George Siscoe


George L. Siscoe is an American physicist and professor emeritus of space physics at Boston University. He has made major contributions to the understanding of geomagnetism in the Earth's magnetosphere and the heliosphere, particularly in helping to establishing the field of space weather and in establishing the term "Heliophysics" - a term which is now standard use.

Early life and education

Siscoe was born in Lansing, Michigan in 1937 and studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1960 and his doctorate in 1964, both in Physics.

Research career

Siscoe has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles across a range of topics within space physics. His early career was as a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology, becoming an assistant professor of physics at MIT in 1966 before moving to the University of California, Los Angeles as a tenured professor. While at UCLA, he was chair of the Department of Atmospheric Science from 1983–1988 and again from 1991–1993.
In 1993, he made his final move to Boston University as a research professor. Alongside academic papers, Siscoe co-edited a monograph on space weather and several textbooks on Heliophysics.
He is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union, where the fellowship program recognizes AGU members who have made exceptional contributions to Earth and space science through a breakthrough, discovery, or innovation in their field.
In his retirement he owns and runs the Old Professor's Bookshop in Maine, USA.

Awards, honors and scientific citizenship