1929
Dr. Vander Velde is born in Jamestown, Michigan to Peter Nelson and Janet Vander Velde.
1951
Dr. Vander Velde receives a Bachelor of Science in aero engineering from Purdue University and serves as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.
1956
Dr. Vander Velde receives a Doctor of Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and becomes the director of applications engineering at GPS Instrument Co., Inc. in Newton, Massachusetts.
1957
Dr. Vander Velde joins the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
1958
Dr. Vander Velde begins consulting in the engineering industry.
1965
Dr. Vander Velde becomes a professor of aeronautical and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
1966
Dr. Vander Velde co-authors “Flight Vehicle Control Systems,” “Part VII of Space Navigation,” and “Guidance and Control” in conjunction with Arthur Gelb.
1968
Dr. Vander Velde authors “Multiple-Input Describing Functions.”
1988
Dr. Vander Velde receives the Education Award from the American Automatic Control Council.
2004
Dr. Vander Velde earns the title of Professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.