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a I t e c h N e w 5 Volume 35 , Number I c

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I nTh 5 I 5 5 U e

Revisiting Mid-Century

Cal tech

Reinterpreting Feynman

Building for

Biomedicine's Future

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Redefining the Desktop Cal fornia Institute Volume 35, Number I of Technology 2 0 0 I

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QED 3 Caltech friends of Richard Feynman critique a new play about him.

David Clayton Builds Biomedical Bridges 6 HHMI vice president helps create a new type of research facility. 10 Organization Woman Enfish executive taps into desktop market.

Also in this issue: Scientists peer at the dark of the moon; alumni go out of their way (and uphill) to write in; Blair Folsom hits pay dirt in his "own backyard"; and technicians take on a job of astronomical proportions, on the back-page poster.

Picture Credits: Cover-Ray Brennan of L.A. Engraving, Doug Cummings; 3-Doug Cummings, Doug Smith, Bob Paz; 4-Philip Goode, Big Bear Observatory; 4,5,8,lO, 13,19,Back Cover-Bob Paz; 5-M. Konishi; 6,7-HHMI photos; 8-Elton Siwell, Chris Yates; 11-1978 Big T and Enfish; 12-Blair Folsom, Caltech file photo; 13-Doug Smith, Cal tech file photo; 14-Po Wah Gong, Brian Post, Mount Washington Observatory.

Issued four times a year and published by the California Institute of Technology and the Alumni Association, 1200 East California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125. All rights reserved . Third class postage paid at Pasadena, California. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Caltech News, Caltecb 1-71, Pasadena, CA 91125.

ON THE COVER Blair A. Folsom Executive Editor - Heidi Aspaturian A few things have changed President of the Alumni Association Associate Editor - Hillary Bhaskaran since 1941 , including the Ernest Nunnally Writer - Rhonda Hillbery colors in the image on this J. Caltech News cover. The Vice President for Institute Relations Contributors - Jill Perry, Michael Rogers, original Big T illustration Robert L. O 'Rourke Robert Tindol, Mark Wbeeler appears below. Associate Vice President for Institute Relations Copy Editors - Emily Adelsobn, Michael Jane S. Dietricb Farquhar, Elena Rudnev Director of Periodicals CirC1/lation Manager - Susan Lee Photographer - Robert Paz Graphics Prodllction - Doug Cummings

whose staff put the photo essay on the flies that have been pedigreed through Web in a modern-day format with 280 generations, [and} a 200-in. tele­ A SCROLL DOWN commentary. Archivists] udith Good­ scope mirror which next year will ex­ MEMORY LANE stein and Shelley Erwin, historian tend man's sight millions of light years Kevin Knox, and Web designer Glenn beyond its present horizons." (The Hale The school that Ben Rosen attended Smith '96 produced the site, accessible telescope is featured on page 19 and on was all male, he recalls. Coats and ties at http://archives.caltech.edu/life_ the back-page poster of this Caltech were de rigueur at dinner. The campus article/. News.) ended at San Pasqual. Faculty focused The magazine essay points out the When Provost Steve Koonin '72 on doing "a few things well, rather links between basic research and its saw the piece on the Web, he was than trying to do everything in science practical applications. It highlights the "amazed" to see how much of the 60- and technology." That was in the early opportunities for Caltech students, year-old description of the Institute's 1950s. including undergraduates, to partici­ philosophy and character was still ap­ Fast forward to 200l. Rosen '54 pate in all aspects of this research. It plicable. "Either we're sticks-in-the­ recently came across an old issue of Life extols the virtues of poker. mud, or Millikan et al. really did put In 1941, Techers were hard at work in the lab, magazine featuring his alma mater in "The importance of investigations as depicted in this illustration from the Big T. together the right formulation for a a photographic essay. The March 17, into the architecture of molecules, into And when they weren't in the lab? Read on. great research universi ty." 1941, issue provides a snapshot of the properties of sinusoidal curves, into The 1941 magazine is one of 600- Cal tech that reveals, to Rosen and the dynamics of electrons may seem at some issues of Life and Time magazines others, how much the Institute has first remote," it states. But "these for­ wings, in the more efficient production ftom the 1930s, '40s, and '50s that changed in appearance and how little it ays on the frontiers of knowledge play and transmission of electric power." Rosen has located and purchased. He has changed in purpose in the course of their part in the fight against vitus Considering Caltech's ratio of "about says that browsing through the collec­ 60 years. How will the next wave of diseases, in the design of airplane two graduate scientists to every three tion is "like reading history as it hap­ readers perceive the piece? undergraduates," the essay continues, pens, unfiltered by time." "When I happened upon the ar­ Cal tech News invites readers to "it is not long before the undergraduate Photographs from 1941 show ticle," says Rosen, who now chairs share their reminiscences, including their catches the fever of aspiration to deeds Techers taking exams, sleeping on the Caltech's board of ttustees, "I immedi­ perspectives on how things have changed of brain and hands." Students then as Athenaeum's open-air balcony, and ately felt that I should share it with the or remained the same throughout their now conducted research in laboratories; playing three-dimensional ticktacktoe broadest Cal tech community." He do­ association with the Institute. Please their resources included "a 2,000,000- and poker. Poker, it is said, "provides volt atom smasher, millions of fruit nated the issue to the Caltech Archives, send e-mail to [email protected]. Continlled on page 16 ..

2 1 California I nstitute of Tech nology · VOL UME 35 NO.1, 2001 David Goodstein, Caltech's vice provost suspect that, like Feynman, Alan AIda night, Feynman is to appear beating his and professor ofphysics and applied physics, plays Alan AIda. And so now, at the bongo drums as the chief of Bali Hai in was a friend and colleague of Richard Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, the Cal tech student production of the Feynman's for nearly a quarter-century, so before a house that was sold out for its Rodgers and Hammerstein musical it was natural that Cal tech News would entire run before it even opened, we South Pacific. In the course of the day, ask him to share his views on QED, a play have Alan AIda playing Alan AIda Feynman learns by phone from his about Feynman, starring Alan AIda, that playing Richard Feynman playing doctors that his cancer has returned and premiered in April at the Mark Taper Richard Feynman, in a play by Peter new, even more perilous surgery is Forum in Los Angeles. Goodstein has writ­ Parnell called QED. needed. He debates his treatment with ten frequently about Feynman 's life and And it works! AIda doesn't look like his doctors, and he debates the form of work, and he shares with Feynman the Feynman and, in spite of what must the final report on the space shuttle distinction of being the only Caltech profes­ have been valiant efforts, he doesn't Challenger disaster, again by phone, sor besides Robert Millikan to receive the sound much like him either. I came to with the chairman of the investigating American Society of Physics Teachers' the play fearing that AIda would talk commission, former Secretary of State Oersted Medal for important contributions the talk and walk the walk, but like William Rogers. He works on a public to the teaching ofphysics. In 1995 he was one of those south Pacific cargo cults lecture he had forgotten he was sup­ named Caltech's FrankJ.Gilloon Distin­ Feynman used to like to talk about, it posed to give in a couple of days. Some guished Teaching and Service Professor. The would be all outward appearance, lack­ Russians arrive at the airport and show following commentary by Goodstein origi­ ing the inner guts that made Feynman up off-stage, part of a scheme to help nally appeared in the May 2001 issue of who he was. Miraculously, almost the Feynman gain entry to the mysterious Physics World. exact opposite happens. AIda puts the Soviet Central Asian land of Tuva. Dick Feynman I knew back up there, All the while, he talks to his audi­ Richard Feynman was the star of his on the stage, where he always belonged. ence, in the Feynman idiom, about own life. Feynman played Feynman, The play takes place in Feynman's things big and small-physics, sketch­ and he played it to the hilt. He was office at Caltech. Like AIda himself, the ing nude women, his father, his first always on stage whenever he had an set doesn't look like the real thing, but wife, himself. There are lots of good audience, no matter how small. captures its spirit. It is a Saturday Q E o Although I don't know him at all, I morning, near the end of his life. That Continued on pa g e 13 .

ALAN ALDA PLAYS RICHARD FEYNMAN ON STAGE: A CALTECH PHYSICIST AND A STAGE DIRECTOR WEIGH IN

Pursuant to the pleasure of finding things out, Alan Aida paid a visit to the Caltec h campus this spring to find out all he could about RPF for his role in QED. Aida talked to Richard Feynman's friends and colleagues, peeked into physics lecture halls and Ramo Auditorium, and spent a few moments in Feynman's old office, soaking up the ambi­ ence. At times, it must almost have seemed like Dick himself was there.

see where Dick had performed, and we went over there and talked. I told a few stories about Feynman's time in the theater, and they used some of that in the play. QED scrambles the chronology like eggs, of course-it's dramatic license, and you accept that. In the play, which takes place toward the end of his life, Dick is performing as chief of Bali Hai in the Cal tech show South Pacific, which he had actually done after a previous surgery six years earlier. But his appear­ ance in South Pacific is what people are familiar with, because of the photo­ graphs of him drumming and wearing that marvelous headdress. I laughed in QED when he comes Shirley Marneus, the director of the found its way into the QED script. Here back to his office after the show saying Caltech Theater Arts (TACIT) program, Marneus offers her unique perspective on the that he could have played Bloody Mary first met Richard Feynman after she had topic of Feynman on stage. if only they'd given him a wig. That recruited him sight unseen to play the bongos line was made up. It's conceivable that for a Havana nightclub scene in TACIT's About two years ago, Alan AIda and he might have asked to play Bloody 1977 production of Guys and Dolls (a Gordon Davidson, artistic director of Mary, but he didn't. He just wanted to story she tells in "What's a Director Like the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, play the tweti-a Tahitian drum. It Me Doing in a Place Like This?" which got together to produce a play about makes this ricky-ticky-tick-tick sound, appeared in the February 1993 Caltech Richard Feynman at the Taper. While and he got really excited about that. News). Shortly afterward, she found out they were working on it, Davidson and He went to a lot of trouble to find "who" he was, while Feynman, who had Peter Parnell, the playwright, came to Tahitians in Los Angeles who could never acted in a play before, had discovered campus to talk to me about Dick's teach him about it. how much he enjoyed being a thespian. The involvement in Cal tech theater, which I thought AIda AIda gave a wonder­ two became friends, and the physicist contin­ they had heard about from Ralph ful performance. Obviously he has ued to perform in Caltech productions right Leighton. They asked to see Ramo up to the end of his life, an avocation that Auditorium, because they wanted to Continued on page 1 3 DARK OF THE MOON SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON EARTH'S CLIMATE

tinguished Professor of Physics at mum during that time. This supports NJIT. "We have found surprisingly the hypothesis that the sun's magnetic From Earth to the Moon. Observations of large-up to 20 percent-seasonal field plays an indirect role in Earth's "earthshine" (the shiny variations in Earth's reflectance. climate. If supported by further obser­ region immediately to "Further, we have found a hint of a vations, it would explain why there the left) of the dark 2.5-percent decrease in Earth's albedo seem to be so many signatures of the part of the lunar disk over the past five years." sun's II-year activity cycle in Earth's provide new insights into changing climate A 2.5-percent change in reflectance climate record, but the associated varia­ conditions back on may not seem like much, but if Earth tions in the sun's brightness are too Earth, including global reflected even 1 percent less light, the weak to have an effect. warming. This image effect would be significant enough to The researchers plan to continue is one of many taken be a concern when studying global observing from Big Bear. "These obser­ with a refracting telescope and CCD warmmg. vations, supplemented with additional detector at Big Bear Koonin notes that "studies of cli­ ones from a planned worldwide net­ Solar Observatory. mate change require well-calibrated, work, will allow even more precise, Cal tech provost Steve long-term measurements of large round-the-clock monitoring of the Koonin '72, a pioneer regions of the globe. Earthshine obser­ earth's reflectance," Goode says. "That in earthshine studies, led the investigation vations are ideally suited to this, be­ precision will also make it possible to for the Cal tech team. cause, in contrast to satellite determi­ test connections between solar activity nations of the albedo, they are self-cali­ and Earth's climate." brating, easily and inexpensively per­ "It's really amazing, if you think formed from the ground, and instanta­ abour it," Koonin says, "that you can neously cover a significant fraction of look at this ghostly reflection on the Scientists have revived and modern­ journal Geophysical Research Letters, a the globe." moon and measure what Earth's climate ized a nearly forgotten technique for team of scientists from the New Jersey The new albedo measurements are is doing. " monitoring Earth's climate by carefully Institute of Technology and Caltech based on about 200 nights of observa­ The study was funded by both observing "earthshine," the ghostly reports on earthshine observations tions of the dark side of the moon at NASA, beginning in 1998, and the glow of the dark side of the moon. showing that Earth's albedo is currently regular intervals over a recently ended Western Center for Global Environ­ Earthshine measurements are a use­ 0.297, give or take 0.005. two-year period, and another 70 nights mental Change, during 1994-95. Be­ ful complement to satellite observa­ In the early 20th century, the French during 1994-95. Using a 6-inch re­ yond Goode, other members of the tions for determining Earth's reflec­ astronomer Andre-Louis Danjon under­ fracting telescope and precise CCD at NJIT team are Jiong Qiu, Vasyl tance of sunlight (its albedo), an took the first quantitative observations the Big Bear Solar Observatory, the Yurchyshyn, and Jeff Hickey. Beyond important climate parameter. Long­ of earthshine. But the method lay dor­ researchers measured the intensity of Koonin, other members of the Cal tech term observations of earthshine thus mant for nearly 50 years, until Caltech the earthshine. team are C. Titus Brown, Edwin Kolbe monitor variations in cloud cover and team leader and professor of theoretical By simultaneously observing the (now at the University of Basel), and atmospheric aerosols that playa role in physics Steve Koonin '72 coauthored a bright "moonshine" from the crescent, Ming Chu (now at the Chinese Univer­ climate change. paper in 1991 describing its modern they have been able to compensate for sity of Hong Kong). Earthshine is readily visible to the potential. The present data are the first the effects of atmospheric scattering. naked eye, most easily during a cres­ that are precise and systematic enough The best times to collect the data are cent moon. Leonardo da Vinci first to infer the relative health of Earth's one week before and one week after the explained the phenomenon, in which climate. new moon, when less than half of the the moon acts like a giant mirror show­ "Earth's climate is driven by the net lunar disk is illuminated by the sun. ing the sunlight reflected from Earth. sunlight that it absorbs," says Philip When local cloud cover is also taken The brightness of the earthshine thus Goode, leader of the New Jersey Insti­ into account, Earth's reflectance can be measures the reflectance of Earth. tute of Technology team, director of the determined on about one-quarter of the In the current issue of the refereed Big Bear Solar Observatory, and a Dis- nights. Cl.JJ~J The study relies on averages over CALT'lC1: u;n;1fC"T' ~~UA""H JOO'~"AI long periods because the albedo ...... " ••••••. . r changes substantially from night to ..... - An April symposium ...... night with changing weather, and even ...... celebrated the 25th ..••.•••...... ~ .. ::::::::::::!;:: ::::::::::: :~ anniversary of more dramatically from season to sea­ ~ •••••••••••••••••••••• v t •••••••••••••••••••••• ~ e ••••••••••••••••••• Caltech's computer ' son with changing snow and ice cover...... •..•..•...... •...... , ...... - science option. ••....•••..•.....•...... ••...... •...... •..... The locations of the land masses also ...... •.•...... •...... Speaking to the affect the albedo as Earth rotates on its ...... •..•••..•...... •. multiple interests of ...... ••• v ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• axis. For example, the observations ~ ...... ~. .~. the participants was ...... ~ . ..••...... •.•.••••. ~ Carver Mead '56, PhD from California easily detect a bright­ ~ ~ ...... ••.... ~ ... "l •••••••••• '60, one of the CS ening of the earthshine during the ..... ~. founders and a noted night as the sun rises over Asia, because COMPUTER GESTU RE RECOGN ITION pioneer in the field. the huge continental land mass reflects more light than the Pacific Ocean. "Thus, the averaging of lots of data is necessary for an accurate indication of Caltech undergraduates have launched a a changing albedo," Goode says. research journal, collaborating with students It is significant that the earthshine from Art Center College of Design to meld data suggest that the albedo has de­ substance with style. Would-be readers can let their fingers do the surfing through an creased slightly during the past five online version, accessible at http:" years, since the sun's magnetic activity www.curj.caltech.edu/. has climbed from minimum to maxi-

41 California I nstitute of Technology • VOLUME 35 NO.1, 200! HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS RECOGNITION YES, IT'S MOORE TO PARTICIPATE IN COSMIC-RAY RESEARCH Clarence Allen, PhD '54, professor of Fittingly enough, the man who geology and geophysics, emeritus, helped to spearhead the computer revo­ Los Angeles-area high school stu­ received the 2001 George W. Housner lution will deliver Cal tech's commence­ dents will team up with Caltech re­ Medal at the annual Earthquake Engi­ ment address for the year 2001. While searchers to study ultrahigh-energy neering Research Institute meeting in the sinister Hal may not be in the audi­ cosmic rays on their own campuses, February. The award recognizes his ence, more than 400 of Gordon Moore's thanks to a recent grant from the "sustained and significant contribu­ fellow Cal tech grads will be on hand. Weingart Foundation. tions to earthq uake safety." The cofounder and now chairman The Los Angeles-based foundation Tom Apostol, professor of mathemat­ emerirus of Intel, Moore, PhD '54, has donated $ 100,000 to Caltech to ics, emeritus, has been elected a corre­ served as chair of the Instirute's board establish the California High School sponding member of the Academy of of trustees for seven years, before step­ Cosmic-Ray Observatory (CHICOS) on Athens, the most prestigious scientific ping down last year as chairman emeri­ four campuses in the Northridge area organization in Greece. tus. As chairman, he's acted as master initially, expanding to 50 and possibly Frances Arnold, the Dick and Barbara of ceremonies for seven Cal tech gradua­ hundreds more sites in the future. Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engi­ tions and while he's now turned that Of the four initial schools, three neering and Biochemistry, has been job over to successor Ben Rosen '54, have a high number of students who elected a fellow of the American Insti­ come June 15 he'll be up on the podium are underrepresented in the sciences, tute for Medical and Biological Engi­ Gordon Moore at commencement 2000. one Moore ... er ... more time. which means the program may assist in neermg. increasing the number of future scien­ Cal tech president David Baltimore tists in the United States. The schools has been awarded the 2000 Warren are Sylmar, Van Nuys, and Harvard Alpert Foundation Prize for his work To HUNT PREY, OWLS COUNT ON MULTIPLICATION Westlake high schools and Sherman "in the development of Abl kinase Oaks Continuing Education School. inhibitors for use in the treatment of Owls have long been known for their stunning ability to swoop down in total The research will be coordinated by chronic myelogenous leukemia." The darkness and grab unsuspecting prey for a midnight snack. Recently, in the April 13 professor of physics Robert McKeown prize is awarded each year "to a scien­ issue of the journal Science, Caltech neuroscientists reported that the largely nocturnal of Caltech's Kellogg Radiation Labora­ tist (or group of scientists) who has birds locate their prey in the dark by processing two auditory signal cues to "com­ tory. The program will also incorporate made a significant discovery leading to pute" the position of their midnight snacks. a high school teacher education compo­ This computation takes place in the midbrain and involves about a thousand spe­ nent, coordinated by Ryoichi Seki at Continued on page 7 ... cialized neurons."An owl can catch stuff in the dark because its brain determines the California State University, Northridge. location of sound sources by using differences in arrival time and intensity between Teachers will develop curriculum mate­ its two ears," says Mark Konishi, Caltech's Bing Professor of Behavioral Biology and rials to help their students participate the paper's coauthor. in this research. Cal tech will host a DAVID STEVENSON For example, if a mouse on the ground is slightly to the right of a flying owl, the summer workshop where physics teach­ IS AWARDED THE owl first hears the sound the mouse makes in its right ear, and, a fraction of a second ers and students can participate in the FEYNMAN PRIZE later, in its left ear. This information is transmitted to the specialized neurons in the construction of new detector stations midbrain. Simultaneously, the owl's ears also pick up slight differences in the inten­ for deployment at additional sites. "One hopes that students are sity of the sound. This information is transmitted to the same neurons of the mid­ "This grant will give many high being taught to think," says brain, where the two cues are multiplied to provide a precise two-dimensionalloca­ school students a unique opportunity Cal tech's David Stevenson. In tion of the prey. to participate in research science at the recognition of his passion for un­ "What we did not know was how the neural signals for time and intensity differ­ university level," said Caltech president dergraduate education, the Van ences were combined in single neurons in the map of auditory space in the mid­ David Baltimore. "It will serve as a Osdol Professor of Planetary Sci­ brain," Konishi says. "These neurons respond to a specific combination of time and model for future collaborations in other ences has been awarded this year's intensity differences. The question our paper answers is how this combination sensi­ subjects between world-class research Richard P. Feynman Prize for tivity is established. universities and high schools." Excellence in Teaching. "The answer is that these neurons multiply the time and intensity signals," he The project will involve the devel­ Stevenson was honored by a says. Thus, the neurons act like switches. The neurons do not respond to time or opment and construction of detector selection committee composed of intensity alone, but to particular combinations of them. hardware, associated electronics, and faculty and students for modifying The reason the neural signals are multiplied rather than added is that, in an addi­ computer equipment to form a net­ the existing Geology 1 class into a tion, a big input from the time pathway alone might drive the neuron to the firing worked system among the high schools. new elective course within the level. In a multiplication, however, this possibility is less likely because a multiplica­ A large array of this type will enable core curriculum. "I was challenged tion reduces the effects of a big input on one side. the srudy of ultrahigh-energy cosmic by the difficulty of constructing a It's not clear how the owl perceives the location of the mouse in the third dimen­ rays through the detection of "show­ course that would be attractive to sion, Konishi says, but it could be that the owl simply remembers how far it is from ers," several kilometers in radius, of a wide range of students, without the ground or how much noise a mouse generally makes, and somehow adds this secondary particles the rays create in being too conventional," he says. information into the computation. Earth's atmosphere. These are the high­ "The problems in the exams, The lead author of the Science paper is Jose Luis Pefia, a senior research fellow in est-energy particles ever observed in homework, and projects should biology at Caltech. nature and thus of great current inter­ not be merely routine applications On the cover of est in the astrophysics and particle­ of standard book work." The selec­ the magazine: physics community. When a majority tion committee noted the increase Check out the of the 50 sites are operating, it is ex­ in the class's entollment, from 20 April 13 cover story in Science. pected that the project will yield sig­ students at its start to 165 this year. nificant scientific results that will be The Feynman Prize is made reported in the scientific literature. possible by an endowment from lone and Robert E. Paradise and is given each year to a Cal tech pro­ fessor who demonstrates excep­ tional ability, creativity, and inno­ vation in both laboratory and classroom instruction.

5 I Caltech News o av i d Clayton b u Ids biomedical bridges

By RHONDA H I LLBERY

David Clayton (top) studies a gel electro­ phoresis film in the lab he maintains at Imagine that you've been handed The stakes couldn't be higher. Clayton talks about a campus where Stanford. Now in the Washington, D.C. area, the chance to help design a new bio­ "Breakthroug hs in computer science, visiting scientists wi ll work at the bio­ the biologist will help lead a Howard Hughes medical research incubatOr from chemistry, physics, and engineering can medical frontiers in an interdisciplinary Medical Institute project to build a new scratch, one that will help determine be critical for developing research tools environment that will foster collabora­ biomedical science center at Janelia farm the future of biotechnology. used in the study of biology and medi­ tion among researchers with diverse (above), whose old world-style manor and carriage house will lend an historic air to a David ClaytOn, PhD '70, finds him­ cine," said Thomas Cech, Nobel laure­ backgrounds and varying perspectives. decidedly forward-looking endeavor. self in just that tO le, holding a scien­ ate and the institute's president, in a To that end, the institute will be on the tist-administratOr's dream job. As vice recent statement. lookout for creative, even risky propos­ sciences-and computational biology­ president for science development at When completed, the new campus als that could lead to new discoveries the discovery and application of math­ Howard Hug hes Medical Institute, he will house a substantial, permanent but may be considered too unconven­ ematical models to biological systems. will help lead a $500 million plan to research-and-development ptOgram. tional to receive research funding from "Things we once only imagined are build a new biomedical science center. "At the same time, its large financial more traditional sources. upon us, and the pace of new develop­ Scheduled to open in 2005 on the resources and space capacity will enable Despite the institute's nonprofit ments in biomedical research has accel­ grounds of a recently purchased 281- rapid shifts into new areas that show status, the campus will also reflect the erated tremendously," Clayton said. acre farm outside WashingtOn, D.C., unusual scientific promise," Cech gtOwing mutual interest between sci­ "When I started my own laboratory the campus is slated to exploit tOday 's added. ence and industry to develop, adapt, in 1970 there was no good reason to rapid advances in science and technol­ Clayton, along with Gerald Rubin, and imptOve new technology before it think we would be able to sequence ogy. Hughes vice president for biomedical gets to the market. even modest portions of genes by the "A major theme is to provide the research, will comanage the program Clayton offered a few examples of year 2000. physical resources and intellectual envi­ during design and construction. He the type of research that will take place "The obvious challenges ahead are ronment to support the latest technolo­ will also help identify and recruit the at the campus. Scientists wi ll leverage how to assimilate and use this wealth gies in biomedical research as they scientists who wi ll work there. the vast quantities of data pouring in of information," he added. emerge to active use by trained scien­ Named for its creatOr, aviator-indus­ from the Human Genome Project to The campus will differ from tradi­ tists," Clayton said in a p hone inter­ trialist Howard Hughes, the institute is carry out wide-ranging biogenetics tional research settings at universities view from the medical institute's head­ supported by an endowment of about research, to probe the fundamental in important ways. Unlike the long­ quarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland. $ 13 billion. The nonprofit medical roots of diseases, and to develop better term employment often found at uni­ The Janelia Farm campus, as it is research organization employs hun­ methods of diagnosis as well as new versities, many scientists will work now called, will feature up-to-the­ dreds of biomedical scientists at more drugs and other forms of treatment. there only until their projects end. minute technology and laboratories, as than 70 locations around the country. Research will also focus on "This will be augmented by confer- well as smart people from cross-disci­ Eight Hug hes investigators work at bioinformatics-the integ ration of plinary fields. Caltech. technology research and the biological

61 Cali/orllia I llslilllle 0/ T echnology . VOLUME 35 No. [,2 00 1 ences and perhaps focused training Scientist Training Program for nearly administrative role, but I had been very Chemistry and Applied Physics, re­ courses to reach every level in the con­ 20 years. The program educates MD­ impressed with the goals and quality of ceived the Richard C. Tolman Medal, duct of cutting-edge biomedical re­ PhD candidates who want to work as the institute by virtue of serving on presented by the Southern California search," said Clayton. physician-scientists, helping to unify their scientific advisory board. HHMI Section of the American Chemical Soci­ And an open lab architecture will laboratory research and the clinical gets things done with no compromise ety on April 19. afford researchers space and lab facili­ practice of medicine. in scientific quality, and has the re­ Sunil Golwala, Millikan postdoctoral ties as needed. The enriched environ­ "What we saw there was a comingling sources to move forward without fund­ scholar, has received the American ment is designed to offer the chance for of getting a medical degree and doing raIsing. Physical Society's Mitsuyoshi Tanaka exciting cross-disciplinary work, not serious science," says Clayton, whose When Clayton moved to the East Dissertation Award in Experimental unlike what Clayton has witnessed at personal interest in medicine can be Coast, his interest in classic American Particle Physics "for his versatile and ptofessional conferences that pull traced back to his youth. As a kid "muscle cars" moved with him. Prize extensive contributions to the detec­ people together from far-flung settings. growing up in an Illinois farming com­ possessions include his flagship vehicle, tors, hardware, electronics, software, "Most of us have had a terrific idea munity, he was certain that he wanted a 1967 Pontiac GTO, which he bought and analysis of the results of the Cryo­ for a joint effort-usually conceived to become a medical doctor. "I thought new and is having restored in Illinois. genic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) during the wee hours of a scientific the person with the most interesting He also owns a 1977 Corvette and a experiment." meeting-only to have the passion job was without a doubt the family 1979 Pontiac Trans Am, which Clayton Sossina Haile, assistant professor of fade on the way home to our regular doctor. I thought that was really inter­ notes is the last model year of its type materials science, has been selected to busy environment." esting compared to working in the to feature the 400-cubic-inch V-8 receive the American Ceramic Society's JUSt as important, he says, are pro­ cotnfield, so to speak." engine. 2001 Robert l. Coble Award for Young jects devoted to perfecting an insttu­ The Stanford program attracted the Given his fondness for vintage arti­ Scholars. "This award recognizes an ment or technique. Maybe it's some­ likes of Peter Kim, who became an facts, Clayton should feel right at home outstanding scientist who is conduct­ thing as mundane as the discovery that MIT biology professor and Howard at the new facility. Maybe on opening ing research in academia, industry or a an apparatus needs clips to secure it to Hughes investigator known for day he can drive one of his historic cars government-funded laboratory." a table and keep it from crashing to the ground breaking research on AIDS at onto the Janelia Farm campus, which Alice Huang, senior councilor for floor. If the time frame for such find­ the Whitehead Institute. Kim, who features a Normandy-style manor house external relations and faculty associate ings could be shortened, the practical was associate head of MIT's biology and carriage house, both listed on the in biology, has been selected to receive implications could be enormous. department, discovered how HIV fuses National Register of Historic Places. the 2001 Alice C. Evans Award, which Clayton compares such trial-and­ with and invades human cells. is sponsored by the ASM (American error scenarios to the product evolution Kim recently was named executive Society for Microbiology) Committee of a new car. "You don't really know if vice president for research and develop­ on the Status of Women in Microbiol­ the bugs are out until it's taken on the ment at Merck Research Laboratories, ogy. She is being honored for "contri­ road. where he will head efforts to discover butions toward the full participation "The new campus would bting to­ and develop new dtugs. and advancement of women within the gether the people and lab capabilities "His work has been influenced by R ecognition, , , from page 5 science and profession of microbiology to expose the bugs in considerably less the fact that he was in a PhD program and in ASM." time. We want to shorten the whole and in medical school," Clayton says, the prevention, cure, or treatment of a The Alice C. Tyler Perpetual Trust segue from young and brash and prom­ adding that many program graduates disease or disorder that afflicts human­ has awarded a Cal tech research group a ising to mature, reliable, and produc­ go on to take faculty positions at top kind." Baltimore will share the grant of $100,000, which will fund the tive." university research and medical centers. $150,000 prize with four other scien­ group's project, "Environmental Qual­ At Cal tech , Clayton was a student of Another physician-scientist graduate tists. ity Near Large Urban Areas." The Jerome Vinograd, a biochemist who is Richard Lifton, professor of genetics Seymour Benzer, the James G. Boswell project, which will examine the effects made pioneering contributions to DNA and medicine at Yale University School Professor of Neuroscience, Emeritus, of a growing population and the impact research. Clayton credits those years of Medicine. Also a Howard Hughes has received the International Prize for of human interaction on land and with helping him understand what investigator, Lifton has conducted piv­ Biology. Awarded annually since 1985 aquatic ecosystems in the San Gabriel science was all about. "I remember that otal research on the genetic and mo­ by the Committee on the International Valley and San Gabriel River water­ the business of Cal tech was excellent lecular underpinnings of hypertension. Prize for Biology "in commemoration shed, will be jointly supervised by Janet science, and that was the yardstick by Despite the standout success of the of the sixty-year reign of Emperor Hering, associate professor of environ­ which things were measured." program's graduates, Clayton at times Showa and his longtime devotion to mental engineering science; Michael That credo stuck with him after he felt obliged to defend it. Skeptics on all biological research," the prize was pre­ Hoffmann, the James Irvine Professor of graduated from Cal tech with his PhD sides failed to see the point of investing sented to Benzer on November 26 at Environmental Science and executive in biophysics and chemistry. At the so much training, time, and expense in the Japan Academy, in the presence of officer for environmental engineering time, career opportunities in molecular turning out joint PhD-medical doctor the emperor and empress. Past Cal tech science;James Randerson, assistant pro­ biology were flourishing, and Clayton grads. winners are professors Mark Konishi fessor of global environmental science; was able to become a faculty member Clayton thought it was clear that the and Elliot Meyerowitz. and Patti Wennberg, professor of atmo­ at Stanford in 1970, at the tender age interdisciplinary study helps bridge Assistant Professor of Planetary spheric science and environmental en­ of26. two worlds-that of human health and Astronomy Michael Brown has been gineering science. Clayton became a pathology profes­ its underlying biological mysteries. "I selected by the American Astronomical BenjaminJohnson, instructor in his­ sor in 1982 and was appointed profes­ would say today that the point is that if Society's Division for Planetary Sciences tory, has received the Forest History sor of developmental biology in 1989. you go through medical school and to receive the Harold C. Urey Prize in Society's Ralph W. Hidy Award, which He also served as associate director of have some clinical exposure after you Planetary Science, The award is for his is presented each year for the best ar­ Stanford's Beckman Center for Molecu­ earn your degree, it can't help but "outstanding achievement in planetary ticle in the field of environmental his­ lar and Genetic Medicine. bring to your attention the nature of research." tory. Johnson's article, "Conservation, His research on mitochondrial DNA disease-what it means physiologically. Richard Ellis, professor of astronomy Class, and Subsistence at the Birth of in humans and mice at Stanford, where And that can only push your thinking and director of the Palomar Observa­ Superior National Forest," examines he continues to maintain a lab, has about what you might want to work on tory, has been appointed the Lansdowne the effects of early conservation mea­ helped show how depressed or mutated compared to someone lacking that Lecturer at the University of Victoria, sures on the economy, politics, and mitochondria are implicated in serious expenence." in British Columbia. The university ecology of communities near the Supe­ diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and The professor was lured away from awards this premier appointment in the rior National Forest. Alzheimer's. academia to the Hughes Institute in physical sciences once every two years. Tracy Johnson, pos tdoctoral scholar in He also headed Stanford's Medical 1996. "I had no interest in a typical William Goddard, PhD '64, the Charles and Mary Ferkel Professor of Continlled 011 pClge 9

7 I CCiltech News SLOAN FOUNDATION GRANT WILL ADVANCE BRAIN RESEARCH POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ENDOWED BY Continuing its support of Caltech's Neurobiology is the study of the come from an array of fields that in­ FAIRCHILD GRANT efforts to unravel the workings of the brain and nervous system in humans cludes physics, mathematics, and engi­ most complex structure in our world­ and other animals. Theoretical neurobi­ neering, are working with senior neuro­ Cal tech has been awarded a $10 the human brain-the Alfred P. Sloan ology allows Caltech scientists and biologists, conducting research and million grant from the Sherman Foundation has awarded an additional students to share ideas from two re­ learning experimental methods. Cur­ Fairchild Foundation to establish an grant of $400,000 to support the search perspectives, the theoretical and rently, 70 percent of postdoctoral endowment for the existing Sherman Institute's Sloan-Swartz Center for the experimental. Theorists use data graduates have obtained faculty posi­ Fairchild Postdoctoral Scholars Pro­ Theoretical Neurobiology. from actual experiments to create de­ tions at various universities around the gram in theoretical physics, theoretical The center was established in 1994 tailed computer models of brain func­ world. astrophysics, and mathematics. with a $1.4 million grant from Sloan. tion or behavior. From this modeling, The Sloan-Swartz Center for The endowment will provide the Its goal was twofold: to develop a new hypotheses are developed to make pre­ Theoretical Neurobiology is led by best young scholars in these areas with field of study called theoretical neuro­ dictions. Then, a researcher can design Richard Andersen, Caltech's Boswell three- to six-year postdoctoral appoint­ biology, and to train the next genera­ an experiment to physically test the Professor of Neuroscience. The center is ments, along with infrastructure sup­ tion of neuroscientists. Given the theory. one of five that were established in port. Irs goal is to furnish scholars with brain's complexity, with its hundred­ At Cal tech, the cross-pollination of 1994, with the others at Brandeis Uni­ a supportive, unencumbered research billion-plus nerve cells, each capable of these two approaches has led to greater versity, New York University, the Salk environment, and to allow for collabo­ forming connections with literally understanding of such processes as Institute, and UC San Francisco. The ration with an international network of thousands of other cells, it was recog­ temporal coding, the firing rate of Sloan Foundation was founded in 1934 premier scientists. nized that understanding how the brain neurons over time; neural representa­ by Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., who was chief The endowment will facilitate ad­ functions required an increasingly tions, how the brain combines informa­ executive officer of General Motors for vanced research in areas such as par­ sophisticated research approach. tion from the various senses; and the 23 years. The foundation makes grants ticle, nuclear, and string theory; theo­ neural mechanisms that underlie the available for higher education and re­ retical astrophysics and relativity; human visual system. search in the fields of science, technol­ condensed-matter physics; atomic The center has also successfully ogy, economics, and public policy. physics and quantum computation; and trained, or is in the process of training, mathematical physics. 36 postdoctoral and predoctoral stu­ Gifts by dents. These young scientists, who W i ll

ASSOCIATES MAKE NEW ASSOCIATIONS The generosity and foresight of Caltech alumni and friends benefits New Associates board members welcomed at a recent meeting of the Institute the Institute. support group included (in the upper left hand photo, from left to right) Olin Caltech received approximately Barrett; Bob Perpall '52, MS '56; Amy Lee PhD '75; Gerrie Kilburn; Kim $3 1,000 from the estate of Ed­ Caldwell; and Ted Jenkins '65, MS '66. They were joined by Thomas Tyson '54, ward]. Horkey '37, MS '38. PhD '67, who is board president. Pictured at right, the 2001 executive committee These funds were designated to of the Associates was equally support the Donald S. also ushered in, includ­ Clark Alumni Awards Fund and ing John Glanville, past the Theodore von Karman president; Peter Cross Memorial Fund. '68, secretary; Margaret Fred B. Stitt, PhD '36, pro­ Richards, treasurer; vided for Cal tech with an unre­ Thomas Tyson '54, PhD stricted bequest of $151 ,000. '67, president; and Gor­ Walter S. Spuhler, MS '42, don McClure '47, vice provided for Cal tech to receive an president. unrestricted bequest of $20,000 In the lower from his estate. righthand photo, new As one of several chari table members of the remainder beneficiaries, Cal tech Provost's Circle honored received $ 100,000 from the estate this winter at an Associates dinner included of Arnold M. Kuethe, PhD '33. Nicholas and Amanda Stonnington (left), with Grace Logie Mathews, mother sponsors Alice and Joseph Coulombe. Also of Cal tech alum and former attending (lower lefthand photo) were Caltech physics professor Jon new members Darrell and Nancy Kerckhoff. Mathews, PhD '57, provided for Caltech to receive $ 10,000 to support the Class of 1957 Jon Mathews Memorial Student Loan Fund. These are jmt a few of the many individuals who have contributed to Caltech over the years. For more information regarding bequests, please contact the Office of Gift & Estate Planning, Mail Code 105-40, Pasadena, CA 91125; 626/395- 2927; planned-f,i/[email protected]; wUJt/J.gep. caltech.edu

81 Ca lifo r n i a I ns ti t ll te of T ech nol ogy · VOL U M E 35 NO.1 , 200 1 SWITZER GIFT TO BENEFIT STUDENTS AND OTHER WILDLIFE

In one fell swoop, alumnus Al Switzer '34 has advanced the causes of conservation and education, helping to create an ecological preserve on California's central coast and endowing a fellowship program for Caltech graduate students. Last November, Switzer gave Caltech an interest in a stretch of undeveloped coastal land in San Luis Obispo County, just south of Morro Bay. He had invested in this property through a partnership in 1969, paying around $37,000 for his share. Over time, the part­ nership considered developing the acreage for residential use, but new environmental standards and local zoning concerns-including the discovery that the land was one of the few remaining habitats of the endangered Morro Bay kangaroo rat- prevented this from hap­ pening. Meanwhile Al had become inspired by the news that his classmate, George Van Osdol '34, had endowed a professorship (the Van Osdol Chair is currently held by planetary scientist David Stevenson). So last summer, after contacting Caltech, Switzer ar­ ranged to transfer his interest in the central coast property to the Earthquake engi neer Donald Hudson (shown Institute. AI Switzer '34 stands on San Luis Obispo County's newest here in 1966) and his love for chamber music In January, Caltech sold its interest to the state of California so ecological preserve, created on land that he donated to have been commemorated in a gift to Caltech. that the state's Department of Fish and Game's Wildlife Conserva­ Caltech last year. The property was dedicated on March 10, tion Board could establish an ecological reserve on the property. in a ceremony that hailed Switzer and his financial partner John Curci for their contributions to California's conserva­ The more than $800,000 that Caltech received from this sale will NEW CHAMBER MUSIC tion efforts. be used to endow the Alfred I. , Catharine]., and Eleanor G. Switzer FUND MAKES NOTE OF Graduate Fellowship Fund. The new Switzer Fellowship is unre- DONALD HUDSON stricted, allowing the dean of graduate studies to direct it wherever the need is greatest. Al recollects that he worked many long, difficult hours to pay for his Caltech education, and he is very pleased that this gift will help others avoid that For most of his life, Donald Hudson hardship. '38, PhD '42, who died in 1999, stud­ The fund's name refl ects Switzer's desire to honor the memory of his late wives, Catharine and Eleanor, linked in perpe­ ied earthquakes at Cal tech as a profes­ tuity wi th his own name. H is firs t wife, Catharine, died in 1978 after 39 years of marriage. In 1983, Switzer married sor of mechanical engineering and Catharine's good friend, Eleanor; she died in 1997. applied mechanics. But he also had a Al has previously made generous donations ofland for environmental and civic use. In 1976, he and his friend and special love of chamber music, and, in financial partner John Curci gave San Luis Obispo County six acres for the establishment of a community park, and later honor of that interest, his brother, he donated a si te for a local Catholic church, dedicated to the memory of his wife Catharine. In 1989, Switzer and Curci Richard '44, gave $100,000 to Cal tech presented an additional 25 acres to the state, which then granted the property to the Audobon Society for the creation of in February to create the Donald E. the Los Osos bird sanctuary. Hudson Chamber Music Fund. After graduating from Caltech, Al served in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers for many years, attaining the rank of "It is the largest gift ever made to lieutenant colonel. In 1954, he went into business for himself designing and constructing mobile home parks throughout Caltech's student chamber music pro­ the U ni ted States and Canada. He retired in 1974 and now lives in a mobile home park-of his own design-in Los gram and is surely one of the largest Osos. He continues to be active in civic affairs and enjoys golfing, fishing, and hunting. gifts ever given to any college chamber music program," said Delores Bing, director of the Cal tech Student Cham­ ber Music Program and lecturer in chamber music at the Institute. "This is just an extraordinary gift," chaired the School of Civil Engineering R ecognition . . frolll page 7 gious award for outstanding faculty said Bing. "In the world of chamber and held the Fred Champion Professor­ early in their independent professional music, it is a very large gift, made espe­ ship in Civil Engineering. He retired biology, was honored at the Roy Cam­ careers. Quartz will be funded for five cially meaningful because it was given again in 1985. panella Humanitarian Award Dinner in years for his research into the mecha­ to a scientific institution." After leaving Cal tech, Richard March. The award honors "outstanding nisms of cognitive development, en­ Bing said that the Institute should Hudson studied music, got a PhD in leaders who have distinguished them­ abling him to construct a computa­ be able to start using money from the musicology from UCLA, and became a selves in their fields ." tionallrobotics framework for exploring gift in the fall, but that the specific professor of music at UCLA, retiring in Associate Professor of Applied Phys­ how the mind emerges from a develop­ projects that the endowment will fund 1991. Bur Hudson says that his ics Stephen Quake has been named one of ing brain's interaction with environ­ are still being discussed. "This will brother's interest in music was equally the "Technology Review Ten" by MIT's mental complexity. make a tremendous difference in the strong. "He did not play an instru­ Technology Review magazine for his inno­ Richard Roberts, assistant professor of chamber music experience for Cal tech ment, but he was one of the world's vative work in the branch of biotech­ chemistry, has received a Presidential students for generations to come," she best listeners. For me, just bringing nology known as microfluidics, which Early Career Award for Scientists and said. chamber music, my brother, and involves manipulating amounts of liq­ Engineers, "for his innovative combina­ Donald Hudson spent nearly his Cal tech together seemed like a logical uid thousands of times smaller than a torial method of selecting and design­ entire career at Cal tech, becoming an thing to do. I hope this fund will en­ drop of water, and which may make ing protein motifs that specifically assistant professor in 1943 and a full courage more Cal tech students to ap­ possible the automation of genomic recognize biologically important RNA professor in 1955. Elected to the Na­ preciate and perform chamber music." and pharmaceutical experiments, the structures." The award recognizes out­ tional Academy of Engineering in performance of diagnostic tests, or the standing young professionals at the 1973, Hudson was a pioneet in the building of drug-delivery devices, all outset of their independent research field of earthquake engineeting. He on mass-produced chips. careers, providing up to five years of helped develop instruments that record Steven Quartz, assistant professor of grant support. He has also been se­ ground motions during earthquakes philosophy, has been selected by the lected as an Alfred P. Sloan Research and that have provided information National Science Foundation for a Fac­ Fellow. vital in designing quake-resistant ulty Early Career Development (CA­ Professor of Astronomy Anneila buildings, bridges, and dams. After REER) award, the NSF's most presti- Sargent, PhD '77, who is also director of retiring from Cal tech in 1981, Hudson went to USC that same yeat, where he Continlled on p age 1 2

91 Ca/tuh News Southern California technology indus­ try by BridgeGate, a technology search firm, for standing our as a great culti­ Organization Woman vator and motivator of people. "Her Simplicity sells, says Louise Saffman Wannier position as a mentor has clearly defined her as a 'difference maker,'" said Dudley Brown, BridgeGate's managing partner. "Louise has helped a number of people establish successful careers in By RHO N DA HILLB E RY to switch applications, the user can also Since Enfish unveiled Onespace in each company she's worked for, as well change related budget figures con­ April 2000, more than 85,000 PC users as those who have moved on to build tained in spreadsheets and send the have tried a free download. New cus­ their own companies." product vendor an e-mail regarding the tomers pay $69.95 for the latest ver­ Wannier has enjoyed a steady rise in date change. Onespace also creates sion, which offers a free 30-day trial an orbit far from the astronomy studies The "new" economy may be mired individual "people pages" that pull from the company Web site. in a market meltdown, but that hasn't that she majored in at Caltech. A self­ together contact information, related Enfish's business strategy calls for stopped Enfish Technology, Inc., from described faculty brat, she is the documents, and e-mail. building revenue the old-fashioned unveiling its newest product, Onespace. daughter of Philip Saffman, Theodore "I wanted to be able ro dump lots of way, by getting people ro pay for its von Karman Professor Emeritus of It's billed as computer software that information into the computer and have product. "I actually think we're going will quickly and easily organize infor­ Applied Mathematics and Aero­ the computer do some of the organizing to be able to grow this company nautics.The family moved from mation on a user's Pc. for me," said Wannier, who comes off as through expanding the revenue base," Nor is the economic slowdown evi­ England to the United States when a straightforward businesswoman who said Wannier, expressing classic old­ dent in predictions issued by Enfish's Louise was eight. She grew up steeped either can't or won't be bothered with economy logic. in campus life and even audited a few CEO, Louise Wannier '78. The head high-maintenance cosmetics and hair­ But it's clear that Enfish, which has Cal tech courses during high school and founder of the 40-employee pri­ styles. "That was the germ of the idea." attracted funding from Intel Corpora- before being admitted as a freshman. vately held company isn't shy about "When human predicting that Enfish will grow to beings think, we become a multi-hundred-million-dollar think in terms of enterprise. people or project "Our target market is business pro­ or whatever we fessionals and their companies; it spans are working on. all industries," she said in a recent in­ We don't think terview from her sixth-floor office on according to Pasadena's Los Robles Avenue. "Our whether the infor­ potential target market is anyone who mation is is using documents and e-mail in their e-mail or Web­ computer as their primary information based or a docu­ platform, because everybody needs a ment. What better way of using their computer." Enfish does is Of course, projecting confidence is break down the key to the job of a company leader. Yet barriers between Wannier contends that unlike new all the content in technology gizmos with plenty of shine your com purer so but no substance, Onespace fills a you no longer unique niche. have to remember The personal desktop portal com­ where things are. bines installed software with an Inter­ "Our competi­ net connection that automatically de­ tive edge is that livers related information and services. we automatically It's marketed as an easy way for busy Enfish CEO Louise Wannier (standing next to organize information according to what tion, among other investors, is now at a a large wall painting of her corporate logo) computer-dependent professionals to is important to each individual user." critical phase. Will companies and says she isn't too concerned about launching whip computer chaos into shape. Ac­ That's a lofty claim, but it's clear individuals shell our for new efficiency a new product in economically turbulent cording to the company, Enfish users waters. that Onespace has fans. A Waif Street software at a time when economic un­ can immediately access and manage the journal reporter recently praised it as certainty is prompting layoffs and belt­ contents of e-mail and information one of three software programs he tightening) from all applications in their systems. At first sh e pursued an independent would choose to take with him if As new information arrives, they can study course spanning chemistry, biol­ stranded on a deserted island. track it by subject. Til E ACC ID ENTAL EN T RE PR ENEUR ogy, and planetary science, which Steve Barth, editor-at-Iarge of the In a thumbnail sketch of how sprang from an interest in exobiology San Francisco-based business magazine Onespace works, suppose that a busi­ "I often say I was an accidental -the possibility of discovering life on Knowledge Management, calls Onespace a ness order's delivery date advances by a entrepreneur," said Wannier. "It wasn 't other planets. But after spending a standout among hundreds of "personal week. The person in charge of the order what I exactly set our to do. But once I summer holed up in the basement of knowledge-management tools." isn't sure if the original date is docu­ did it, I found that I loved it, so I stuck Steele Laboratory studying the isotopic Barth says he relies on it to mitigate mented in an e-mail or memo, but can with it." Her personality and product variations of the element samarium for his disorganized nature. "Speaking for quickly find out by clicking a find align closely, since she describes herself a research project, she felt a jolt of myself, I am a very disorganized per­ button on the rool bar. Without having as someone who loves to organi ze recognition that would send her in son. I am looking for products to make things. "I've always been interested my another direction. me more productive, not more orga­ whole life in making things more "I wanted to understand what it nized. Nothing can do thet! for me." He efficient. " would be like to have a career as a especially likes the idea that he can Last year she was named one of the customize the product. 20 most influential people in the

1 0 I Ca lifo r llia III Sl i lllle of Techllo l ogy • VOl U M E 35 N o. [ , 200 I (.l . it . a.. . ;"'l ~ Mail Fnd Ccntacts

4( ~ ~ I Friday, March 02, 2001 " IE St$t P6ge Wannier's interest in "making things more scientist. And ~ My Compo.Aet Todey, frldey, March 02, 20tt Desl<.toplnformation efficient" dates back to her student days at after doing that I ~ 10.30 AM Photoshop Cless realized it was ~ Internetinlamation 11:00 AM Meding wlh lAke Jeffre.s @ Ocmsl.r Caltech (above left). The Onespace applica­ ~ Internet R.sourcet 1:00 PM Conference Cal with Joomo Lees, PhD. tion (left), designed by her company Enfish, not the career for ~ Investment. Saturday, March 03, 2001 ~ MaitManagar 9:45 AlA Gym reflects this interest, allowing users to me. You have to ~ Trovel Monday, March 05, 20tt customize their desktops to easily organize 10:00 AM America Wes1 10 Houston find something you're passionate about. 11:00 AM IlilDev Teem Meeting and access information from many sources. I'm no t passionate about science. I'm Tuesday, March 06, 2001 9:00 AM eorrpoq Presentotion passionate about people and about the Wednesday, Morch 01, 2001 world." 9: 00 AM Visn 10 Compaq Solutions Looking back, Wannier has no re­ grets. She focused on g raduating wi th an astronomy major, and believes she it comes to financing. When you look was well served by her rigorous at the numbers, there are very few !9 g Sohchoice flilch.. t women-led companies that are getting undergrad studies. "T he thing Cal tech !9t g Frankl" Covey O n~ i. a Big HiU Tim Bra,eth taught me really well was how to do !91 Here you go. Donna Baldwin substantial financing." problem solving; how to think. I really !9 FW: I would Ike to hear from everyone today that their buld is worki'L Karen Burgess She believes the climate is changing, !9t RE : Great news! Wilson,Jim (CPG·UISI credit my Cal tech education for that." !9t COMPAQ meeling louise Wanni.r however, with the advent of venture Even then it wasn't clear where her !91 IQ Mornilg Brierlllg, March 2 [email protected] funds aimed at female-led enterprises ~ These Ad s Are on the House dally_ stal@emarketer com and networks of entrepreneurs. interests would lead her, but she 8 SEC Charge. 23 People, Firm. for eCrima. new._da ~JI@emarkeler . com decided to attend business school at !9t SHOP GROK: She~ ng Pe_ d ThoSl4nd«d.com As a female CEO, Wannier is often !Q RE: Thoughts tOf the Plemium version of Franklin Covey Or.eplace Janice Prult asked to comment on the challenges of UCLA. "It seemed to me that was the !Q RE : Thoughts tOf the Plemium version of Franklin Covey Onep!ace Jan;ce Prult fastes t way to get into the real world. I balancing family and career, as if she were Search 1003 items found. was intrigued by people and problems." official spokesperson for her gender. After obtaining her MBA, she con­ Status "'on9 "I hate those questions, and I don't sulted for the accounting firm of Ernst answer them very well either, do I?" & Young, and then was hired to help A major breakthrough came when pany." As for her management strategy, jokes Wannier, who has four teenaged start an educational software company newspapers agreed to publish the VCR she says, "I think of myself as a catalyst. children. She does allow that the press­ in Sweden. She had moved there in Plus codes in their television listings. Someone who can look at a problem, ing demands of travel abroad fed into 1986 with her then-husband, Peter Wannier recalls how she tried re­ look around at things, pull people to­ her decision to leave Gemstar. But she Wannier, a ]PL scientist who had peatedly to talk to the New York Times gether-not necessarily solve the prob­ thinks men as well as women nowadays landed an astrophysics post at the Uni­ by going through recommended circu­ lem myself or drive the solution myself, speak up about wanting balanced lives, versity of Gothenburg. lation department channels. No luck. but more to create an environment and maintains that Enfish's corporate Returning to the United States, So she contacted senior management where I can catalyze the solution." culture tries to accommodate them. Wannier began exploring new business directly and got her phone calls re­ As part of her business plan, She describes her own life as one opportunities. Around the same time, turned. "That's one of the other things Wannier is forging strategic partner­ consumed by work and family, and little she began attending the Caltech/MIT I've learned. You have to go [Q the top ships with other companies. And this else, except maybe her new "salon." In Enterprise Forum, where Southern sometimes to get things done. Don't be past February, Enfish announced an her Pasadena home, Wannier hosts what California-based entrepreneutial ven­ afraid to go to the top." alliance with Franklin Covey Company, she calls L.A. Conversation, where busi­ tutes grappling with growth and other VCR Plus proved to be a hit domesti­ whose Franklin Planners have become ness folks and technology entrepreneurs business issues present their cases to a cally and overseas. Wannier established as common as Post-it notes in the talk about issues and ideas. panel of experts. VCR Plus in the United States and then workplace, to begin marketing a special Her get-togethers deliberately avoid Contacts made there became impor­ became chief executive of Gemstar Eu­ version of Onespace through retail the business-meeting model and mem­ tant in two future business ventures­ rope, overseeing product rollout in 15 stores, catalog and other sales channels. bers don't even talk about their jobs or Gemstar and Enfish. countries within two years. Last September, Enfish became a found­ professions, according [Q Scott Wannier got involved with Gemstar Her share in the company's phenom­ ing member of Intel's Peer-to-Peer Alderton, a Los Angeles technology after becoming reacquainted with enal success helped fund what would Working group, an industry working attorney who has attended twice. Henry Yuen, PhD '73, who had been become her next project. group designed to advance the direct "How I would differentiate it from her father's graduate student. He in­ exchange of services or data between the usual business meeting is that vited her to help form the company ENTER ENFISH computers. people are not brought together for the now known as Gemstar-TV Guide Later this year, the firm will release purpose of networking," he said. "We International along with fellow alums By the early '90s, Wannier was ready other new products, all based on the are all truly interested in talking about Daniel Kwoh MS '72, PhD '79, and for her own challenge, one that didn't same idea of helping people work more emerging technology, as opposed to Wilson Cho '73. The company's VCR involve commuting to Europe and effectively with their computers. To finding the next business deal or mak­ Plus product became, as they say, a spending weeks at a time away from date, Enfish has raised $30 million ing new business contacts. We get household name. By plugging in sets of her family. from Wannier and investors including together to visi t." numbers, users could record TV shows During one of the Enterprise Fo­ Intel Capital, Black Diamond Ventures, For her part, Wannier says she loves without needing to program their rums she had begun attending years and Women's Growth Capital Fund. the salon. "I hope I keep doing it forever." VCRs. earlier, she met one of the people with The Washington, D.C.-based fund's As for other future plans, she's not Wannier persuaded key executives to whom she would in 1993 form Enfish, mission is to improve access to equity talking about what lies beyond Enfish. buy in to the concept; its success de­ an acronym of the words enter, find, capital for female entrepreneurs. "I will stay however long Enfish needs pended on alliances with newspaper and share, Enfish's top executive says that as a me to be CEO. I want to see Onespace publishers, retailers, VCR, videotape, Enfish's first product was Tracker, a woman in a high-tech area, she hasn't realized in the marketplace. This is a and TV manufacturers, as well as cable computer file organizer that has now faced prejudice in the workplace. At really important product and service." TV operators. To be viable, the system been superseded by Onespace. the pace this business moves, she adds, "If we end up being a really large had to include control of cable boxes so As CEO and chairman, Wannier people are very quickly sized up accord­ company, it's not clear if I would be the that the newspapers could publish one spends much of her time on strategic ing [Q the quality of their work and right person to run it. We'll just have number that would work with various direction, planning, and working with judged accordingly. to see." channel lineups among cable TV opera­ investors. "I see my role as to set the "The only place I feel women don't tors in their areas. vision and strategically direct the com- have a strong enough network is when

I I I C a/tuh Nell'S THERE'S COAL IN THEM THAR HillS (ACCORDING TO BOB SHARP)

I left the Institute with my PhD in in my own backyard. Of course I was 1974, and, as with many other new skeptical; I had lived in Orange County Cal tech grads, the pressures of a new for decades and had never heard of career and family didn't leave me much Orange County coal. I had to check it time for Cal tech or the Alumni Asso­ out. ciation. I moved to Irvine in Orange How does one find an abandoned County, about 50 miles from Tech, and coal mine) Frank Coen, a colleague in went to work for Ultrasystems in New­ our lab, stabled a horse in Silverado port Beach, working on environmental Canyon. I asked him if he had ever seen problems. At first I focused on control­ coal up there. He had seen the old ling oil spills with a high-speed skim­ silver mines but no coal. After some mer, and later I moved into control of pleading on my part, he agreed to look air pollution produced by coal combus­ around the next weekend. When I tion. This involved fluid mechanics, Coal Man. Mining Caltech connections has arrived at work the next Monday, he chemical kinetics, and radiative/convec­ unexpected rewards as Alumni Association greeted me with a five-gallon bucket of President Blair Folsom, displaying several tive heat transfer, using both analytical chunks of genuine California carbon, explains. Orange County coal! Bob, you were and empirical techniques. right; there is coal in Orange County. The work was technically challeng­ It is amazing what you can learn by especially composites. ing and improved the environment, second time. Since I was the chapter staying involved with Caltech. Alexander Varshavsky, the Howard and it was a lot of fun. We built the president, I went along on both tours, Keep in touch. and Gwen Laurie Smits Professor of world's largest coal-combustion test although as a GALCIT-trained me­ Cell Biology, has received the Albert facility and used it to develop a broad chanical engineer who had never been and Mary Lasker Foundation's 2000 range of low-emission equipment. We exposed to geology, I found the first Albert Lasker Award in Basic Medical made really big flames (on the order of go-round a bit like drinking from a fire Research. He shares the award, for 15 feet in diameter and 30 fee t long). hose . But by the second tour, I was critical research into the ubiquitin We even blew giant smoke rings out able to focus more on some of the finer R ecognition . .. from page 9 system, with Avram Hershko and the stack (anyone from Ricketts would details in Bob's commentary. One Aaron Ciechanover of the Technion­ love this)! We learned that coal charac­ remark that immediately captured my both the Owens Valley Radio Observa­ Israel Institute of Technology. teristics had significant effects on com­ attention was a seemingly minor com­ tory and the Interferometry Science Varshavsky is also the corecipient, with bustion performance and emissions, ment about coal. As we passed the Center, has been honored with two invi­ H ershko, of the 2001 Wolf Foundation and we brought coal from all over the Coal Canyon turnoff on the 91 freeway, tations, one to be the University of Prize in Medicine for the discovery of United States (or so I thought) and Bob mentioned that the county's actual Edinburgh Science Festival Lecturer for "the ubiquitin system of intracellular from several other nations to Orange coal deposits could be found a few 2001, the other to be the Philips Visitor protein degradation and the ctucial County. miles south in Silverado Canyon. He at Haverford College for spring 200l. functions of this system in cellular It wasn't until 1991, 17 years after added that coal had been mined there Wallace Sargent, the Ira S. Bowen regulation." The prize includes an leaving Tech (and after burning a lot of Professor of Astronomy, was awarded honorarium of $100,000 that will be coal), that I became involved again the Henry Norris Russell Lectureship split between the two awardees. with the campus. Judy Amis (who was for 2001 by the American Astronomi­ Associate Professor of History Alison then director of the Association) and cal Society, in recognition of his contri­ Winter has received the Northeast Vic­ Arlana Silver (currently the deputy butions to astronomical spectroscopy. torian Studies Association (NVSA) director) asked Tom Tyson '54, PhD The lectureship is the society's "most Sonya Rudikoff Award for her book, '67, and me to jump-start an alumni prestigious prize and is awarded annu­ Mesmerized: Powers of Mind in Victorian chapter in Orange County. We roped in ally to recognize a lifetime of preemi­ Britain. Given for the best Victorian Dave Wooten, PhD '67, and the three nence in astronomical research." book by a first-time author, the award of us began to plan events. It was great John Seinfeld, the Louis E. Nohl Pro­ was presented in April at the NVSA to get back in touch with Techers and fessor and professor of chemical engi­ conference. to be back on campus again. Among neering, will receive an honorary doc­ Peter Wyllie, professor of geology, the events we held over the next several torate this year from the University of emeritus, has been selected by the Min­ years, one of the most popular turned Patras, Greece. eralogical Society of America as the out to be a bus tour of the geological Professor of Biology Paul Sternberg, Roebling Medalist for 200l. The featutes of Orange County, led by Bob who is also an investigator for the Roebling Medal is the society's highest Sharp '34, MS '35 . The tout traced a Howard Hughes Medical Institute, has award "for scientific eminence as repre­ large circle around the county, and at been elected a fellow of the American sented primarily by scientific publica­ each stop Bob would hold forth on the Academy of Arts and Sciences. tion of outstanding original research in local geology. One highlight was a stop Professor Bob Sharp leads one of his many Ersan Ustiindag, assistant professor mineralogy." The only other Cal tech near the San Onofre nuclear power geology field trips for members of the Alumni of materials science, has been selected faculty member to have received this plant, where we inspected an exposed Association, this one in the 1970s. by the National Science Foundation medal was Linus Pauling, in 1967. fault. This fault had been discovered for a Faculty Early Career Develop­ Nai-Chang Yeh, professor of physics, during the planning phase for the plant in the 1800s for the railroads, but that ment (CAREER) award, the NSF's has received the 2001 Achievement and had just about done it in before it wasn't economical and the mine had most prestigious award for outstand­ Award of the Chinese-American Fac­ Bob convinced the authorities that the been abandoned. ing faculty early in their independent ulty Association of Southern California, fault hadn't moved in a really long What? Coal in Orange County?! professional careers. The award sup­ which cites "her outstanding contribu­ time. Here I was, the coal-quality expert, and ports his research into solid-state reac­ tions to experimental condensed matter The tour generated so much enthu­ I didn't even know that there was coal tions and phase transformations in physics, particularly in the areas of siasm among alumni that we held it a materials, particularly ceramics, and high-temperature superconductivity the mechanical behavior of materials, and state-of-the-art frequency stan­ dards." She has also been elected a fellow of the Institute of Physics and granted the title of chartered physicist.

121 California I nstitute of Techno l ogy · V OLUME 3 5 NO. 1, 2001 -

Goodstein disclIsJes Feynman , QED . .. from page 3

laugh lines, and Aida delivers them theater. He was so flexible and cre­ impeccably. He prowls around the ative-full of ideas about his parts and stage, occasionally writing on the always eager to hear what others had to blackboard or beating his drums. There say. I'd be in my office and he'd stick is physics in Aida's long monologue, his head in the door and say, "Shirley, I enough of it, and done right, to tell the got this idea. Let's go have soup and audience that it was physics that lit talk." Feynman's fire, and the rest was win­ Dick's first experience in the theater dow dressing. (Well, not all of it. He was as a bongo player in Caltech's pro­ liked the women too.) Late that night, duction of Guys and Dolls, and it was in the second act, the only other charac­ then that he said, "How come nobody ter in the play shows up. She's a very ever told me about this drama stuff Joined by the then-mayor of Pasadena John Crowley (second from left) and two students, physicist pretty young student, slightly tipsy David Goodstein brought up the rear in the custodians' kick line in the Institute's 1986 produc­ before? It's fun!" He would have liked from the after-the-play party (Feynman tion of How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Feynman appeared as a wastebasket­ to do more with TACIT, and I would would have loved it). Her role in the drumming janitor and a quiz show emcee in what was to be his last Cal tech performance. have loved to have stretched him more drama is to help pull him out of the Goodstein went on to appear as Merlin in Caltech's 1990 production of Camelot. as an actor, but his time was usually so growing depression that his own condi­ limited that most of his appearances tion and his memories of the death of Marnells disclIsses Feynlllan , QED Do you understand it?" I told him that were fairly brief. I was able to cast him his fi rst wife, Arline, have cast him . from page 3 while I was reading it, I had the illu­ in a few fa irly substantial parts-as into. And that works too. sion that I understood it, and that was Matthew Skips, the town bum, in The studied the films and photos, heard the There have been important plays good enough for me, but that he Lady's Not For Burning, and as the sewer recordings, and read the stories, but written about scientists. Bertolt shouldn't ask me to explain it. "Oh," he man, a rather mysterious, charismatic beyond that, he shows an intuitive Brecht's Galifeo comes to mind as does said, "then I'm not good enough." Be­ character, in The Madwoman of Chaillot. understanding of the character that In the Matter of]. Robert Oppenheimer by cause he took pains with that kind of Obviously, they played to his strengths, transcends what he has to work with in Heinar Kipphardt. When I saw the thing. He wanted physics and the ex­ and he was memorable in both. He was the script. He has the dazzling energy, Kipphardt play at the Taper years ago, citement and discipline that goes into always comfortable and confident on the focus , and the charm-and with the actor who played Edward Teller it to be accessible. Feynman was in­ stage, but he knew these were good looked like Hans Bethe, and the actor credibly disciplined. He liked to roles and he really worked at them . who played Bethe looked like Teller. present himself as this rowdy character, Dick's las t TACIT appearance was in Most of the audience would not have but inside there was this hard, clear How to Succeed in Business Without Really known or cared. More recently, Michael core. I wish the play brought this out Trying. We had a custodians' kick line Frayn's Copenhagen portrayed various more-at times, Aida, if not the script, in that show, but he said, ''I'm throw­ versions of Werner Heisenberg's visit to does give us a glimpse of this side of ing it in, Shirley; I'm not a good kicker Niels Bohr during the Second World the man. anymore." He did go on as one of the War. This play is what I call an audience custodians, but instead of kicking, Feynman's life did not contain the pleaser. The first act works on every he grabbed the wastebasket and kind of moral dilemma faced by the level, but when you get to the second drummed. And when next year rolled personages in those plays (although act and his encounter wi th the female around-it was late 1987-1 called Parnell gets considerable dramatic physics student ftom Pasadena City him to do Oliver and he said, "No, I mileage out of Los Alamos and the College, it may be that they're trying don't think so this time, Shirley. making of The Bomb). This is not a too hard to please. I found the actress And I said, "Okay, next year." And he play of ideas, but rather a character and her role disappointing. I mean, said, " I don't think so, Shirley." And sketch. Ah, but what a character! does this man really decide to have do­ I said, "Dick/" And he said, "Yeah." Parnell's QED, as played by Alan Aida, Two Directors in Search of a Physicist. Shi rley or-die surgery because a young woman And there was a silence. is a fitting tribute to an old friend of Marneus and QED di rector Gordon Davidson comes into his office a little drunk, embrace on the eve of opening night. mine who just happened to be one of takes off her shoes, and dances for himl the most singular characters to roam Maybe that's how some people make the earth in the twentieth centuty. decisions. But I'm dubious; I think Feynman that's big-time charm. He's I purposely skipped Caltech night there was more to it than that. (which was also press night) at the not Feynman and he doesn't try to be­ But the play does seem to be a work Taper so I could see the play among an it's an interpretation, not an imperson­ in progress; I hear there's some talk of ordinary audience and make up my ation-but he does capture the essence taking it to New York. If there are own mind. At the end of the pefor­ of his personality. When he cradles his changes, I hope they will be in the mance I attended, the audience mem­ head in his arms or talks about the direction of making the playa bit bers came forth with an instantaneous, death of his first wife, Arline, or his harder and more dry--overall, less father's death, and his voice trails off spontaneous standing ovation. I'm not comfortable for the audience. There is a sure whether they were applauding into silence, there are depths suggested hint of this in one lovely short section Aida or Feynman. I guess it doesn't in these silences. This is very powerful where Dick is on the phone with his matter. stuff in the theater-the actor on stage wife, Gweneth. He's talking about the is having deep insights, and it's up to surgery and his prognosis. She tells him us in the audience to internalize them that he has to have hope. He replies, and complete the process. It's a measure "What do you mean, I should have Caftech News readers who would of Aida's faith in his audience that he hope? Hope? That's not me." That's like to share memories of Richard trusts us to fill in the blanks. the real Feynman-beyond the gestures Feynman, on stage, offstage, There's enough science in the show and the anecdotes. behind the scenes, or otherwise, to intrigue the people who see it and What was Dick himself like as an are invited to send their letters to ease them into reading more about actor? We're not talking Paul Scofield [email protected]. Feynman and his work. Dick once told here, but I have seen professional actors me, "I wrote QED [his book for who were not as good. Above all, he laypeople on the "strange theory of was a wonderful performer, who would light and matter"} for people like you. have been a delight in any community tiple ballots into the reader. ment and would be further encoded 7. The voter will insert the ballot with the voter choices. The voting into the optical reader, where it will be equipment would retain it as a hard JPL DJRECTORSJJIP REPRESENTS tallied immediately in a central poll copy of the choices. GRfAT LrAP" FOR ELACIII [T AL. computer. At the precinct level, the collection 8. The optical reader computer will of voting data is a very small database Dear Editor: display what it reads to the voter, allow­ problem. One customized desktop The last issue of Caltech News [num­ ing another check of proper machine computer could easily handle the typi­ ber 4 of 2000J pleasantly surprised me function. cal 4 to 10 voting booths. Moving up with the front-page portrait of myoid 9. Different groups will program the in the hierarchy, the database gets friend Charles Elachi with the back­ touch-screen computer and the optical­ larger and more computing power is ground of the nine planets aligned with reader computer. This is to minimize required. But nothing that is not in the our sun. Charles hasn't changed very READERS Oi'FER THEJR VJEWS ON programmer misconduct. current state-of-the-art. much since the end of the sixties, with A BETTER WAY TO VOTE 10. The ballots will be retained for Implementation of these improved the minor exception of his front hair recount, in event of any question of voting systems will be costly, but such being somewhat thinner. Dear Editor: machine malfunction, programmer an essential element of efficient and For nearly two years-mid 1968 to I am accepting the invitation in the misconduct, or hacking. error-free democracy warrants a high mid 1970-we had formed a close latest Caltech Ne'ws to comment on 11. When the poll closes, the com­ priority assignment of resources. "social circle." Him, Sebastian Candel voting technology. (See "Out of the plete count will be sent via direct All of this is probably "carrying and myself-residents of Braun box: Caltech and MIT elect to reform phone line (not via internet) to the coals to Newcastle," but I am enthused House-with some associates, such as voting system" in issue number 4 of central vote-counting office, using by your engagement in the project and Finn Ravndal, Chris Hammer, and 2000.J I have no particular credentials appropriate encryption and verification. I wish you well. others. in this area, and may be merely rehash­ 12. This will allow complete vote -Jerry Jacobs '50, MS '51 I have been following Charles' con­ ing concepts you have already consid­ results to be available within minutes tinuous successes through the years, ered, bur perhaps my ideas may be of of poll-closing. I received my PhD from Caltech in but I think this is really the great leap value. The criteria any optimal voting While this exercise may be some­ 1952; my wife and I moved on to a job forward, and I wish him all the best. system should satisfy include the fol­ what naive, I hope that any system you with Dow Chemical in Michigan, a Inside the same issue, the picture of lowing: do come up with will address the same faculty position at UCSF in 1959, and I the ancient Greek amphitheater atop 1. It should be impossible for the Issues. retired from that position in 1991. the city of Taormina, Sicily, drew my voter to prepare an invalid ballot. - Harvey S. Frey '55 During that period I became involved attention. As it happened, one week 2. The voter should be able to verify with each of the communities where we ago I was there participating in the that his ballot has been marked the way I applaud Cal tech's effort to apply lived, running for the town council in Steering Committee of the European he desired. some science and engineering to the Tiburon in 1974; I was elected and Union-funded Thematic Network on 3. It should be impossible for ballots chaotic mess that is the current voting served as Mayor one year during the Intelligent Forecasting Systems for to be lost by any mechanical malfunc­ process in the nation. While informa­ four years I was on the Council. Subse­ Refineries and Power Systems, with the tion. tion theory, database design, and sys­ quently, I applied for and was appointed program Brite-Euram. 4. Ballots should not be susceptible tems analysis were not mentioned in to the position of the County of Marin's The venue was the Hotel Villa to tampering or hacking, either by the subject article, I hope your team representative on the Metropolitan Diodoro, which has a spectacular view insiders or outsiders. incorporates expertise in these areas. Transportation Commission, a regional of Mount Erna and the region south of 5. Ballots must be retained in a The design of a voting system agency responsible for allocation of the Taormina, including the city of Giardini physical form allowing recounts and should include among its requirements Naxos (Greek in ancient times). auditing. the following: C on t in1l ed on p age 16 ... While there, I very much enjoyed 6. Ballots must be marked so as to • The voter should be presented the local food. It almost seemed to me allow simple unambiguous reading by with a single issue on a page: the candi­ as if the activity of Etna had made the both human and machine. dates for one office or a single proposi­ food richer than usual. 7. Equipment used must be that tion. CAJ.LI~G ALL K-12 ED[7( ATORS - Thales Michael Papazoglou, which is mass-produced for a general­ • Each page should include "Ab­ MS '70, Crete. purpose market. stain" as a choice. (Abstain may be In preparation for a special fea­ 8. Equipment must be trivially easy confused as the name of a candidate, so ture on K-12 education, Caltech to use, by both voter and staff. something like "I do not choose to vote News wants to hear more about the on this issue" might be preferred.) involvement of members of the A system that appears to satisfy • Each choice should be presented to FOR TlIi. RECORD greater Cal tech community in the these criteria is as follows: the voter in the form "You have voted schools. 1. The voter will make his choices for candidate name for the office of ... " Charles Elachi, PhD '71, is the Are yo u, or have you ever been, on a programmed touch-screen com­ or "You have voted Yes (or No) on the fourth alumnus to direct the Jet a teacher, an administrator, or a puter. issue of ... ," and the voter should be Propulsion Laboratory, following volunteer in a public or private 2. Every list will have a 'no vote' required to confirm his/her choice be­ in the footsteps of alums Frank schooP How have your experiences option to avoid ambiguity as to the fore the next page is presented. If not Malina, PhD '40; Louis Dunn shaped your impressions of the voter's intent. confirmed, the same page should be '36, PhD '40; and William public education system and its 3. The computer will print out an presented again for correction. Pickering '32, PhD '36. Caltech alternatives? How do you view the optical sense card ballot. The program • A hard copy of the voter choices News thanks the two alumni who state of K-12 math and science will assure that every ballot is valid. should be made for confirmation of the noted Malina's tenure (1944-6) education? What are the biggest 4. The same codes on the ballot will tabulation. and Dunn's 0946-54). The problems facing Out educational be readable by the voter and the optical If implemented, these attributes entire lineup includes Theodore systems today, and what would you sensor. This is to insure that a partisan should eliminate confusion, overvoting von Karman, Malina, Dunn, suggest as solutions to these prob­ programmer can't present different and undervoting. Implementation Pickering, Bruce Murray, Lew lems information to the human and to the seems most straightforward with the ' Allen Jr., Ed Stone, and now Readers are welcome to simply machine to subvert checking. DRE-type systems. The ATMs offer a Elachi. send contact information or, if so 5. The voter will read the ballot to good model. The magnetic strip card inclined, to append their thoughts verify that it represents his desired could be issued at the voting precinct in a "letter to the editor," based on vote. This step is critical. to registered voters. It could have the above questions or related top­ 6. The voting machine won't print prewritten a precinct-specific code as ics. Please e-mail these to hillary@ out another ballot until reset by staff, well as a unique serial number. This caltech.edu. to prevent a voter from inserting mul- card would enable the voting equip-

141 C aliforn i a In stitll t e of T ec h l10 / ogy • VOL U M E 3 5 NO.1 , 200 1 CLIMBING BOOTT SPUR

By CHEUK GONG, MS 75

Inspired by alum Patti Lee's account 0/ Wildcat Range appeared to be forever onl y for a few mountain climbing in China ("Hila Shan above our shoulders. As we climbed seconds .. . Rises," #3, 2000), this Caltech News above the tree line, the trail followed a Now I realized reader sent us a mountaineering highlight 0/ beautiful ledge, where it was bright that Boott Spur was his own. and expansive. I knew we were some a standout. Height halfway up to Boott Spur. From here was not everything. New Hampshire's Mount Washington on, the trail was extremely rocky and Boott Spur's looms large over its southern extensions, steep, and I was glad that we had expe­ panoramIc vIew was which include two major ranges-the rience climbing such vertical terrain. incredible. Mount Southern Presidential Range and the The alpine zones were unbelievably Washington stood Montalban Ridge. The Montalban beautiful, and arctic plants were com­ tall two miles away. Right below was demanding, so our first order of bus i­ Ridge begins at Boott Spur from the mon. Large boulders were everywhere, the Tuckerman Ravine. Oakes Gulf ness was to be surefooted. Looking southern end of the Bigelow Lawn, and the going was slow. On a long and sloped away from here; its immensity back up toward Lion Head occasionally, then drops off quickly to the south. steep thin path connecting two levels, I was hard to reckon. The Spur's com­ we were blinded by the high sun, Looking from the southeast, the rocky stood to catch a breath. As I turned and mand over the Montalban and the Gulf which hung over the tallest rocks. Now peaks of Boott (pronounced "Bot," after looked downward, I spotted a falcon of Slides was immediate and absolute, and then, the sun cast long shadows of a local naturalist) Spur and Mount soaring in the air below, over the Gulf making the Gulf look forbidding and the ridge onto the forest far below. Washington dominate the skyline. of Slides. I could not help wondering deep. Finally, after the last rocky cliff, we Boott Spur possesses all the attributes whether we were the envies of the fal­ Shortly afterward we followed the were back down in the woods. From of a big mountain, falling short of that con. We reached the top of one section, Davis Path and the Lawn Cutoff up and the Hermit Shelters, the downhill sec­ category by only 20 feet, according to only to discover many more levels to down the Bigelow Lawn to the Junc­ tion of the T. R. Trail was easy. We regional peak-bagging standards. At go. Ie seemed endless. I had lost my tion, enjoying the easier walk for a took a left turn and were moving fast 5,504 feet, it stands among its neigh­ sense of distance and heights. Later change. on it. In 90 minutes we closed the bors-Mounts Adams, Jefferson, Madi­ we reached a narrow ledge; the views The J unction is a convergence of loop, completing a great alpine hike of son, and Monroe. All are the hig hest in looking down into the deep Gulf of many great trails. The distant cairns 8.5 miles and a net elevation gain of the Appalachians' northern tier. Slides revealed its numerous landslide resembled sentries guarding the high some 3,800 feet. A long and rocky ridge leading up structures. peaks. Toward Boott Spur the view was A great finale was viewing the Crys­ the mountain to Boott Spur affords It had been long since Split Rock­ absolutely amazing, as if it were a tal Cascade, which was so pretty that great hiking. This was the climb my another landmark-and we lost track painting in impressionistic fashion: we thought it equaled any waterfalls in wife, Po, and I set out to accomplish on of time. But finally, we scrambled over numerous patches of land features, all the White Mountains. Gradually the September 30 last year. the last of the vertical rock fields and showing chalky colors in different Cascade became darker, and we finally We started out with easy footing reached the top of Boott Spur. From shades of red, blue, green, and yellow. realized that daylight was coming to an and soon diverted onto the Boott Spur where we stood, all the hills and valleys Most interestingly, the seemingly rapid end. We didn't want to leave and did so Trail, separating us from the crowd. below-those we recog nized and those recess of the rock structures of the with utmost reluctance. One more look This steep trail goes straight up to the we didn't-appeared distant and tiny, edges of the Lawn made Tuckerman upward in the fading light, and I knew mountain in no time. On a rocky out­ lined up in endless layers and extend­ Ravine look as though it was the sink­ how much we had come to love these crop, the famous Huntington Ravine ing in all directions. Their colors hole of the earth. The afternoon sun mouncams. showed itself in full, with its awesome changed from autumn's reddish green added a swirling effect. headwalls extended wide and tall. On to pinkish blue, and yet lighter blues, Moments later, we started walking The allthor lives in Newport, Rhode other lookouts higher up, a few people then sky blue ... and then became down toward Lion Head-another Island, where he is affiliated with the caug ht up with us. Some got scared off murky. Tens of thousands of square exciting spur full of rocks and deep Naval Undersea War/are Center (NUWC). by the roughness of the terrain and miles stretched out below us. cliffs. It dropped relentlessly in order to turned back. The view expanded to the horizon, compensate for the change in height in On the Harvard Rock lookout, we where the sky and the earth became one half the distance. On its peak, from half had a clear view of the ravine's floor. seamless entity. Here, standing be­ of a mile away, we could make out and The Tuckerman Ravine revealed its tween the rocks and the sky, for a flash even hear the many ribbon waterfalls massive extent and convoluted and of a moment it seemed as though I had on the shaded rock faces of the ravine. formidable rocky precipices in the become part of the universe, that I was Once we had climbed Lion Head, we midmorning lig ht. Ie 's amazing how neither a part of the sky nor the earth, found ourselves crawling on all fours the ancient glaciers have carved out but of both. My mind was free and over a vertical cliff and saw many more huge hollows, creating many deep reaching out boundlessly. That was a rock fields below us. Negotiating over ravines like this. Straight ahead, g reat feeling indeed, even if it lasted these rocks down steep hills was very numerous landslides yielded a 45- degree plane of rocks and stunted trees. The views of Boott Spur and Mount The author Washington were bright and high. (pictured above) takes in the Lion Head at 5,033 feet and a mile many fall colors away as the crow flies looked challeng­ of Boott Spur. ing. Autumn was earnestly coating the maples, beeches, birches, ashes, and other species with its full spectrum of colors, which, when combined with the intricate rocks and landslides, made the views of the ravine extremely busy and awesome. We climbed, and climbed still. We didn't seem to gain an inch, as the

151 Caltuh News Tech Talk. . from pa g e 14 tion we faced last fall was registration The ballots later get run through a A scr o ll . . . from p ag e 2 at the Department of Motor Vehicles. scanner coupled with an optical charac­ considerable state and federal funding This was supposed to encourage voters ter reader to deconvolute the printed exercise for Cal Tech wits and relax­ that comes to local governments for to register. And it did. But there wasn't page and add up the votes. This ma­ ation for brains." transportation purposes. a good system for getting these regis­ chine should run off a battery and all Intense work and play were occur­ I am still involved with transporta­ trations to the County Clerk. So on output should go to a floppy disk or ring at a time of international crisis and tion problems, although we now live in election day we had voters who were two. Telling Gush from Bore should opportunity, according to the essay. Sonoma County, some 50 miles north sure they had registered but were not not tax OCR software. Even though "The promise of the immediate future of Tiburon. I serve with some 15 other on the voters list. The cost of an elec­ both names have four characters, none of science, especially in the field of people on the Citizens Advisory Com­ tion is more than the latest equipment! of them are the same. The names atomic energy, is so great that the mittee of the Sonoma County Transpor­ -Phyllis Ellman printed at stage one should make the National Defense Research Committee tation Authority, the latter being the job of OCR in stage 2 as reliable as has put Cal Tech laboratories under countywide administrator of the plan­ As an alumnus of both institutes of possible. Since the pattern matching contract and sworn them to secrecy. ning and funding for transportation in technology, I appreciate the opportu­ only has to pick one name from a short "To hard work both faculty and the County of Sonoma. I mention these nity to make my voice heard on this list, the method should meet 6-sigma undergraduates are driven by the real­ items solely to indicate my continuing important issue. Americans deserve 6- reliabili ty standards. ization that this century promises to interest in the voting systems of our sigma reliability in vote counts as If there are problems in determining bring science to some great conclusions nation. Recently the League of Women much as in our manufactured gadgets. voter intent, the election board can that will justify the grubbing, the cata­ Voters (LWV) of Sonoma County has The last presidential election certainly publish the accession numbers of ques­ loguing and experimenting of the cen­ undertaken a study of voting systems, pointed out just how unreliable our tionable ballots. The voter responds turies past. Cal Tech's undergraduates, having held some four meetings at this current methods are. wi th the password and preserves ano­ in particular, find acute inspiration in time relevant to the variety of ap­ Any new technology must satisfy a nymity. "No choice or preference" is an the thought that a major role in this proaches to voting. number of conflicting constraints. The important modification to current prac­ fruition of science may well be theirs." I am pleased to read that my Alma technology should force each voter to tice. It acts like a check digit so that That was Life in 1941. Mater is concerned about how well make exactly one choice on each ballot the total number of votes will be a these voting systems work. The LWV question. No paper method can prevent constant in all elections. UKFlLTERED HISTORY, CALTECl-! - STYLE meetings have all confirmed that what­ a voter from skipping the question or I could write the software for the ever happened in the Florida elections voting more than once. Mechanical menu-based system myself in less than For an alternate version of history, last November may not be unusual, voting machines can enforce the prohi­ a week. The voice-recog nition system adventurous readers can browse and that the technological aspects of bition against more than one vote. already exists and could be licensed. through back issues of the Big T, the voting methodology need careful Requiring one vote for each question is The operating system should not be Caltech's undergraduate yearbook, scrutiny. more difficult. Windows. The system must be robust. accessible in hard copy at the Archives. I write at this time to suggest that Computer technology can help. A It should not crash. Ever! The election The T's monumental role is elegantly whatever techniques are used for vot­ good model as to how to run an elec­ board should disconnect any hard drive stated in the foreword to the 1941 ing, the voter should receive (perhaps tion is the corporate voting technology the PC may have. Everything should edition: "The eyes of the camera and as a "printout") a representation of of eproxyvote.com. Each election is a work off a single, certified, floppy disk. the keys of the typewriter translate into what votes he or she intends to cast, page. The voter must select one option There should be ways for monitors to permanence the inimitable, colorful prior to making the final decision from a menu. One of the choices should check the integrity of both the ballot­ array of events experienced by the stu­ about entering his or her ballot into the always be "no preference." In that way, creating and ballot-counting proce­ dent of 1941." Colorful illustrations system. There should be some interval the total votes over all candidates in all dures at all stages of the process. Voters front each section. (The illustration for when the proposed ballot could be elections is a constant. At the end of should no more trust election monitors the section on "classes" has been repro­ reviewed, and changed if desired. But the selection process, the voter sees a than the hardware they use. duced on the cover of this Caltech News.) surely, the voter should have a record of summary and can make any changes. These ideas have much in common References to the atmosphere of what votes on his or her ballot were For computerphobes, an alternative with those of Rebecca Mercuri of Un i­ international crisis can be found in entered into the system. input device is the telephone. Voice versity of Pennsylvania. She too feels much of the text, and a call to arms, or As for the costs of operating election mail hell can become a friendly ballot­ voters should not trust computers. You at least to the lab, echoes the senti­ systems, I note the comments of the ing system. "You are now voting for can read a discussion of her ideas in the ments of the Life article. The Big T Speaker of the California Assembly: in President. Press or say 1 for Gush, press 3/19/01 issue of the Wall Street Journal, notes that the graduates, having his inauguration speech he listed pri­ or say 2 for Bore ... For no preference, page B 1. The article refers to her Web "learned from men who have them­ orities for the near future. The item press O. To hear the choices over again, site www.seas.upenn.edu/-mercuri/ selves contributed to the advance of that received much applause from the press *. You have chosen Nader. If this index.html. science ... will find that the emer­ Assembly members was "and we must is correct, press #. To revote, press *." There is far more wrong with our gency which confronts the nation de­ be assured that our vote counting is Most counties have plenty of per­ voting process than merely the process mands hard working, well trained men, accurate," and he implied that the state sonal computers at schools or libraries. of counting the votes. In other forums, capable of solving the new and diverse would spend whatever is necessary to Phones are either available or cheap. the country needs to address gerryman­ problems which confront a nation in do that. There is no need for expensive new dering, primaries, caucuses, conven­ the throes of a struggle for national It is important, therefore, that in capital equipment to achieve 6-sigma tions, money, negative campaign ads, security, and they will be prepared." your approach to defining a better sys­ reliability. However, I do not trust and debates. One simple change in the More laid-back Tech talk can be tem of voting, the technological aspects computers. There must be a piece of ballot might be appropriate given the found in the section on student houses, not become the sole focus of attention. paper with ink on it as a permanent new machine capabilities. If the voter which recounts such news as "Doc's The League mentioned above is consid­ record of the voting process. Therefore, prefers one candidate over all the oth­ Party" in Blacker, the Hodge-Podge ering the many varieties of voting that whichever method the voter has used ers, fine. However, the current system "tunnel of love" in Dabney, and exist in the world, and Cal tech and up to now, the next step is for a small is not adequate if the voter dislikes one Fleming's superior grade-point average MIT should do the same. dot matrix or ink-jet printer to print a candidate and has no particular prefer­ ("surprising the old guard" of that -George Ellman paper ballot. Thermal printers are un­ ence for any of the others (if there are house). Ricketts House made note of acceptable. It should have an accession more than two candidates). The new its newest members, who had "accom­ Although not an alumna, I worked number composed of the machine ballot should include the option for plished the transition from high-school at Cal tech while my husband was in number and a time of day stamp and a "Not Hir" for every candidate in every 'big-shots' to insignificant 'frosh. '" The graduate school. I have for many years string of 6 random characters for a election. Choosing this option subtracts Throop Club reported that it "furnished served on local election boards. I urge password. Each ballot question should one vote from that individual. social life and student activities which you to require persons working on your receive one line and should include the -Frank Weigert, PhD '68 non-residents would otherwise lack." project to serve on an election board at names of the office and the chosen can­ Rosen sums things up. "Today, there least once. Voters have problems and didate. The voter should receive two Keep the conversation going, or start new is no longer a Life magazine," he says, questions that are not considered in copies of the ballot. One gets deposited ones, by sending e-mail to [email protected]. "but there is still a lot of life at Caltech. " most discussions of elections. A situa- in the ballot box; the other s/he keeps.

16 [ Ca lifo r rIia l rIJt i tllte of T echrIo l ogy • VOL U M E 35 N O . I, 2 00 I CLASS NOTES CUTOUT COUPON

If you're a Caltech undergrad with a class agent, please take a moment to update us on what you've been doing, and we'll be sure to send that info on to your class agent. Return this coupon and any additional materials to Cal tech Alumni Association, 1-97, Pasadena, CA 91125. If you would prefer to e-mail your news directly to your agent, you can find your agent's name and e-mail address on the Web at http://www.its.caltech.edu/-alumni/class_notes.htm. And if your class doesn't yet have an agent, please fill out and mail the Personals Coupon in the PersonaLs section.

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Address, ______1984 Baltimore/D.C. area." (8-5-99) Laura Ravine Faye Flam writes that sbe is living in [email protected] Philadelphia and working as a science reporrer for the Philadelphia Inqllirer. (4-20-99) Ed Suranyi writes, "I finally finished my Anirvan Ghosh writes, "I am an assistant Day Phone______E-rnail ______PhD at UC Davis in 1996. For the last few years professor in neuroscience at Johns Hopkins and I've been working as a software engineer at am having a blast. I have a lab full of fun , ~E~S. ______Etak, in Menlo Park. I was recently promoted ro ralented people, and we are busily chipping Staff Scientist there." away at trying ro understanding how the brain Candi McCoy lives in Seattle, Washingron develops. Lee Anna ('86) and the kids (Rhyan, with her husband. She is a medical direcror for nine, and Akaina, five) are doing well. I have Immunex, a medium-sized biotech company. been trying ro convince Rhyan that picking Their fitsr child, Sofia, was born in May. football as a career might nor be the best plan, After a long Stay in Austin, Reese Faucette but he is convinced that with Montana and is back in the Bay Area, working for Geocast Elway gone, there is a real need for some good Network Systems. young quarterbacks. Oh well ... " (4-28-99) Paul Graven writes, "I married Susan 1985 Carls ron from Virginia Beach in September '95. Leslie Lippatd We're living in Palo Alro. We have a 3.5- [email protected] month-old son, Andrew (our first). I'm working (6-7-99) Todd West writes, "For rhe past rhree years for RB Webber & Co., a small Palo Alto-based Sean Moriarty writes, "New job, new house, I have been working at Sandia National Hi folks! Hope you all are well. Those of us management consulting firm specializing in toddler, etc." (7-25-99) Laboratories, Livermore, California, in their who arrended our 15th reunion had a wonderful markets and strategy for technology companies. John Morrison writes, "I finished law system studies group. I have a wonderful 3-year­ time, sharing srories and speculating about the We see a lot of Aaron Roodman and family school at the University of Houston last May, old daughter, Lauren, and my wife, Mary, is whereabouts of those of you who were unable ro now that he is a professor at SLAC [Stanford took the Texas bar exam in July, and was admit­ doing postdocroral work at nearby Lawrence attend. Joe Cheng, Kurt Lemke, Charlie Linear Acceleraror Collider}." (7-2-99) ted to the bar in November. I think that I will Livermore National Laborarories. Life is full and Miller, Glayde Myers and I had a lovely time Jennifer Haase writes, ''I've got a soccer try to do some kind of public service, and per­ San Francisco is grear!" (4-21-99) catching up. All of us showed up without a team here in France. We've got eight out of the haps a litrie patent work for myself. I have Craig Zupke writes, "Since graduating I date, except Kurt, who had two. Joe is working ten women working for tbe company playing on already filed one provisional application." received my PhD in chemical engineering from with a srart-up, and he and I spoke at length the team and came in fifth out of seven teams." (3-31-2000) MIT. After a postdoc ar the Shriners Burns about the capital markets in L.A . and San (7-7-99) Karla Peterson writes, "David Sahnow '84 Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and an Francisco; he had a lot of interesting experiences Kurt Lemke writes, ''I'm currently serving and I are still in Baltimore. We've been here unsuccessful search for a faculty position, I gOt a ro share. Charlie is interested in space travel as the director of operations for the Europe, ever since Cal tech. I've been working for the "real" job in 1995 , doing small-scale cell­ and has worked extensively with foundations Middle East, and Africa regional office of Hubble Space Telescope for seven years and culrure process development at Immunex, a dedicated ro making ir available more broadly. SAFCO Technologies, Inc. I've been with the really enjoy it. We've been organizing some biotechnology company in Seattle. My wife, Glayde is doing software development, after company for ten years and live in Oxford, get-togethers for local young alums. If you are Karyn (formerly Karyn Betzen '86), and I jusr several years in the military. Kurt is getting England, where my office is based. The in the Philly/Balto/D.C. area and haven't heard celebrated our 12th aniversary and have twO married (maybe he is hitched by the time you company designs and sells tools and services in from me, send e-mail to Pererson@stsci .edu." happy and healthy kids (Paula, almost four, and all read this), and, yes, one of his dares was his the wireless communications industry. Next (7 -15-99) Peter, nine months). Last year, I began playing fiancee. The class of 2000 was ki nd enough to month, I'll be changing jobs and moving to Ketan Shah writes, "Afrer Caltech, I volleyball regularly again, but recently ruptured schedule Ditch Day ro coincide with the Helsingborg, Sweden, to work as technical completed an MBA at William & Mary in my Achilles tendon playing ultimate Frisbee, so reunion, which brought back lots of memories. direcror in a company called Com Opt that we Virginia. After graduating in 1987, I spent five I'm sidelined for ar least a few months. I have As I arrived on campus, I sported a strange recently purchased. Not married, no kids, no years working in London, and five years after also been trying to pursue woodworking as a contraption that turned out ro be a home­ dogs, but boping to change all three." (4-26-99) that in Kenya. I have been back in London since hobby but have not been roo successful making brewed mechanical bull, constructed Out of a Phyllis Li Rosrykus writes, "The company July last year (intending to stay put for now!). I time for it. (I am getting a decent collecrion of beer keg, some large springs, and a mattress. that John and I worked at in Redmond, am researching the snacks business here, with a tools though). (5-24-99) Several would-be riders were having a fine time Washington, so ld our group off to another tbat view to starting an own-label ethnic snacks line, Thanks for keeping the cards and e-mails trying to conquer the bronco. then gOt bought by Xilinx, Inc. So we relocated subject to availability of capiral and a market coming. As for me, my son, Nicolas, is two I have a long backlog of updates, Sent by ro Boulder, Colorado, and are living here niche." (4-23-99) years old now-what a trip he is. I'm still snail, and e-mail. I had put rogether a column happily with our dog, Fezzik. The change has Bill Sharpe writes, "The execurive summary enjoying working as a consulrant. My for publication last May, but it was suggested been drastic but good on the whole, and we now on my life is thar I've been happily married for grandmother was visiting us last November that I wait until aftet the reunion to submit it, have Big Sky, mountains, and sunshine instead over 11 years and have a son, with another chi ld when she had a major stroke; that's been a real with some information about that. Unfortu­ of Big Trees, mountains, and rain." (4-28-99) on the way. Professionally, I left grad school challenge on a dai ly basis. r look forward to nately, I have been very tardy in terms of Steve Loyola writes, "After spending about after three years, went to med school in New seeing a few more of you at our 20th reunion! catching up with thar-my apologies. 13 years (in twO stints) at JPL,l gave it up in Haven, rhen went out to Seattle for residency/ Mike Barela writes,"I am currently an January 1999 to concentrate on my own fellowship. Racliology and nuclear medicine 1997 attache at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, Internet start-up, BestWebBuys.com, of course). were prerey much no-brainer medical career Emily Chen battling the growing problem of protecting Our first Web site, BestBookBuys.com, started choices for a geek from Cal tech. Having left rhe [email protected] embassies overseas. Tbe recent bombings at our as my hobby back in 1997 and has grown to be Midwest almosr 20 years ago to go our to embassies in Africa have sbown that we have one of the most popular places on the Web to Pasadena, I never thought I'd find myself back Jun Cai, aka Mike Cai, is now engaged and much ro do ro protect tbose advancing our compare book prices. It has received some here but that's how it ended up. I work in a plans to have his wedding sometime next year. foreign policy overseas. Last May, I was pretty good press, including the March 2000 privare practice radiology gtoup in Springfield, ShihChing Chu, aka Jenny Chu, reports presented with a Department of State Merirori­ Consumer Reports selecting it as one of nine "Web Missouri, which is a nice place to live and raise a that she will be graduating from law school in ous Honor Award for my efforts in tbis area. sites that really deliver" and, at the orher end of family. Perhaps only a Cal tech audience would May. She has decided to stay in New York City, Actually, the Finnish language is as mucb a the spectrum, a mention in the April 2000 undersrand when I say rhar I felr like I was where she will be working at the New York challenge as the job, a challenge shared by my Playboy' BestWebBuys' strategy ro take over the leavi ng science when I left grad school to go Office of O'Melveny & Myers. wife, Ttaci, and our daughters-Kate, nine, and world is to build on the success of into medicine. My life doesn't fit rhe success Ann Chen will be graduating from Laura, five." (4-22-99) BestBookBuys.com and roll out many more paradigm of pure research rhat was drilled into Vanderbilt Universiry law school this year and Michael Chwe writes, "After being on tbe Best****Buys.com comparison shopping sites. our heads at Caltech, but for me it's been a good has decided ro work in New York as well. south side of Cbicago (University of Cbicago) Our team includes a part-time Dave Werntz switch because I can use my scientific back­ Lin Jia will graduate from the rain, storm, for eight years (!), we're beaded for even greater '86 and, on our board of advisors, atrorney ground in a way that gives personal satisfac­ and sleet of Harvard Medical School in June population density-Greenwich Village (I rook Michael Krieger '63. While I'm working most tion." (4-21-99) 2001 and will do her residency in internal a joint job in politics and economics at NYU, waking hours (and some sleeping ones, too), I Chris Tiller graduared from Columbia medicine at UCLA. Before graduation, she will scarting in the fa ll )." (5-9-99) enjoy hearing from fellow Techers at the easy-to­ Theological Seminary and received rhe James T. head to Taipei , Taiwan, for a medical roration Glen Crawford says, "As for us (rbat now remember [email protected]." (4-12-2000) and Celesre M. Boyd Book Fund Award. I wish I and then travel to Hong Kong and Japan for a includes 3 kids), we 're moving again-ro Brian Mapes says, "Ie's time to send my had more dara to share-rhis came from a press vacarion. She looks forward ro returning ro Maryland. I've taken a job with the DOE and address to the Alumni Association so they will release forwarded to me by the Alumni sunny Los Angeles and will be happy to hear am looking ro catcb up witb old friends in the stop sending mail to my mother. All is well." Associarion. (6-13-00) from her classmates! ([email protected])

171 Caltech Nell'S 1929 lapin "managed rhe Aerospace Corporarion's 1949 Plasma Physics. His elecrion was "for his out­ CHARLES MORGAN WOLFE, MS , PhD '32, sysrem design and engineering efforrs for Pro­ EMMETT P. MONROE, MS, ofSrow, Ohio, standing contributions ro the understanding of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, repons rhar he lasr gram A imaging sarellires, improving flighr reporrs rhar he has rerired from medical prac­ and development of X-ray lasers," according ro worked from 1957 ro 1966 developing geo­ operarions by nearly doubling funcrional on­ rice, specifically his family practice in Cuyahoga the citation. He adds rhat his work in design­ physical insrrumenrs for derecring Sovier orbir rime." Falls. He remains acrive in a reaching program ing X-ray lasers has res ulted in the demonstra­ nuclear explosions. Since rhen he has raken for medical srudenrs ar a local medical school. rion of the world's shortest-wavelength, up an, primarily oil on canvas and warercolors. Oder, a colonel in rhe U .S. Air Force, in rhe lare highesr-energy experimentally demonstrared He says rhar he'll painr anyrhing, bur mosrly 1950s "direcred rhe narion's firsr reconnaissance 1953 laser. "I also discovered rhe prepulse rechnique does ponrairs of his children and grandchildren, sarellire enrerprise, rhe USAF WS-117L (larer ROBERT). STANTON, PhD '60, spenr eighr used roday to drive virtually all X-ray laser nor ro sell bur ro give ro family and friends. SAMOS) Program, conrinuing his career wirh years as a research geologisr wirh Shell Develop­ sys rems. " A sraff physicisr ar Lawrence His wife, he adds, has some 50 around rhe Lockheed and Easrman Kodak. " menr Company, Housron, Texas, and rhen 33 Livermore Narional Laborarory--where he has house. years at Texas A&M Universiry, reriring rwo been employed since 1977, when he began The Pioneers were honored on Seprember 27 years ago as rhe Ray C. Fish Professor of Geol­ graduare school ar Caltech--he is currently 1939 by NRO direcror Keirh Hall and CIA director ogy. "Now I've returned home to California. involved in arrempring ro develop applicarions CHARLES E. PETTING ALL writes rhar he George Tener in a ceremony ar NRO headquar­ I will be a research associare in rhe Depanmenr for pico-second-driven X-ray lasers. rransferred to Calrech afrer graduaring from rers, in Chanrilly, Virginia. of Invenebrare Paleonrology ar rhe Los Angeles Pasadena Ciry College, and commured daily Counry Museum of Narural Hisrory." 1980 from Burbank wirh class mares RALPH 1941 JAMES C. HERMANSON, MS , PhD '85, RUGGIERO, SPENCER OAKLEY, and ROBERT H. WEIGHT, MS, ofLeeds, Utah, 1958 associate professor of mechanical engineering HAROLD HANCE, who helped buy rhe gas rerired in Seprember 1983 from rhe Bechrel ALLEN KLINGER, MS, wrires rhar he has been ar Worcester Polyrechnic Insritute (WPI), has for his 1932 Ford V-8 hor rod. Afrer graduar­ Corporarion, afrer 32 years rhere. H e had served appoinred a narional direcror of rhe Tau Bera Pi been elected a fellow in rhe American Sociery of ing he worked for Lockheed, rhe Federal Power as chief civil engineer, assisranr manager of engineering honor sociery and has been a profes­ Mechanical Engineers (ASME), in recognirion Commission, Southern California Gas, Douglas engineering, and engineering manager ar rhe sor emeritus in conrinuous service ar UCLA of "exceptional engineering achievements and Aircraft, Hughes, McDonnell Douglas Wesr, L.A. office. "Reriremenr includes gardening, "since 'reriring,' conducring research, arrending contributions to rhe engineering profession." and rhe Jer Propulsion Laboratory. He is now hiking, horseback riding, and church service." conferences and workshops and publishing in Fellow is rhe highesr elected grade of member­ "happily rerired in Tucson, Arizona. " He is married and has six children and 35 journals, involved in communiry and public ship wirhin ASME. The recipient of a Narional grandchildren. service, and teaching courses every quarter." Science Foundation CAREER Program grant 1940 "A Parrern Measure," a paper he coaurhored ro srudy rhe vaporizarion of liquid fuels in ELLIS E. LAPIN, Eng '4 1, and FREDERIC C. 1943 wirh Professor N. Salingaros, appeared in supersonic flow, Hermanson holds the George I. E. ODER, MS '4 1, have borh been se lecred by JOHN R. SPENCER writes, "I reside now in Environment and Planning 8: Planning and Design, Alden Chair in Engineering at WPI. He is rhe Narional Reconnaissance Office (NRO) as the Planration Valley retiremenr community vol. 27, July 2000, pp. 537-547. He has also the principal invesrigaror for a NASA Pioneers of Narional Reconnaissance, in honor (lOts of old folks) in Lake Jackson, Texas. My participared internationally in workshops micrograviry combustion experiment on of rhe 40rh anniversary of rhe firsr receprion of youngesr son resides here, and his twin sisrer concerned wirh computer sc ience and has pulsed diffusion flames and a NASA micro­ pictures from space, which occurred "when a lives in nearby Angleron. If need be, help is coauthored an NSF report avai lable at hrtp:// gtavity fluid physics experiment on fi lm CORONA sarellire capsule carrying film was close at hand." cslu.cse.ogi.edu/nsf/wiccs97/repon.html, as well condensation and hear transfer. He lives in caughr in midair by an Air Force C-119 aircraft. as rwo orher reports, one sponsored by rhe Paxton, Massachusetts. Wirh rhis recovery, space photo reconnaissance National Research Council Computer Science became a realiry." and Telecommunicarions Board and dealing 1983 wirh information-technology literacy. DENNIS E. MCGEE, PhD, a research rech­ nologist with the ExxonMobil Films Business EDWIN M. PERRIN, MS, of Toronro, wtires in Macedon, New Yotk, has published a book KEEP US IJ\iFORAIED THROLGH THE CALTECH PERSOl\ALS! that he has retired and expects to visit Southern entirled Messages from God. "It is a detailed California in 2001. study rhat derives a biblical significance for the Keep us informed so we can keep your fellow alums informed! If you're a letrers of the Hebrew alphabet. The book is Caltech graduate who received your MS or PhD from the Institute, or an 1963 available from Amazon.com." undergrad alum who doesn't yet have a Class N otes agent, the Personals is the WILLIAM). ANDERSON, PhD, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, has retired from rhe Univer­ 1985 place to let us know what you've been doing. Send us news about you and your siry of Michigan after 35 years in its aerospace PRATIM BISWAS, PhD, recenrly became family, about a new job, promotion, awards-anything you'd like ro see printed engineering departmenr. He tepons that the firsr Stifel and Quinerre Jens Professor of in the Personals section of Caltech News. he sold his consulting company, Automated Environmental Engineering Science at Wash­ Return this coupon and any additional materials to Analysis Corporarion, to Belcan Corporarion ingron University in St. Louis. Director of rhe Caltech News, 1-71, Pasadena, CA 911 25. on January 2. He has formed a multimedia environmental engineering science program of stan-up corporation, Online Training Inc. the Washington University School of Engineer­ ing and Applied Science, Biswas's research Name ______1968 focuses on aerosol science and engineering, air BARRY M. COHEN, MS, of Newton Cenrre, qualiry and pollurion control, environmentally Degree(s) and year(s) ______Massachusetts, writes that he has been working benign synthesis of benign materials, and as an independenr consultanr and engineering­ nanotechnology. Address,______software developer for the past four years. 1987 1969 VINEER BHANSALI, MS '87, after receiving ______Newaddress? _____ SEBASTIEN CANDEL, MS , PhD '72, has his PhD in rheoretical physics from Harvard, been a professor at Ecole Centrale Paris since worked as a derivatives and bond trader at Day phone ______E-mail,______1978, where he heads aerospace studies and Citibank, Salomon Brothers, and CSFB . He reaches fluid mechanics. During the year 2000 has recenrly moved to Newpon Beach as execu­ NE~S, ______he chaired a governmenral panel on research tive VP and head of analytics at PIMCO, the for furure supersonic aircraft and was the cochair largest fixed-income money manager. "Please of the 28th Internarional Symposium on Com­ send me an e-mail if this reaches old friends!" bustion (Edinburgh). During that same year, he His e-mail [email protected]. was made a Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur; awatded the Marcel Dassault Grand Prize by 1992 the French Academy of Sciences, for his contri­ DAVID K. KIM has finished medical school butions to aerospace propulsion; and elected and is working ar a medical software stan-up a member of the newly creared Academy of in Searrle. He flies airplanes in his spare rime. Technology (the French equivalent of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering). 1999 LU SUN, MS, has been hired by Teradyne, Inc. , 1979 Agoura Hills, California, as a sofrware engineer. JOSEPH NILSEN, MS, PhD '82, was elecred a fellow of the American Physical Society at rhe October 2000 meeting of rhe Division of "~, ' :y~~;, <~~'" "

1929 political career he returned again to Pasadena, On the back-page poster, viewers get a glimpse of the Hale Telescope as its JAMES W. DUNHAM, ofLos AlamitOs, this time as direc tOr emeritus of the Industrial 200-inch mirror receives its annual-to-biennial realuminization. The aluminum California, on November 26, 2000; he was 92. Relations Center. During his years in the Impe­ film, scarcely a hundredth the width of a human hair, has degraded due to ex­ After graduaring ftOm Calrech he served with rial Valley he served on the board of trustees of posure to the elements and no longer reflects as it did when deposited just a the Army Corps of Eng ineers, and with the the Brawley Elementary School District and, in year ago, ourbreak of World W ar II he was ordered to 1957, started the efforts to es tablish Imperial Above, Palomar Observatory superintendent Bob Thicksten and his crew active duty. H e served in Europe for three and Valley College in its present location; with its bathe the 14-ton mirror-the first step in a process that includes four hours of a half years in the Engineering Supply Service establishment in 1959, he was elected founding ptOg ram . Following the war he continued in trustee. He served as president of the California washing, gently rubbing with an acid bath to remove the aluminum, rewash­ the Army Reserve, eventually retiring as a Beet Growers Association, District 9, and was ing, rubbing the surface with potassium hydroxide, rewashing, patting down lieurenant colonel. In 1946 he was placed in active as a Rotatian and in the 4-H and Boy the surface with 200-proof ethyl alcohol, and then sealing the mirror in a giant charge of the L.A. Eng ineering District's new Scouts of America. A lover of music, gatdening, "bell jar," or vacuum chamber, for the acrual aluminizing process to begin, Beach EtOsion Unit, preparing reporcs on harbor and sa iling, he was also an accomplished porrer. Once all the air is pumped out, employees fire off 350 rungsten filaments and shore etOsion problems ftOm the Mexican He is survived by Janet, his wife of 60 years; a coated with pure aluminum in the roof of the bell jar one by one, This process, border to Santa Barbara. His reports resulted in daughter, Ann; three sons, John, Tom , and dating to the original design of the telescope in the 1930s, acts something like the construction of several new harbors, and he Mark; and nine grandchildren and five great­ a perfume atomizer to deposit an extremely smooth coating over the entire received the Corps' MeritOrious Service Award . g randchildren. surface. He retired ftOm the Corps in 1953 and joined When Palomar Observatory was dedicated in the summer of 1948, the rhe firm ofR. M. Parsons, for whom he worked 1940 Cal tech facility instantly became the preeminent astronomical observatory in on ptOj ects at home and abtOad, and in 1958 MARION E. HINES, BS '41, MS '46, of he was appointed chief engineer of the state of BostOn , on August 19, 2000; he was 8 1. An the world and its 200-inch Hale Telescope the world's leading astronomical California's new Division of Small Craft Hat­ aurhority on microwave theory and techniques, instrument-until the Keck Observatory opened about a decade ago, bors. In 1960, he joi ned the fi rm of Moffat and he had been chief sc ientist at MIA-COM. After Soon after it was commissioned, the Hale Telescope was responsible for revo­ Nichol Eng ineers, in Long Beach, California, serving in the Army Air Forces during World lutionizing the cosmological distance scale and, in later years, was used to bet­ and while with them aurhored important manu­ W ar II, he performed research on microwave ter describe the evolution of stars and to establish the optical basis of quasars, als on smaJl-craft harbors and low-cos t shore tubes and solid-state power-generation devices It was the first telescope to be used to study infrared sources-still a major protection, A reg istered professional engineer, for Bell Labs from 1946 to 1960. H e then emphasis of Palomar research and still a furiously active area in both space- and he was a fellow of the American Society of Civil joined Microwave Associates, later M IA-COM, ground-based research programs-and currently is used to aid in the studies of Engineers (ASCE), a military member of the where as vice president of research and then as galactic structure and gamma-ray bursts, American Society of Military Engineers, and a chief scientist he developed harmonic-generatOr member of the Nati onal Soc iety of PtOfessional microwave sources, high-power sig nal-control Engineers and of the American Shore and Beach devices, and solid-s tate microwave oscillatOrs Preservation Association, serving as Vice.P.resi­ and amplifie rs that had applications in radar 1947 and also for a time in Sourh America. H e was dent, W est, of the latter fo r a time and organiz­ and wireless communications. Upon his retire­ PETER SWERLING, of Pacific Palisades, an avid skier, sailor, fisherman, and golfer. H e ing that association's California section. A year ment in 2000, MIA-COM established in his California, on Aug ust 25, 2000; he was 71. is survived by his wife, Joy, and his sons, John after retiting he received the ASCE Moffat and name an award for technical innovation. H e is A mathematician who became an expert in radar and Michael. Nichol award for ourstanding coastal engineer­ survived by his wife, Julie; two sons , Sheldon and stealth technology, he was an analyst for ing service. He is survived by Barbara, his wife and Julian; a daughter, H adley Chianese; two 13 years at the RAND Corporation. H e later 1976 of 63 years; two sons, Douglas '60 and David; brothers, Laurance and C. Lee; and three g rand­ headed his own compani es and in 1960 JAMES R. YOUNG, MS , PhD '82, of Alra­ and rwo grandchildren, children. coaurhored "A Statistical Theory of Target dena, California, on February 13; he was 49. Detection by Pulsed Radar." H e founded After receivi ng his doctOrate in environmental 1931 1944 Technical Servi ce Corporation in 1966 and engineering science, he joined Environmental RICHARD J. BARNETT, of O jai, Cali fo rnia, RICHARD BURL SULLIVAN JR., MS , of was president for 16 years; he then formed Research & Technology, Inc., a consulting firm on June 18,2000; he was 91. A third-genera­ Shreveport, Louisiana, on J anuary 7, 2000; he Swerling, Manasse & Smith. He also raught in Newbury Park, California, working as both a ti on farmer in the Temecula Valley, he had was 78. A member of CAVU, a group of stu­ at the U ni versity of Illinois and later at USC, seniot sc ientist in the environmental chemis try owned a service station in La Canada, California, dents who in 1944 received certifica tion after and he was a founder and trustee of the Cross­ division and a managet of informari on technolo­ and been a past president of the Elsinore School completing an accelerated trai ning program in roads School, in Santa Monica. He entered g ies. In 1989 he moved to Southern Cali fo rnia Board and a member of the Temecula School meteorology, and who referred to themselves as Cal tech at the age of 15 and may have bee n Edison as a senior reseatch scientist in the envi­ Board in the 1930s and '40s. Built in 1932, the Ceiling and Visibility Unli mited , he was retro­ inspired to go into mathematics when his fa ther, ronmental tesearch group within Environmental home of Barnett and his wife became the Senior actively awarded a master's degree in meteorol­ sc reenwriter J o Swerling, arranged for the boy Affai rs (EA). Much of his initial work foc used Citizens Center in Temecula; it was finally torn ogy. He served as a meteorologist and an on his 10th birthday to meet Albert Einstein, on aerosol iss ues in the L.A. basin, global envi­ down in 1999, Predeceased in 1977 by his son air-traffic controller in the Army Ai r Forces who advised him to pursue mathematics and ronmental issues, and air and water quality; he Robert and in 1999 by his wife, Virginia, he during World W ar II. Following the war, remember "i mportant things," like baseball. managed several major research efforrs related to is survived by two sons, Richard and Philip; he rerurned to Shreveport and entered the oil The younger Swerling followed that advice not climate change and provided technical expertise a daughter, Barbara; and 12 grandchildren and business; he also taught geology at Centenary only by excelling at math, bur by spending his to policy developers at the corporate level and 19 great-grandchild ren. College and was d irectOr of its evening school. free time hang gliding, bodysurfing, memoriz­ internationall y. Beginning in 1996, he assumed He worked fo r Sun Oil Company in Dallas and ing Shakespeare, and listeni ng to Wagnerian rhe ro le of EA's manager of research and emerg­ ROBERT G . SMITH, of Friendswood, Texas, HoustOn ftOm 1959 to 1977. H e then went opera. H e is survived by his wife, Jud ith; three ing issues, wi th responsibility for coordinating on May 11, 2000. He is survived by his back to Shreveport, retiring in 1983 from Sun children, Eli zabeth, Carole, and Steven; his responses ro strategic environmental research wife, Bernice; a son, Gary; rwo sisters, Martha Exploration and Production Company and brother, J o Swerling J r. ; and six grandchildren. needs and esrablishing methodologies to screen, Thomas and Kathtyn Gunter; and five grand­ becoming an independent geological consultant. assess, prioritize, and manage environmental children and two grear-grandchildren. He was a member of numerous geological soci­ 1950 issues faci ng rhe company. A wine connoisseur, eties, a past president of the Ce ntenary Coll ege HARVEY 1. PAST AN, MS, of Chesrnur he enjoyed traveling and opening his home to 1936 Alumni Association, and a member of Eas t Hill , Massachusetts, on September 12, 2000, colleagues and friends for good food and conver­ VICTOR V. VEYSEY, of Hemet, California, Ridge Country Club and St. Paul's Episcopal The holder of 18 patents, he helped found twO sation. He is survived by his wife, Beatrice; his on February 13; he was 85. After graduating Church, Predeceased by his wife, Clarisse, he instrumentation companies and was a project mother, Bernice; and a sister, J enni fer Barnhill. from Caltech he went on to receive his MBA in is survived by two daughters, Gale Howell and leader in the MIT aetOphysics research group, Alrhough a quadriplegic due to an accident, industrial management from Harvard Business Clare Towery; a son, Richard Burl III; and twO He went on to become a vice president of spending the last 28 years of his life in a whee l­ School in 1938. He raught at Caltech for 11 grandsons. Arthur D. Little, Inc., the consulting fi rm, chair, including his years at Calrech, "J im 's years, then moved to Brawley, California, in and manager of its electtOnic systems section. drive and spirit were in no sense diminished 1949 and began farming on his family ranch 1945 He is survived by his wife, Barbara; twO by his mobility impairment, indeed he was an site just north of Brawley. In 1961 he was STANLEY D. CLARK, of Claremont, Califor­ daughters, Jeanne Weber and Nancy Gold; inspiration to all who were fortunate enough to elected to the state assembly, representing the nia, on Septem ber 12, 2000; he was 75 . After four g randchildren; a sister, Patricia Manuel; know him." A memorial fund has been estab­ Imperial Valley and other southern regions, graduating from Cal tech he received his law and a brother, Roberr. lished at Cal tech to provide extra resources and He was a U.S. congressman from 1971 to 1977, degree from Loyola University Law School and equipment for handicapped students. Those and remained in WashingtOn an additional practiced in San Marino, where he lived until 1957 wishing to contribute should write to the James year, serving as assistant secretary of the army. 1974. A junior tennis champion in his youth, JOHN C. UHTHOFF, MS, of Qualicum, R. Young Memorial Fund, 105-40, Calrech, Returning to Pasadena in 1978, he became he founded the San Marino Tennis Fo undation. British Columbia, on May 28, 2000; he was 79. 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena CA directOr of the Industrial Relations Center at He also founded the Claremont Tennis Club. After working for Avro Canada on the Arrow 91125. Caltech, and in 1983 he was appointed directOr He is survived by his wife, Susan; three children aircraft project, he rejoined the Royal Canadian of industrial relations in the cabinet of Governor from his first marriage, Stanley, Kevin, and Ai r Force as a liaison officer to the German George Deukmejian. After retiring from his Geoff; and six grandchildren. air force. In later years he worked at NASA