Morton S. Roberts received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Pomona College in 1948, his Master of Science degree from California Institute of Technology in 1950, and his Doctor of Philosophy degree from University of California, Berkeley, in 1958. After receiving his doctorate, he was a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow and then a lecturer in Astronomy at University of California, Berkeley, before going to Harvard as a Lecturer and Research Associate in 1960. In 1964 he joined the staff at National Radio Astronomy Observatory, served as Assistant Director for Green Bank Operations in 1969-1970, and was NRAO Director from 1 October 1978 through 30 September 1984. After stepping down as Director, he continued as NRAO Senior Scientist, and became Emeritus Senior Scientist upon his retirement in 2002. His research has encompassed both optical and radio astronomy.