
Roger E. Billings

Roger Billings is an American scientist, inventor, self -proclaimed prophet, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and head of the Acellus Academy, and online K–12 school, and its umbrella organization the International Academy of Science. He has been featured in People Magazine and has been a guest on Good Morning America and Larry King Live. He has also been recognized in prominent magazines including Inc. Magazine and Entrepreneur.
Billings is the creator of the Acellus Learning System, which has been described as a scholastic "equalizer" for students that are falling behind academically. However, this platform was criticized by parents for allegedly containing "racist and sexist" content. A report released by the Hawaii Department of Education found that its curriculum promoted religion and contained "racial and cultural bias".
Billings is also the CEO and Chairman of Billings Energy Corporation, a company focused on the development of hydrogen energy technologies. The company is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. The company plans to build upon privately funded research and development efforts conducted over the past ten years to bring to market commercial hydrogen energy applications.
Billings is the author of two books on hydrogen energy technology, "Hydrogen from Coal: A Cost Estimation Guidebook" (1983) and "Hydrogen World View" (1991), and the co-author of a technical networking book, "WideBand Networking" (2000). He has also authored numerous technical papers on hydrogen energy and on computer networking, including reports on his nano-latency data transfer research and development projects in conjunction with the US military, published in the SPIE conference proceedings.
Education.
In high school, Billings found his talent in winning at science fairs. His entries often won, including his projects on treating seeds with high frequency sound waves, voice-controlled amplifier for laser communications, and his project on a hydrogen-burning car.
At Brigham Young University, Billings studied physics, chemistry, and electrical, mechanical, and chemical engineering, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in 1974. During his university studies, Billings was selected by Bill Lear, the creator of the Lear Jet, to be his protégé. Lear moved Billings and his family to Reno, Nevada, where, for nearly a year Lear mentored Billings in high-tech entrepreneurship.
In 1988, Billings received his Doctor of Research Degree from the American Academy of Science, which was later known as Institute of Science and Technology, which is an unaccredited not-for-profit private institution created by Roger Billings.
Career.
Billings has led a multidisciplinary distinguished career in education and science. The U.S. Jaycees selected him as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men. In the 1980s he was recognized by "Next Magazine" as one of the 100 Most Powerful People. "People Magazine" featured a profile on his work, and he appeared as a guest on Good Morning America and on the Larry King Live radio talk show. His company was listed as the 33rd fastest growing company in America by "Inc. Magazine", and his achievements won him the crown of Young Millionaire of the Month by "Entrepreneur Magazine".
His most significant achievements have been his two hallmark organizations: the Acellus Academy, an online school, and the International Academy of Science.
In 2016 Billings came up with a new academic model called The Success Zone, based on the thought that the current teacher evaluation model is not as motivational as it was intended to be. Billings proposes a new way to monitor and evaluate teachers, which he believes will improve attendance, completion of coursework, and better prepare students for college.
Billings hosts an internet TV show called Science Live, where he often presents his latest inventions. He unveiled the “Billings Fuel Cell Car,” a car that has no greenhouse emissions, has a fuel cell that produces hydrogen, and operates at a lower cost than traditional cars.
International Academy of Science.
Billings is the co-founder of the International Academy of Science (IAS). The IAS is an educational institution that offers four degree programs which include apprenticeship programs and graduate programs. The highest degree that it offers is the Doctor of Research and Innovation degree. The IAS is also the publisher of the "Journal of Science", a peer-reviewed journal that is published in electronic formatting.
The IAS does not charge for mentorships or tuition, and it is based on a set of principals including divergent thinking, compelling leadership, and respect for innovators.
In 2020, after partnering with Acellus, the Hawaii Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design recommended that Acellus content be removed as a curriculum option at Hawaii schools. In response to the panel’s concerns, Acellus created 23 new courses to fix every item that the panel discussed in its report.
Hydrogen energy.
Billings generated interest in hydrogen technology by demonstrating a number of working prototypes, including cars, buses, forklifts, tractors, and a hydrogen-powered home. During his career, Billings was touted in the press for his contributions in developing hydrogen energy. "The Enterprise" business journal called Billings “The Father of Hydrogen Technology.” An "Omni Magazine" report on his work in 1982 dubbed him “The Hydrogen Man" and an article in the July 21, 2003, issue of "Time Magazine" referred to him as "Dr. Hydrogen".
In 1971, as an undergraduate student, Billings received a research grant from the Ford Motor Company and his own lab to continue his studies of the hydrogen-fueled automobile, an area of interest (Billings had won first place in a high school science fair for a project he did on hydrogen-fueled cars). In 1972, Billings led a university team to winning first prize at the Urban Vehicle Design Competition, sponsored by General Motors. The team's winning entry was a hydrogen-powered Volkswagen.
Furthering his interest in hydrogen power, in 1972 he started the Billings Energy Research Corp. The company successfully converted 18 vehicles to run on hydrogen. During the 1970s energy crisis, Billings built what was called the Hydrogen Homestead, a house whose heat pump, water heater, oven, range, fireplace log, and outdoor grill were all run on hydrogen. He expanded the project to cars, building a hydrogen-fueled Cadillac Seville that was able to switch back and forth between hydrogen and gasoline (this made it more practical, as hydrogen was not abundantly available at the time). The Seville he built was used in the 1977 inaugural parade of President Jimmy Carter.
After converting family car-sized vehicles to run on hydrogen, Billings turned to mass transit, converting city busses to run on hydrogen. In 1977, he launched the Postal Jeep project. Two years later, he expanded his research to coal-go-gas conversion plants.
In 1991, he built the first car to be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Called the LaserCel 1, the car was unveiled in Philadelphia. It is the first reported functional fuel cell application in a small transportation vehicle.
Computer networking.
Billings established the Billings Computer Corporation in 1977, which manufactured one of the first personal computers, called the "Billings Computer". His company acquired the rights from Microsoft to use EBasic, paying Microsoft to help fund development of Fortran and COBOL compiling software. A photograph of Billings and a young Bill Gates was featured in 1982 in "Time Magazine".
In 1978, he hired Alan Ashton to develop the Billings Word Processor, an award-winning computer program. Ashton later went on to create WordPerfect in 1981 after the launch of the IBM PC.
Billings was also the founder of Caldisk, Inc., which played a role in creating the double-sided floppy disk used in early PCs. He also invented a new method of sharing data between computers on a network known as functionally structured distribution (FSD), the forerunner of modern client-server computing and known as one of the enabling technologies of the Internet.