John R. Clarke (scientist)

John R. Clarke (born November 20, 1945) is an American scientist, private pilot and author.

He is currently the Scientific Director at the United States Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU).

Clarke is recognized as a leading authority on underwater breathing apparatus engineering.

Clarke is the youngest of four children; his siblings are now deceased.

Clarke graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village, Kansas in 1964.

While at Georgia Tech in 1965, Clarke earned his scuba diving certification.

In 1969, Clarke volunteered for the United States Army Reserves.

He received a BS degree in applied biology (1969), and an MS degree (1971) from Georgia Tech.

His master's thesis studied the impact of pressure on Sacchromyces cerevisiae.

He later participated in the NOAA/ Navy Scientist in the Sea program in 1972.

He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1974 then Captain in 1979.

Clarke received his private pilot license in 1974 and instrument rating in 1978.

He currently owns a Piper Arrow and volunteers as a pilot for Angel Flight Southeast.

While completing his doctorate at FSU, Clarke worked as instructor and director of development in the Department of Biological and Physical Sciences at Thomas County Community College from 1975 to 1976.

Physiology continued to drive Clarke and in 1976 he completed his Doctor of Philosophy by evaluating changes in physiology and pharmacology in bivalve molluscs hearts at Florida State University (FSU).

Later in 1976, Clarke assumed a position as instructor and research associate in the Department of Physiology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

In 1977, Clarke left Case Western for a two–year Parker B. Francis Foundation Fellowship in the Department of Physiology at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

The fellowship is named after the founder of Puritan Bennett and supports pulmonary research.

In 1979, Clarke joined the team at the Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI), now called the Naval Medical Research Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

He was the head of the Respiratory Physiology Branch of the Physiology Division in the Diving Medicine Department.

Clarke was honorably discharged in September 1980.

He then went to the Navy Dive School in 1980.

Clarke has remained an active scuba diver throughout his career.

From 1983 to 1991, Clark served as a National Research Council mentor for PhD research fellows.

Clarke also mentored students from the Research Science Institute with some students winning the nationwide Westinghouse science competition.

While working for the US Navy, Clarke accepted an appointment as an Adjunct Assistant Professor with Graduate Advisory Status for the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences from 1984 to 1990.

When Clarke left NMRI in 1991, he was the Diving Life Support Equipment Program Director GM-14.

Clarke led a team of researchers, scientists and engineers while at NMRI.

The projects included work on diving equipment and physiology that included high frequency ventilation experiments.

Since 1991, Clarke has served as the Scientific Director GM-15 at the United States Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU) in Panama City, Florida.

At NEDU, Clarke provides scientific oversight over engineering and physiological studies RDT&E for US Navy diving operations.

He also serves as an advisor for Naval Sea Systems Command policy regarding technical challenges.

This work includes equipment evaluations and physiology experimentation.

Clarke's interest in writing began early.

He published his first scientific article at age fifteen.

While an undergraduate engineering student, he was paid for two of his articles in the Georgia Tech Engineer.

Clarke accepted an appointment as a Visiting Principal Fellow at the University of Wollongong in April 1998 to advise on a doctoral project.

Clarke assisted his writing mentor, author Max McCoy, with a chapter taking place at NEDU in McCoy's 2004 book Moon Pool.

As of 2015, Clarke has served on five thesis committees from various institutions.

Advisees have included Margie E. Bolton, Elizabeth Jane McCarthy, Rungchai Chaunchaiyakul, Erich C. Frandrup, and Adam J. Smith.