicine
• Chad Eaton, former NFL defensive tackle and recipient of the Morris Trophy
• Dave Edler, former MLB third baseman for the Seattle Mariners
• Turk Edwards, former offensive tackle for the Washington Redskins and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Craig Ehlo, former NBA player
• Garner Ekstran, former CFL defensive end for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and winner of the 1966 Grey Cup
• Jack Elway, former football coach and the father of the Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway
• Dick Farman, former offensive lineman and Pro Bowl selection for the Washington Redskins
• Mark Fields, former linebacker and Pro Bowl selection for the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers
• Danielle Fisher, at the age of 20, youngest person in the world to summit the tallest mountain on each continent (on June 2, 2005)
• Isaac Fontaine, former NBA guard for the Memphis Grizzlies
• Eric Frampton, NFL safety for the Oakland Raiders
• Rodrigo de la Fuente, Spanish basketball player, formerly with FC Barcelona
• Aaron Garcia, quarterback for the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League
• Jason Gesser, quarterback for the Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League
• Steve Gleason, 1998 Pac-10 Defensive MVP and special teams captain of the New Orleans Saints
• Phil Glover, linebacker for the Tampa Bay Storm
• Ed Goddard, former All-American quarterback and NFL player
• Kenny Graham, former AFL All-Star safety for the San Diego Chargers
• Dan Grayson, football player
• Brad Greenberg, current head men's basketball coach at Radford University
• Ken Greene, former NFL safety for the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Chargers
• Jason Hanson, 1993 B.S. Zoo., NFL placekicker for the Detroit Lions
• Glenn Harper, former CFL punter and winner of a Grey Cup
• Charles Harris, offensive lineman for the Tennessee Titans
• Tony Harris (1970–2007), basketball player for several international pro teams
• Jerome Harrison, former NCAA All-American and current running back for the Cleveland Browns
• James Hasty, former Pro Bowl cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs
• Scott Hatteberg, former MLB first baseman for the Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds
• Chris Hayes, former defensive back and Super Bowl XXXI champion for the Green Bay Packers
• Mel Hein, 1931 B.S. Phys. Ed., All-American football player in 1930; eight-time All-Pro with the New York Giants; received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983; member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Mark Hendrickson, former NBA player and MLB pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Jason Hill, NFL wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers
• Alex Hoffman-Ellis, football linebacker
• Jerry Houghton, former NFL offensive tackle
• Don Hover, former linebacker for the Washington Redskins
• Erik Howard, former defensive tackle and member of two Super Bowl Championship teams
• George Hurley, former offensive guard for the Washington Redskins
• Bernard Jackson, former NFL defensive back
• Chris Jackson, standout wide receiver for the AFL's Philadelphia Soul
• Tim Jankovich, current head men's basketball coach at Illinois State University
• Eldon Jenne, former track and field athlete who competed in the Summer Olympics; head football and basketball coach at Pacific University
• Brian Kelly, former wide receiver and member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
• Allan Kennedy, former NFL offensive tackle
• Samson Kimobwa, retired distance runner from Kenya
• Mike Kinkade, 2000 Olympic baseball gold medalist; currently in the Chicago Cubs organization
• Peter Koech, 1988 Olympic silver medalist, 3,000m steeplechase
• Julius Korir, 1984 Olympic steeplechase champion
• Bernard Lagat, 2000, two-time Olympic track & field medalist in the 1500m
• Ryan Leaf, 1999 (1995–98), former NFL quarterback with the San Diego Chargers; taken second in the 1998 NFL Draft
• Ron Lewis, former offensive guard for the Washington Redskins
• Keith Lincoln, former NFL running back; record 206 yards rushing in the 1964 American Football League Championship game for the San Diego Chargers, two-time Pro Bowl MVP
• Rian Lindell, kicker for the Buffalo Bills
• Gerry Lindgren, won 11 NCAA track & field distance running championships
• Chad Little, former NASCAR driver
• Don Long, current MLB hitting coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Rien Long, 2003, only WSU player to win the Outland Trophy, current defensive tackle for the Tennessee Titans
• Dan Lynch, former first team AP All-American football lineman, 1984
• John Marshall, defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks
• Rueben Mayes, former NFL running back with the New Orleans Saints
• Rob Meier, current NFL defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars
• Keith Millard, former Pro-Bowl defensive lineman
• Singor Mobley, former safety for the Dallas Cowboys
• Tom Niedenfuer, former MLB relief pitcher
• Laurie Niemi, former Pro-Bowl offensive lineman for the Washington Redskins
• Paul Noce, former MLB shortstop for the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds
• John Olerud, former MLB first baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners
• Karl Paymah, current NFL cornerback for the Denver Broncos
• Scott Pelluer, former NFL linebacker for the New Orleans Saints
• Brian Quinnett, former NBA player for the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks
• Pete Rademacher, Olympic gold medal recipient for boxing in 1956
• George Raveling, one of the winningest coaches in Washington State University basketball history
• Henry Rono, former track & field world record holder in the 10,000m, 5,000m, 3,000m, and 3,000m steeplechase
• Timm Rosenbach, former NFL QB with the Phoenix Cardinals; quarterbacks coach for WSU as of 2007
• Rob Ryan, former MLB outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Oakland Athletics
• Mark Rypien, former NFL quarterback, Super Bowl XXVI MVP with the Washington Redskins
• Herb Schmalenberger, former college football coach at UC Davis
• Aaron Sele, former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Doug Sisk, former MLB relief pitcher
• Howie Slater, former NFL fullback
• Jonathan McKenzi Smith, NFL running back for the Kansas City Chiefs
• Raonall Smith, former NFL outside linebacker for the St. Louis Rams
• Jack Spring, former MLB relief pitcher
• Wes Stock, former MLB pitcher
• Wayne Sutton, former head football coach at Louisiana State University
• Jack Thompson, 1984 Bus. Adm., former NFL quarterback known as the "Throwin' Samoan"
• Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors shooting guard
• Lamont Thompson, former All-American and NFL safety for the Tennessee Titans
• Robbie Tobeck, former Pro Bowl center for the Seattle Seahawks
• Marcus Trufant, 2003, highest pick in NFL draft at #11; former All-Pro cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks 2003-2012, 2014
• Mike Utley, former offensive lineman for Detroit Lions; became paralyzed during a game against the Los Angeles Rams in 1991
• Jeff Varem, NBA guard for the Chicago Bulls
• Ed Viesturs, 1987 D.V.M., one of 12 people in the world and the only American to climb the 14 tallest mountains in the world; completed the task unaided by supplemental oxygen
• Ian Waltz, eight-time NCAA All-American for discus and shot put, 2004 US Olympian for discus
• Ashley Walyuchow,1994, Athletic director University of Houston-Victoria. Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year
• Duke Washington, former running back for the Philadelphia Eagles
• Kyle Weaver, NBA guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder
• Mike Wilson, former NFL wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers
• Cory Withrow, NFL center for the San Diego Chargers
• Paul Wulff, former NCAA All-American and former head coach of the WSU football team
• Lavar Ball, former NFL tight end for the New York Jets and current owner of Big Baller Brand

Notable faculty

• James Asay, Institute of Shock Physics researcher; member of the National Academy of Engineering
• LeRoy Ashby, Regents Professor of History; twice Washington Professor of the Year; author of With Amusement for All: A History of American Popular Culture Since 1830
• Brett Atwood, print and online journalist; co-founder of Rolling Stone Radio; former managing editor at Amazon.com, RealNetworks and Billboard magazine
• Buck Bailey, WSU baseball coach
• V. N. Bhatia, former WSU Honors Program director; Knight of Denmark, Dannebrog Order
• Anjan Bose, electrical engineering professor and former dean; developed training simulators and computational tools for reliable power-system operation; member of the National Academy of Engineering
• Walter Clore, horticulture researcher; "father of the Washington wine industry"
• Clint Cole, co-founder of Heartstream, creator of the first automatic external defibrillator (AED) for commercial use; co-founder of Digilent, a local Pullman electronics manufacturer
• R. James Cook, plant pathologist, cropping systems and biotechnology researcher; led first field test of a genetically modified organism in the Pacific Northwest; member of the National Academy of Sciences
• Rodney Croteau, leader in biosynthesis of cancer-fighting Taxol; expert on terpenoids; member of the National Academy of Sciences
• J. Thomas Dickinson, physicist, known for work in fracture, tribology and laser interactions with materials; Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
• William Henry Dietz ("Lone Star Dietz"), WSU football coach; won first annual Rose Bowl; professional football coach
• Don A. Dillman, sociologist; Regents Professor; Foley Distinguished Professor of Government and Public Policy; major contributor to modern survey methods; past president of the American Association of Public Opinion Research; Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Elson S. Floyd, Professor of Higher Education Administration; President of Washington State University
• Roald H. Fryxell, WSU professor of geoarchaeology in the Department of Anthropology; namesake of the Fryxell crater on the Moon
• Norman S. Golding, food scientist, inventor of Cougar Gold cheese
• Yogendra Gupta, physicist, director of WSU Institute for Shock Physics; Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science
• John Hirth, mechanical and materials engineer; characterized and modeled the behavior of materials at atomic and microstructural levels, including thin film formation useful to the semiconductor industry; member of the National Academy of Engineering
• Alexander Kuo, humanities and creative writing professor; author; writer-in-residence
• Mark G. Kuzyk, physicist, discoverer of the Kuzyk limit and the Kuzyk quantum gap
• Kelvin Lynn, materials scientist, renowned for "positron annihilation" research; Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
• John M. Madsen, former dean and general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Frances K. McSweeney, psychologist known for work on behavior and reinforcement, with findings on short-term changes in reinforcer effectiveness; WSU Meyer Distinguished Professor of Psychology; Fellow of the Association for Behavior Analysis
• Charles Pezeshki (Dr. Chuck), WSU professor of mechanical and materials engineering, 1998–present; past Chair of the University Faculty Senate; founder and Director of the Industrial Design Clinic; viewed by most MME students as the best WSU professor of all time
• Bhakta B. Rath, assistant professor of Metallurgy and Material Science; material physicist; Head of the Materials Science and Component Technology of the United States Naval Research Laboratory
• V. Lane Rawlins, professor of economics and WSU President Emeritus
• Clarence A. "Bud" Ryan Jr., isolated and synthesized systemin, first polypeptide hormone found in plants, and discovered that plants produce natural insecticides in response to pest attacks; member of the National Academy of Sciences
• Michael Skinner, molecular and reproduction biologist; made ddiscoveries in epigenetics including reduction in male fertility for four generations; his findings appeared in Discover magazine's "100 top science stories of 2005"
• Samuel H. Smith, WSU President Emeritus; former NATO post-doctoral fellow
• William Jasper Spillman, WSU professor of agriculture; wheat breeder; independently rediscovered Mendel's Law of Heredity; "father of agricultural economics"
• Orville Vogel, WSU and USDA wheat breeder; developer of semi-dwarf wheat varieties that fueled the Green Revolution; recipient of the National Medal of Science
• Diter von Wettstein, plant geneticist; internationally recognized for genetically modifying barley for brewing processes and disease resistance; National Academy of Sciences foreign associate; member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences
• Allen I. White, WSU professor of pharmacy faculty 1940-1960; dean of the WSU College of Pharmacy 1960-1979; pioneered off-campus training for the college

Notable regents

• Frances Penrose Owen, first woman on the WSU Board of Regents, serving 1957-1975

References