Title: Retired Senior Scientist
Company: Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Location: Seattle, Washington, United States
Peter Raymond Rimbey, PhD, Retired Senior Scientist at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Scientists for dedication, achievements and leadership in Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics and Electromagnetic Engineering.
Dr. Rimbey’s career in theoretical condensed matter physics and electromagnetics engineering spanned more than five decades, marked by significant contributions to both academia and industry. Now a retired senior scientist at Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), a division of the Boeing Company, from 1980 to 1984 and again from 1990 to 2016, he played a pivotal role in advancing the safety and reliability of commercial aircraft.
In addition to his industrial experience, Dr. Rimbey spent many years in the classroom. From 1995 to 2010, he served as a senior adjunct lecturer at Henry Cogswell College, sharing his knowledge with students while continuing his research at Boeing. Earlier, Dr. Rimbey was an assistant professor of physics at Seattle University between 1984 and 1990, where he taught courses in physics and engineering and mentored future scientists. He also held a visiting assistant professorship at Eastern Oregon University during the 1983-1984 academic year.
Dr. Rimbey’s consulting roles further demonstrate his versatility across scientific disciplines. As a consultant for Boeing High Technology Center from 1985 to 1989, he provided analysis and data fusion for flat panel display technology, chemical and biological sensors and solar panel performance. Dr. Rimbey also consulted for McCaw Cellular Inc., analyzing microwave emissions from wireless cell towers to assess radiative safety, and supported software development and training for cell-tower transmission at AT&T Wireless Data between 1995 and 1996. Additional consulting engagements included work with Vector Research, LECTOR Inc., RHO Co. Inc., and the Institute of Physiology and Medicine.
Dr. Rimbey’s foundational research achievements are equally noteworthy. As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 1978 to 1980, he conducted influential studies on electromigration and theoretical condensed matter physics. Dr. Rimbey previously served as a condensed matter research physicist at the Ames Laboratory at Iowa State University between 1975 and 1980, where his work on electromagnetic properties of solids led to widely referenced publications.
Dr. Rimbey’s academic journey began with a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Eastern Oregon University in La Grande in 1969. A collegiate wrestler, he was inducted into the Eastern Oregon University Wrestling Hall of Fame as part of the celebrated 1968-69 team. Dr. Rimbey pursued graduate studies as a visiting student at Indiana University before earning a Doctor of Philosophy in physics from the University of Oregon in 1974 under the mentorship of Gerald D. Mahan. Postdoctoral research was conducted at Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University, from 1975 to 1978, and at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee between 1978 and 1980.
Outside of work, Dr. Rimbey’s membership in professional organizations, such as the American Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers and the Society of Physics Students, reflects his commitment to advancing scientific knowledge. He is also active in environmental organizations, including Trout Unlimited, the Sierra Club and Save the Minam.
A prolific author, Dr. Rimbey has published more than 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals and government documents covering topics ranging from semiconductor theory to electromagnetic wave propagation and atomic transport in solids.
Throughout his career, Dr. Rimbey has been recognized as an expert in theoretical condensed matter physics and electromagnetics engineering. He was responsible for the formulation of new boundary conditions for Maxwell’s equations in solid materials and the discovery of wavevector sum rules for spatially dispersive dielectrics. During his tenure at BCA, he was instrumental in the design of the Boeing 787 fuel tank and fuel system, where he developed lightning and electromagnetic protection measures that have become industry standards. Notably, his patented fuel tank design for electrostatic mitigation addressed critical safety concerns, meeting Federal Aviation Administration certification requirements and setting new benchmarks for spark prevention in commercial aviation.
Among other noteworthy accomplishments at BCA, Dr. Rimbey contributed to the development of mode-stir methodology used to certify the Boeing 777 for high-intensity radiative fields and other electronic susceptibilities. He was also involved in the investigation of the TWA Flight 800 accident, providing analysis on spark ignition risks in fuel tanks. His work extended to fiber optics projects, including the development of a “fly-by-light” avionics control system for a Boeing 757 test airplane, as well as research on free electron lasers for the Star Wars initiative under Boeing Space and Defense. Beyond his scientific pursuits, Dr. Rimbey remains passionate about climate change education and environmental advocacy, with aspirations to increase volunteer work with organizations dedicated to these causes.
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