Last updated on: 12/9/2013 | Author: ProCon.org

Elon Musk Biography

Title:
Founder and CEO of SpaceX, founder of Tesla Motors, and co-founder of PayPal
Position:
Con to the question "Is a College Education Worth It?"
Reasoning:

“College is completely unnecessary if you are really smart and driven… I think the evidence speaks for itself when you look at great companies that are being created, how many of those people actually finished college.”

CNBC interview for “20 under 20: Transforming Tomorrow,” foundercode.com, Aug. 13, 2013
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
Organizations/VIPs/Others
Individuals and organizations that do not fit into the other star categories.
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • Primary Investor and Chairman, SolarCity
  • Principal Owner and Chairman of the Board, Tesla Motors
  • Founder, CEO, and CTO, SpaceX, June 2002-present
  • Trustee, X Prize Foundation
  • President and Director, Musk Foundation
  • Board Member, Space Foundation
  • Board Member, National Academies Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
  • Board Member and Director, Planetary Society
  • Member, Stanford University Engineering Advisory Council
  • Member, Giving Pledge, Apr. 2012
  • Recipient, Royal Aeronautical Society Gold Medal, 2012
  • Recipient, Heinlein Prize for Advances in Space Commercialization, June 2011
  • Elected Member, California Institute of Technology Board of Trustees, 2010
  • Recipient, FAI Gold Space Medal, Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, 2010
  • Recipient, National Space Society’s Von Braun Trophy, 2008/2009
  • Recipient, Aviation Week 2008 Laureate, 2008
  • Recipient, National Conservation Achievement Award, 2008
  • Recipient, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics George Low, 2007/2008
  • Chief engineer, Falcon 1
  • Cofounder of PayPal (formerly X.com), Mar. 1999-Oct. 2002
  • Founder, Zip2, 1995-1999
Education:
  • BS, Physics, University of Pennsylvania
  • BA, Business, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Other:
  • Born in Pretoria, South Africa
Quoted in:
Pro & Con Quotes: Is a College Education Worth It?