"Emmett-Chappelle" (October 25,1925)

His scientic research and the fourteen United States patents he received for his inventions make his contributions vital to the scientific world.He attended the University of California in 1950 and in 1954 receive a Bachelor of Science degree.Remarkably,without graduate training he then worked as instructor biochemistry for three years at Meharry Medical College in Nashville,Tennessee.In 1953 he enrolled at the University of Washington where he pursued advanced degrees.Emmett eaened a master's degree in Science with a focus on biochemistry in 1954 but never completed his Ph.D.Instead he worked for a various companies as a biochemist and during that period receive the first of the fourteen U.S. patents.


By 1966 Emmett was employed at the National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration (NASA) where he was an exobiologist (someone who engaged in the search for extraterrestrial life and the effect of extraterrestrial surroundings on living organisms) and astrochemist (the chemist of astronomical objects and interstellar space). In 1977 he went on to work for the Goddard Space Flight Center where he was a scientific analyst responsible for monitoring remote sensing devices.


Some of his work includes the detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP),an important compound in all living orgaisms.Through the patented method he developed,exobiologists are able to more speedily detect bacteria otside the earth's atmosphere.The presence of bacteria is considered strong evidence for extraterrestrial life.Emmett He is discovered a method for determining the health of forest vegetation.His method measures the amount fluorescence over a forest and monitors the amount of photosynthesis in a selected area.Emmett has also produced more than 35-reviewed scientific or technical publications,nearly 50 conference papwes,an co-authored or edited numerous publications.


He retired in 2001 and is now living with his daughter and son-in-law in Baltimore Maryland.