AU Board of Visitors member dies Published March 25, 2009 By Carl Bergquist Air University Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- It was with sadness that Air University officials announced the passing of a member of the Air University Board of Visitors. Retired Maj. Gen. Donald L. Lamberson, who had been a member of the Air University BOV since 2004, died at his home in Niceville, Fla., March 17. Dr. Bruce Murphy, Air University chief academic officer, said the general served the board with "great enthusiasm and commitment" and gave freely of his considerable talents for the betterment of all Air University students, faculty and staff. "Members of the Air University academic office could always count on General Lamberson attending the Board meetings," he said. "We knew him to be an extremely intelligent person and one of the most dedicated Board members. We will truly miss his advice and counsel, and the personal touch he brought to board meetings. And, we will also miss his wonderful smile." A 1953 graduate of Purdue University with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, General Lamberson went on to earn his master's degree in nuclear engineering and doctoral degree in aerospace engineering, in 1961 and 1969 respectively, from the Air Force Institute of Technology. Dr. Murphy said the general was the first person to receive a doctoral degree from AFIT and went on to become "world-renowned" in the field of directed energy. The general was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, and his military career, which spanned 35 years, involving communications, weapons, nuclear research and director of the Air Force's high-energy laser program before he entered the field of acquisitions in 1983. He retired from active duty in 1989 as the assistant deputy for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisitions. "Throughout his career, he promoted graduate education and the importance of maintaining a strong intellectual talent base in the technical fields of the Air Force," Dr. Murphy said. "Most of the research and graduate programs in the graduate school at AFIT have benefited from his counsel and support during the past 30 years." Following retirement, in addition to membership on the Air University BOV, General Lamberson served as a member of the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and was a member of the Technical Area Review Weapons Panel for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and president of the Directed Energy Professional Society. He also served as chairman of AFIT's Center for Directed Energy Advisory Board from 2001 to 2004 and as a member of Purdue University's Dean of Engineering Advisory Board from 1987 to 1992.