Walter R. Hibbard Jr (January 20, 1918 – February 24, 2010) was an American metallurgist, a distinguished professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and the 11th director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines in President Johnson's administration.

[1] Hibbard served as a lieutenant in the metallurgical section of the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Ships during World War II in Washington, D.C.[1] Hibbard then became an assistant professor of metallurgy at Yale University and was promoted five years later to associate professor.

[1] On December 1, 1965, Hibbard was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to become the director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines.

[1] In 1968, Hibbard joined the Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corporation as its vice president of research and development.

[1] In 1974, he left his role at the Federal Energy Administration to join the faculty of Virginia Tech.