Video Feature: Success Written in the Stars

Published: April 13, 2021

The career of Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Robert Joseph reflects worldwide recognition of his authority in astronomy. A 1961 Greenville College graduate, Joseph was one of 12 astronomers to propose the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) to the European Space Agency. The ISO launched in 1995 and succeeded in giving astronomers new and better definition of objects in space. Joseph's contributions to the design of other missions, his research, and publication of more than 200 scientific papers have contributed to humankind's deepest understanding of the cosmos.

Today, Joseph serves as astronomer at the University of Hawaii where he also teaches. He formerly directed NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea and was awarded NASA's Public Service Medal for outstanding leadership in the IRTF's work. Joseph regards his years at Greenville College as influential to his teaching. "Some of the courses I have introduced at the University of Hawaii in recent years can be traced directly to some of the courses I had at Greenville 50 years ago."