Richard Gerald Snyder

1928 - 2024

Dr. Richard G. (Jerry) Snyder of Tucson, AZ, passed away peacefully on September 5, 2024 at the age of 96. Dr. Snyder was an internationally known research scientist with expertise in human impact tolerances and trauma mechanisms, biomechanics, forensic anthropology and anthropometry, crash protection, and transportation safety.



Dr. Snyder was born 14 February 1928 in Northampton, Massachusetts. While in High School, he joined the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), both learning to fly and to patrol the waters off Massachusetts during WWII. Dr. Snyder was later awarded the nation's highest ranking civilian award, the Congressional Gold Medal, in 1998 for his service with the CAP.



After attending Amherst High School in Amherst, Massachusetts, he received a scholarship to Amherst College, and he was a premed student at Amherst (1946-1948) prior to joining the United States Air Force in 1949. He served as a P-51 pilot in the Korean War, undertaking 100 combat missions, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals.



Surviving a jet fighter formation crash into the ground (F-84G Artic, 1953), he subsequently combined his aviation and biomedical background to improve flight safety, occupant crash protection, and the knowledge of human impact tolerances.



Dr. Snyder attended University of Arizona, earning a B.A. in anthropology (1956), MA in physical anthropology (1957), and Ph.D. in physical anthropology and zoology (1959). He is also certified (D.ABFA) in forensic anthropology by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.



Dr. Snyder was a research engineer in the Applied Research Laboratory, College of Engineering, University of Arizona, from 1958 to 1960. He also was on the staff of the Arizona Transportation and Traffic Institute (1959-60) and was an associate professor of systems engineering (1960) at University of Arizona. Snyder also served as a consultant for the U.S. Army Electronics Proving Ground in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, during this time.



From 1960 to 1966, Dr. Snyder worked for the Federal Aviation Administration's Civil Aeromedical Research Institute in Oklahoma City. He served as Chief of Physical Anthropology (1960-1966) and was a research pilot (1962-1966). He also served as Acting Chief, Protection and Survival Laboratories during several periods during 1963-1966.



While with the FAA, he owned his own North American RCAF P-51D Mustang in which he won fourth place in the 1964 Transcontinental National Air Race, and modified the aircraft to participate in the first Reno Air race that same year.



From 1966 to 1968, Dr. Snyder worked in the Office of Automotive Safety Research for Ford Motor company, as manager of the Biomechanics Department (1966-1968) and as a principal research scientist (1968). Snyder joined the faculty at University of Michigan in 1968. He was a research scientist in the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI; formerly the Highway Safety Research Institute) from 1968 to 1985. Concurrent with this position, he was an associate professor (1968-1973) and professor (1973-1985) of anthropology for the university. He also served as Director, NASA Center of Excellence in Man Vehicle Systems in 1984-1985.



Dr. Snyder served as a consultant for numerous agencies and organizations throughout his career. He also served on the faculties of Michigan State University, University of Chicago, and University of Oklahoma at various times. Following his retirement from University of Michigan, he continued to serve as a consultant through his company BioDynamics International.



Dr. Snyder's research has been internationally recognized with numerous awards and honors. He has been named a fellow of numerous societies including American Anthropological Association (1959), Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (1959-1966), American Association for the Advancement of Science (1961); American Academy of Forensic Sciences (1974), and The Explorers Club (1980). Dr. Snyder was inducted into the Health and Safety Hall of Fame International in 1993 and received the John Stapp Award in Aerospace Biomechanics in 1994. In 1998, he was inducted into the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame. In 2004, University of Michigan established a named professorship, Richard G. Snyder Distinguished University Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering.



In 2022, in conjunction with the University of Arizona's School of Natural Resources and the Environment, Dr. Snyder created the Snyder Preservation Area. Located in the lush Tanque Verde Valley of Tucson, Arizona, the Snyder Preserve is a pristine 16.5- acre wildlife refuge established through the generous legacy gift of Dr. Snyder to the University of Arizona's School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE). Surrounded by the majestic Catalina, Agua Caliente, and Rincon Mountains, this unique area serves both as a sanctuary for diverse wildlife and as a field school for aspiring conservation scientists.



Dr. Snyder is survived by three children: Sherrill Snyder, Paul (Laurie) Snyder, and Jon Snyder. He is also survived by grandchildren: Lisa Sherrill, Jeremy Snyder, Daniel (Kelsey) Snyder, Channa Snyder, Kimberly Munn, Nicholas DuFord and Phoebe Anne DuFord. Dr. Snyder was preceded in death by his spouse of 65 years, Phoebe, and U.S. Air Force pilot sons, Lieut. Jeffrey Snyder and Lieut. David Shawn Snyder. He was also preceded in death by his daughter, Dorinda Gayle (John) DuFord.