ATHLESTAN "FRED" SPILHAUS

Athlestan Frederick   SPILHAUS, JR.  "Fred" (Age 79)  
On Monday, April 30, 2018 of Potomac, MD. He is the beloved husband of Sharon Brown Spilhaus. Dear father of Athelstan Frederick Spilhaus III, Ruth Spilhaus (Stacy Barnes), and Christina (Thomas) Shioutakon. Loving grandfather of seven grandchildren, and he is also survived by his brother and sister.Athlestan Frederick (Fred) Spilhaus, Jr., geophysicist and scientific association executive, died on April 30 after an extended illness. He was born May 21, 1938, in Boston to Athelstan and Mary Atkins Spilhaus.He earned three degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, including a Ph.D. in oceanography. After a brief stint as an analyst at the CIA, in 1967 Fred became Assistant Executive Director of the American Geophysical Union, a learned society dedicated to the advancement of the study of the Earth and its environment in space. Three years later he took the reins as Executive Director, a position he held until February 2009. During his tenure at AGU the membership increased from 7,000 members to over 56,000 scientists and students worldwide. He was instrumental in helping establish other scientific societies around the world.Known as the dean of scientific society executives, he was highly commended for sharing his knowledge and experience with others society managers. In 2009, the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives recognized him by renaming its highest honor the Fred Spilhaus Leadership Award. He was the recipient of many other awards from organizations in the U.S., Europe, Russia, and India.He was also noted for his leadership roles in the development of scientific publishing and especially pioneering new techniques in electronic publication. He was one of the three founders of the Society for Scholarly Publication.Fred was also a long-time member of the Cosmos Club, having been elected to membership at the age of 34. Over the years he served in many capacities within the Club, including being President in 1992.A funeral service will be held at St. David's Episcopal Church, 5150 Macomb St., NW, Washington DC, 20016 on Friday, May 11, 2018 at 11:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Development Office, 266 Woods Hole Road, MS 40, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1050).