John F. Sparks

B.S., M.S., and and Ph.D., mechanical engineering

Class of 1974, 1976, and 1981

After completing all three of his degrees at Virginia Tech, John Sparks went on to work for Atlantic Research Corporation as manager, chief engineer, then senior engineer. He then became director of Aerojet Rocketdyne (of which the predecessor companies were Aerojet and Atlantic Research Corporation), before being appointed senior director, which he currently serves as. Sparks is the former chair of the Virginia Tech College of Engineering Advisory Board and is a current member of the Virginia Tech Mechanical Engineering Department Advisory Board, the legislative committee of the Virginia Tech College of Engineering Advisory Board, and the Virginia Tech College of Engineering Committee of 100.