[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 75 (Wednesday, June 2, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S6345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         DR. JOHN H. HOPPS, JR.

 Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
great educator and champion of science and technology, who recently 
passed away.
  Dr. John Hopps was a true public servant who most recently furthered 
the cause of our national security as deputy director of defense 
research and engineering and deputy under secretary of defense for 
laboratories and basic science at the Department of Defense. As 
chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats 
and Capabilities, I had the privilege of knowing John and witnessing 
first-hand his support of programs, projects and personnel in the 
defense laboratories.
  Prior to his position with the Department of Defense, Dr. Hopps 
worked to encourage our Nation's youth in their pursuit of academic 
excellence, especially in this fields of physics and chemistry. As 
provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and professor of 
physics at Morehouse College, John was in a position to guide young 
minds and manage academic departments and multi disciplinary programs.
  Immediately before joining Morehouse College, John Hopps served as 
director of materials research at the National Science Foundation. 
During his tenure with Draper Laboratory, which began in 1977, John was 
manager of energy program development, manager of the laboratory's 
fault-tolerant systems technology research program, and education 
director for the laboratory.
  During his tenure as deputy director of defense research and 
engineering, Dr. Hopps made great strides in reaching out to the 
scientific and academic communities and in working to ensure the 
technological superiority of the defense laboratories and workforce who 
develop the tools, protective equipment and weapons that are so 
important to the U.S. warfighter of today and tomorrow. Under his 
leadership, the Department increased the National Defense Science and 
Engineering Fellowship Program and pursued a program and structure--
Materials World Modules--he developed to connect students of all ages 
to the excitement and value of science.
  This year's defense authorization bill contains a provision that 
authorizes the Department to establish a pilot science, mathematics and 
engineering scholarship program that will continue much of the work 
championed by John in his efforts for the Department of Defense and in 
his other positions both inside and outside the Federal Government. 
John's academic background combined with service in the Federal 
Government gave him a unique perspective on the importance of basic 
research for future technological advances, linkages he helped us all 
to make.
  John Hopps' patient, deliberative manner, keen sense of humor, and 
compassionate approach to life and work will be missed by the many 
students, educators and public servants, whose lives he has touched. My 
deepest sympathies go out to Dr. Hopps' wife, family and friends, and 
to all who knew and loved him.

                          ____________________