Richard Upjohn Light

Richard Upjohn Light (1902–1994) was an American neurosurgeon, aviator, cinematographer, and former president of the American Geographical Society.

Early life After studying at Culver Military Academy, Light earned an undergraduate degree from Yale University in 1924 and a M.D. from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1928. He was the director of the surgical laboratory at the Yale School of Medicine from 1933 to 1935.

Photographic flight Light was well known among flying enthusiasts for his 1934 around-the-world flight.

Later life After the flight, Light wrote the book Focus on Africa, which included his wife's photos and published by the American Geographical Society. The book was only the second which included aerial photos. A 1941 review of the book by Mary Jobe Akeley of the New York Times called the pictures "superb".

Light and Meader divorced in the early 1960s. He served as a member of the Yale University Council from 1956 to 1963 and was the founder of the Richard U. Light Foundation. In 1962, Light created an undergraduate scholarship awarded annually.