Interview with Thomas A. Tombrello - Caltech Oral Histories

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Tombrello–vii 97-103 Comments on challenges and rewards of overseeing a for-profit research laboratory. Relationship with company VP A. Salaber. Tombrello threatens to put ten employees out in the falling snow unless upper management clarifies reporting relationship. Establishes new mentorbased evaluation system for lab scientists. Differences and similarities between academic and corporate research environments and personal/professional qualities needed for success. 103-109 Comments on quality of Caltech tenure deliberations. As PMA chair, establishes tracking committees to mentor and monitor division’s tenure-track faculty. History of child care at Caltech. Confidence-building effect of Schlumberger experience. Valuable experience gained in evaluating personalities and setting priorities. How novel The Godfather and two Godfather movies affected half-Sicilian Tombrello. Session 6 110-116 J. Benton’s pioneering interdisciplinary use of Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) imaging technology to study old manuscripts. Caltech giants R. Bacher and R. Sharp as scientists and administrators: leadership, contributions, and distinctive contrasting personal styles. J. R. Oppenheimer’s visionary leadership of Los Alamos, particularly his relationship with S. Neddermeyer and E. Teller. Oppenheimer biographer J. Bernstein’s research into subject’s years at Caltech. 117-126 Comments on R. P. Feynman, M. Gell-Mann, and F. Zwicky: Zwicky’s originality and unexpected humanity; Gell-Mann’s brilliance, arrogance, and showmanship; the “Feynman effect.” Recap of the 2004 H. D. Politzer Nobel saga, from first intimations that Politzer will win the prize to the publicity-averse laureate’s non-appearance at his own press conference. Politics of the Nobel Prize; contributions of Politzer, D. Gross, F. Wilzcek, and G. ’t Hooft to asymptotic freedom model. A. Lange’s Nobel-caliber work (BOOMERanG experiment) on anisotropy in microwave background radiation; J. Kimble and K. Thorne as possible future physics laureates. Comments on Nobel award in economics to R. Merton (Tombrello’s brotherin-law). Recollections of economist F. Black. 126-130 Recollections of C. Patterson’s unique personality and landmark measurements of lead pollution. Circumstances of P. Goldreich’s hiring onto GPS faculty. Nobel laureate A. Zewail as “great Caltech success story.” 130-137 L. DuBridge and R. Bacher as Caltech president and provost. Selection of H. Brown as DuBridge’s successor and his presidency. Diversification and expansion of social sciences under Brown; ongoing constraints affecting humanities and social science (HSS) programs at Caltech. R. Christy’s tenure as Brown’s provost. Selection of M. Goldberger as Brown’s successor and http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechOH:OH_Tombrello_T
Tombrello–viii his presidency. Tombrello’s take on role of university provost. R. Vogt and B. Kamb as Goldberger’s provosts. 138-151 Selection of T. Everhart as Goldberger’s successor. His presidency, strong relationship with trustees, and relationship with Kamb as provost. L. Hood as chairman of Biology Division. P. Jennings succeeds Kamb as provost; roles of Jennings, L. Allen, R. Vogt, and B. Barish in LIGO project; Jennings’ tenure as provost. Circumstances surrounding selection of S. Koonin as Jennings’ successor; Koonin’s tenure as provost; his relationship with Tombrello as PMA division chair; administrative accomplishments; collaboration with Tombrello and others in establishing Caltech ASCI program. Tombrello and Koonin initiate Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project. [PORTION TEMPORARILY CLOSED, pages 152-173] Session 7 174-177 After being “fired and then hired” by Los Alamos as Rice graduate student, Tombrello begins lengthy professional relationship with lab in 1971, including serving on LAMPF accelerator committee. Recruited in late 1980s to set up new scientific review committees at Lawrence Livermore. Comments on issues involving classification, declassification, and security clearances. Current service on NAS committee studying potential of laser-induced fusion. Recalls flying into San Jose, CA, on day of 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechOH:OH_Tombrello_T
Page 1 and 2: THOMAS A. TOMBRELLO (b. 1936) INTER
Page 3 and 4: Contact information Archives, Calif
Page 5 and 6: NOTE TO READERS Per agreement betwe
Page 7 and 8: Tombrello-iv TABLE OF CONTENTS INTE
Page 9: Tombrello-vi Session 4 68-72 Colleg
Page 13 and 14: Tombrello-x 206-213 Establishes (wi
Page 15 and 16: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Page 17 and 18: Tombrello-3 TOMBRELLO: Bisacquino.
Page 19 and 20: Tombrello-5 TOMBRELLO: This proceed
Page 21 and 22: Tombrello-7 Memphis, and I believe
Page 23 and 24: Tombrello-9 otherwise, we mostly we
Page 25 and 26: Tombrello-11 of the ability of the
Page 27 and 28: Tombrello-13 truly bigger than life
Page 29 and 30: Tombrello-15 I associated with the
Page 31 and 32: Tombrello-17 they’re probably rig
Page 33 and 34: Tombrello-19 ASPATURIAN: Your thesi
Page 35 and 36: Tombrello-21 wonderful time. And yo
Page 37 and 38: Tombrello-23 TOMBRELLO: Let me go o
Page 39 and 40: Tombrello-25 ASPATURIAN: When you s
Page 41 and 42: Tombrello-27 We did that again in t
Page 43 and 44: Tombrello-29 funding our research t
Page 45 and 46: Tombrello-31 from the NSF grant, bu
Page 47 and 48: Tombrello-33 doing great stuff, bec
Page 49 and 50: Tombrello-35 TOMBRELLO: I wasn’t
Page 51 and 52: Tombrello-37 [Morrisroe Professor o
Page 53 and 54: Tombrello-39 clearly willing to pay
Page 55 and 56: Tombrello-41 my teaching assignment
Page 57 and 58: Tombrello-43 ASPATURIAN: No. TOMBRE
Page 59 and 60: Tombrello-45 Charlie, that’s numb
Page 61 and 62:
Tombrello-47 heavy ions. Jancaitis
Page 63 and 64:
Tombrello-49 because, no surprise,
Page 65 and 66:
Tombrello-51 of a wreck somewhere.
Page 67 and 68:
Tombrello-53 concurrent computers,
Page 69 and 70:
Tombrello-55 your green card.” He
Page 71 and 72:
Tombrello-57 USC. She said, “My n
Page 73 and 74:
Tombrello-59 video of it. Brian was
Page 75 and 76:
Tombrello-61 ASPATURIAN: Without th
Page 77 and 78:
Tombrello-63 ASPATURIAN: Consciousn
Page 79 and 80:
Tombrello-65 Stone reported this co
Page 81 and 82:
Tombrello-67 says, “That is so im
Page 83 and 84:
Tombrello-69 basement was where I l
Page 85 and 86:
Tombrello-71 Graaff generators] at
Page 87 and 88:
Tombrello-73 groups at Chicago, and
Page 89 and 90:
Tombrello-75 TOMBRELLO: I think it
Page 91 and 92:
Tombrello-77 TOMBRELLO: Yes. I reme
Page 93 and 94:
Tombrello-79 TOMBRELLO: Well, it wa
Page 95 and 96:
Tombrello-81 were made up of these
Page 97 and 98:
Tombrello-83 TOMBRELLO: It had a re
Page 99 and 100:
Tombrello-85 ASPATURIAN: It wasn’
Page 101 and 102:
Tombrello-87 Remington bronzes but
Page 103 and 104:
Tombrello-89 He’d done all kinds
Page 105 and 106:
Tombrello-91 side, with totally ira
Page 107 and 108:
Tombrello-93 TOMBRELLO: Yes. It too
Page 109 and 110:
Tombrello-95 wouldn’t have asked
Page 111 and 112:
Tombrello-97 U.S. independent of fo
Page 113 and 114:
Tombrello-99 own operating people a
Page 115 and 116:
Tombrello-101 particularly in compa
Page 117 and 118:
Tombrello-103 Six months later, “
Page 119 and 120:
Tombrello-105 necessary—that was
Page 121 and 122:
Tombrello-107 make things harder. A
Page 123 and 124:
Tombrello-109 TOMBRELLO: It really
Page 125 and 126:
Tombrello-111 it. It was clearly an
Page 127 and 128:
Tombrello-113 little bit—he had h
Page 129 and 130:
Tombrello-115 protons, you didn’t
Page 131 and 132:
Tombrello-117 Did she have an affai
Page 133 and 134:
Tombrello-119 questions. But Murray
Page 135 and 136:
Tombrello-121 marvelous teacher—h
Page 137 and 138:
Tombrello-123 ASPATURIAN: What I ha
Page 139 and 140:
Tombrello-125 ASPATURIAN: That woul
Page 141 and 142:
Tombrello-127 and all sorts of thin
Page 143 and 144:
Tombrello-129 ASPATURIAN: Someone e
Page 145 and 146:
Tombrello-131 DuBridge interpreted
Page 147 and 148:
Tombrello-133 sciences. They were g
Page 149 and 150:
Tombrello-135 candidates came and g
Page 151 and 152:
Tombrello-137 TOMBRELLO: I don’t
Page 153 and 154:
Tombrello-139 TOMBRELLO: Yes. But I
Page 155 and 156:
Tombrello-141 opposite sides. But h
Page 157 and 158:
Tombrello-143 ASPATURIAN: Now, was
Page 159 and 160:
Tombrello-145 ASPATURIAN: Really? T
Page 161 and 162:
Tombrello-147 TOMBRELLO: Yes. I’d
Page 163 and 164:
Tombrello-149 I believe he had a vi
Page 165 and 166:
Tombrello-151 to predict something
Page 167 and 168:
Tombrello-175 And then in the summe
Page 169 and 170:
Tombrello-177 think you need that c
Page 171 and 172:
Tombrello-179 nuclear counterterror
Page 173 and 174:
Tombrello-181 spoiled by that. The
Page 175 and 176:
Tombrello-183 particularly the weap
Page 177 and 178:
Tombrello-185 set up to prevent wea
Page 179 and 180:
Tombrello-187 with those that alrea
Page 181 and 182:
Tombrello-189 powered by solar. The
Page 183 and 184:
Tombrello-191 TOMBRELLO: I know. I
Page 185 and 186:
Tombrello-193 THOMAS A. TOMBRELLO S
Page 187 and 188:
Tombrello-195 discretionary $19,000
Page 189 and 190:
Tombrello-197 Lange is PMA chairman
Page 191 and 192:
Tombrello-199 Witten’s here, Zewa
Page 193 and 194:
Tombrello-201 There were many thing
Page 195 and 196:
Tombrello-203 the key—the hallmar
Page 197 and 198:
Tombrello-205 TOMBRELLO: Not exactl
Page 199 and 200:
Tombrello-207 pieces of hardware th
Page 201 and 202:
Tombrello-209 TOMBRELLO: It’s nic
Page 203 and 204:
Tombrello-211 Wendy, until well int
Page 205 and 206:
Tombrello-213 realized it was a wor
Page 207 and 208:
Tombrello-215 you try for. But you
Page 209 and 210:
Tombrello-217 TOMBRELLO: He did not
Page 211 and 212:
Tombrello-219 ASPATURIAN: Just a re
Page 213 and 214:
Tombrello-221 ASPATURIAN: How do yo
Page 215 and 216:
Tombrello-223 He’s not dumb. OK.
Page 217 and 218:
Tombrello-225 ASPATURIAN: And incre
Page 219 and 220:
Tombrello-227 could control him. We
Page 221 and 222:
Tombrello-233 down to the late stag
Page 223 and 224:
Tombrello-235 THOMAS A. TOMBRELLO S
Page 225 and 226:
Tombrello-237 the tandem laboratory
Page 227 and 228:
Tombrello-239 picked Motorola’s 6
Page 229 and 230:
Tombrello-241 ASPATURIAN: How did y
Page 231 and 232:
Tombrello-243 town, staying in a ve
Page 233 and 234:
Tombrello-245 TOMBRELLO: Somebody v
Page 235 and 236:
Tombrello-247 years before, I’d s
Page 237 and 238:
Tombrello-249 as good as you can im
Page 239 and 240:
Tombrello-251 Los Alamos is a wonde
Page 241 and 242:
Tombrello-253 TOMBRELLO: No. I thin
Page 243 and 244:
Tombrello-255 navy, done the submar
Page 245 and 246:
Tombrello-257 TOMBRELLO: —had don
Page 247 and 248:
Tombrello-259 interesting people wh
Page 249 and 250:
Tombrello-261 putting up a substant
Page 251 and 252:
Tombrello-263 TOMBRELLO: I think so
Page 253 and 254:
Tombrello-265 TOMBRELLO: There were
Page 255 and 256:
Tombrello-267 at that, just to see
Page 257:
Tombrello-269 ASPATURIAN: Is he ori
show all

Interview with Thomas A. Tombrello - Caltech Oral Histories

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?