Retired general promotes science, engineering, mathematics fields Published Nov. 14, 2011 By Mike W. Ray Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- "America needs great scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians," retired Brig. Gen. Ben T. Robinson told 102 Monroney Middle School students recently. "They build our cars, explore space, invent 'smart' phones, grow our food, find cures for disease, and design new airplanes." General Robinson, former commander of the 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, was the guest speaker at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program Oct. 28 at Mid-Del Technology Center. He encouraged the youngsters to apply for admission to the Oklahoma School of Science and Math as high-school juniors or seniors "if you want to be a mathematician or a scientist or an engineer." The United States ranks 17th among developed nations in the proportion of college students receiving degrees in science or engineering, General Robinson said, adding, "We were third just three decades ago." Today, China ranks first and India second, he said. Over the past two decades the U.S. has experienced an 18 percent decline in the number of students graduating with bachelor degrees in engineering, math, physics, and geosciences, records reflect. In 1986, the U.S. had 52 percent of the global doctorates in science and engineering; by 2003, that number had plummeted to 22 percent. "We don't have enough young people becoming scientists, engineers, mathematicians and technicians," General Robinson lamented. He pointed out that engineers, mathematicians and scientists were instrumental in the development of satellites - which now are essential in the operation of television dishes and global-positioning units in cars and telephones. "We need more dreamers and schemers," he maintained. The general recalled that as children, he and his younger brother made an imaginary airplane wing from the exterior windshield visor of a neighbor's 1952 Chevrolet, and "built" a space capsule from a front-loading clothes dryer. As an adult, brother Vernon Robinson joined the Navy and became a pilot, and now flies passenger jets for Continental Airlines. General Robinson spent four years in the Army and flew helicopters on 350 combat missions in Vietnam. Then he entered the Air Force and amassed nearly 5,000 flying hours piloting a variety of aircraft, including B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers; the U-2 high-altitude spy plane; E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft; CH-3, CH-47 and UH-1 helicopters; and the TC-18 pilot training jet. He retired from military service nine years ago after 33 years of active duty. Afterward he was director of aerospace operations in Oklahoma City for almost five years for a major defense contractor, then vice president for Institutional Advancement at OSSM for two years. Now he is an independent consultant to various defense contractors. General Robinson earned bachelor's and master's degrees in industrial management, and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a year as an International Fellow.