Prof. El-Baz received a B.Sc. in Chemistry and Geology from Ain Shams University Cairo (1958), M.Sc. in Geology from Missouri School of Mine and Metallurgy (1961), Ph.D. in Geology from University of Missouri (1964). Since 1986, he served as Director of the Center and Remote Sensing, and Research Professor at the Departments of Archaeology and Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University. Prior to that, he participated in NASA’s Apollo program (1967-72) as secretary of lunar landing site selection, and chairman of astronaut training in visual observations and photography. Starting in 1973 he was Director of the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and in 1983 became Vice President of Science and Technology of Itek Optical Systems. He served as Science Advisor to the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat (1978-1981). He pioneered the applications of space photography, particularly to groundwater exploration in desert regions. He received numerous honors, including NASA’s Apollo Achievement Award, the Nevada Medal, the Egyptian Order of Merit - First Class, and the Ireland of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also receive Honorary Ph.D. Degrees from New England College (1989), Mansoura University (2003), American University in Cairo ( 2004) and University of Missouri-Rolla (2004). He served as Chairman of the U.S. National Committee on Geological Sciences and is a fellow of the Geological Society of America, which established “The Farouk El-Baz Desert Research Award”. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, the Explorer’s Club,TWAS, the Arab, Islamic World and Moroccan Academies of Sciences.
