Home Index
Brigadier General
James H. Head
Permanent Professor 1987–2006
Vice Dean of the Faculty 1994–1996 and 2004–2006
B.S., University of Kansas
Ph.D., University of Kansas
Jim Head, the Academy’s 52nd Permanent Professor, was born in 1942 in Mason City, Iowa. He graduated from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, in 1964 with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics and was named a Distinguished Graduate from AFROTC. He received a National Aeronautics and Space Administration fellowship and entered an educational delay at the University of Kansas, where he earned the PhD degree in Physics in 1968. His first assignment was as an Instructor of Physics at the Air Force Academy, later becoming Director of the Nuclear Radiation Laboratory and Director of the Advanced Physics Division. During 1974 he served a one-year tour on the Air Staff as a Special Projects Officer responsible for analysis and reporting of Western Europe politico-military affairs. From 1975 to 1978 he was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency, on exchange with the British Defence Intelligence Staff, Ministry of Defence, London, England, where he was an analyst for Soviet and Chinese fighter aircraft performance. In 1979 following graduation from Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL, Jim was assigned to the Air Force Foreign Technology Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, as a Directed Energy Weapons Intelligence Analyst, where he won the Commander’s Award for Merit in management in 1981. Subsequently, he was appointed Chief, Future Systems Division, responsible for specialized, long-range intelligence forecasts in support of weapon systems acquisition. He was next assigned to the Air Force Weapons Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, NM, as Program Manager and then Chief, Applied Technology Division, responsible for planning and directing Strategic Defense Initiative research on neutral particle beam weapons technologies. Appointed the Permanent Professor and Head, Department of Physics in 1987, Jim led the effort establishing nationally recognized research thrusts in lasers and optics, space physics, and physics education. The department’s Laser and Optics Research Center and Space Physics and Atmospheric Research Center provided state-of-the-art research support to Air Force and Federal agencies, while engaging cadets in research with direct relevance to real Air Force missions. Additionally, he negotiated an agreement with Air Weather Service to provide manpower and laboratory equipment to stand-up the Academy’s Meteorology minor (now major) jointly administered by the Departments of Physics and Economics and Geosciences. In 1992–1993 Jim spearheaded development of the Academy’s civilian faculty program in response to a congressional initiative. He was also the principal author of the popular book Hiking the Air Force Academy. He served as the Officer Representative for the men’s basketball team, 1999–2005. From 1994–1996 and again 2004–2006, he served as the Vice Dean of the Faculty, the position from which he was promoted to brigadier general and retired in 2006.
In retirement, Jim was President of the booster group Friends of Air Force Basketball, 2006–2016. He serves on the Executive Committee of the non-profit The Friends of the Air Force Academy Library and enjoys researching and writing on family history.