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John C. Wilson is an instrumental figure in astronomical instrumentation, with his career defined by his pivotal contributions to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), particularly its fifth generation, SDSS-V. His primary research areas encompass the design, construction, and on-sky optimization of wide-field optical correctors and fiber optic systems for large telescopes. Wilson’s major contribution is the new three-element wide field corrector for the SDSS-V 2.5m telescope, replacing a previous two-element design to improve performance in the infrared. His work on the corrector’s design and on-sky performance, documented in his most-cited papers (with 4 and 3 citations respectively), has been critical to SDSS-V’s ambitious mission. He also led the complex field retermination of the APOGEE spectrograph’s MTP fiber connectors, sharing vital lessons on wear analysis and throughput. While his citation counts are modest, his impact is profound within the astronomical community, as his engineering ensures the continued success of one of the most prolific sky surveys in history. Wilson’s work represents the unsung, essential craftsmanship that enables groundbreaking discoveries.