Wilson joined UAH in 1972 as faculty in the Deparment of Biological Sciences and served as the Dean of the College of Science from 1984 until his death in 1991. The photograph shows members of his family viewing the portrait.
The photo may have been taken at an event celebrating Davis' flight on either STS-47 in 1992 or STS-60 in 1994. The banner in the background reads, "Jan Davis / A Golden Homecoming."