Edward C. Polhamus (1923-2001), an aeronautical engineer active in aerodynamics research related to the development of high-speed aircraft, received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland (1944) and joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1944. Polhamus was head of the Stability and Performance Branch, the Fluid Dynamics Branch, and a Distinguished Research Associate at NASA Langley Research Center, retiring from NASA in 1981. Polhamus is an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and has been and advisor to the U.S. Defense Department and the Air Force on variable-sweep technology. He is the holder or co-holder of three U. S. patents on variable-sweep wing technology; furthermore, Polhamus is recognized as the co-inventor of the variable-sweep aircraft configuration concept that led to the U. S. Air Force F-111 and B-1 aircraft. Polhamus presented the AIAA Wright Brothers lecture on 1983.