Robert William Schmieder, born on July 10, 1941, in Phoenix, Arizona, is a distinguished American scientist and explorer whose remarkable career spans a wide array of scientific disciplines. He has made significant contributions to both the physical sciences and natural science exploration.  He obtained a B.A. in Physics from Occidental College, a B.S. in Physics from the California Institute of Technology, an M.A. in Physics, and a Ph.D. in Physics from Columbia University.