U.S. Air Force Academy
He transferred to the Air Force and became the first permanent professor of astronautics at the Academy in 1962 and the department’s first head in 1963. He took leave from the department from 1963 to 1964 to earn a doctorate in aeronautical and astronautical engineering at Stanford.
Fundamentals of Astrodynamics, which Bate co-wrote with Donald Mueller and Jerry White was first published in 1971 and, unusual for a technology text, is still in print and still used in college courses and by professionals. Internet reviewers of the book continue to hold it in high esteem: It is known as BMW (after the authors) by its devotees.
Perhaps it was the need for mathematical rigor that led Bate into computer science. In the early days of the Academy, the Department of Astronautics had the greatest need for mathematical computing power. So the department members were the biggest users of the Academy’s computers and needed to develop the programming standards. As head of the department, Bate established the computer science program and major at the Academy, which, at first, were part of the Department of Astronautics.
After holding other Academy positions, including vice dean of the faculty, Bate retired from the Air Force in 1973 with the rank of colonel (and later promoted to brigadier general) and left the Academy for a position with Texas Instruments.
Read more about this topic: Roger R. Bate
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