Dr. John Palms

John is an American military officer, nuclear physicist and college professor who also served as President of the University of South Carolina, and Georgia State University.

His career has been in academia, national security, business and volunteerism. He graduated from The Citadel in 1958 as a distinguished Air Force ROTC cadet and received a regular commission in the U.S. Air Force. He was first posted to Emory University where he received a Master's Degree in Physics. Then, as a Nuclear Weapons Officer, he was stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.

After military service, John received a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of New Mexico and joined the faculty at Emory University, serving for 23 years.

Shortly thereafter, he moved to be president of the University of South Carolina for almost 12 years before retiring in 2007. He was awarded the State of South Carolina Order of the Palmetto in 2002.

John attends the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Charleston.