Donald L. Paster received the S.B. degree in aeronautical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1947 and the M.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Rhode Island in 1954. He also took seven additional graduate courses in acoustics and mathematics at Brown University during 1961 - 1964.From 1947 to 1950 he was with General Electric Company, Aircraft Gas Turbine Division concerned with jet engine performance analysis. While at the U. S. Naval Underwater Ordnance Station from 1950 to 1956, he was Chief Hydrodynamicist, director of the subsonic wind tunnel, and manager of the Physics Branch. From 1956 to 1959 he was manager of Applied Research for the Fram Corporation specializing in liquid and gas particulate filtration, as well as acoustic silencing of automotive engine noise. From 1959 to present he has been employed by Raytheon Company, Submarine Signal Division in a series of assignments. Initially, he continued with hydrodynamics and performed studies in underwater acoustic propagation, sonar performance and ocean environmental characteristics. From 1965 he served as a manager with increasing responsibility starting with the supervision of six engineers expanding to the establishment of a Software Engineering Laboratory during the 1970s with 150 computer science specialists. This laboratory was responsible for real-time software for sonar systems utilizing many different mini- and microcomputers. A network of computer systems was also developed including remote communication to large computer mainframes. From 1980 he has been in a staff position as a technical advisor on software, hydrodynamics, ocean environment, and acoustic propagation.
Mr. Paster is a Registered Professional Engineer of Rhode Island, and member: Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (1947 to 1964), Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (1950 to 1967), Acoustical Society of America (ASA) (1962 to 1972), Narragansett Chapter of ASA (since 1965) and Executive Board (since 1986), IEF. F. and IEEE Computer Society (since 1969), and IEEE Oceanic Society (since 1984).