Interview with Thomas A. Tombrello - Caltech Oral Histories

Tombrello–x
206-213
Establishes (with D. Tirrell) interdisciplinary campus nanotechnology center with Moore and
Kavli Foundation support: concept and strategy underlying fund-raising proposal; appointment
of M. Roukes and A. Scherer as directors. Establishes (with C. Elachi) joint appointments
program between PMA and JPL; comments on Caltech’s and PMA’s relationship with JPL and
Caltech. Large-telescope competition with Carnegie Institution: process of site selection in
Hawaii for TMT; dealing with state and local politics in Hawaii.
213-220
Caltech’s academic divisions compared to different nations; collegiality within PMA. Meets
with both success and setbacks in efforts to raise quality of mathematics department through
high-powered recruitment. “Always go after the best people”: M. Mirzakhani, E. Lindenstrauss,
D. Calegari, A. Borodin. Undergraduate physics Wunderkind C. Hirata returns to PMA as
faculty member. Harvard physicist L. Randall’s experiences as visiting professor at Caltech.
220-225
Current participation in USC–National Cancer Institute research project; interest in application
of Hubbert’s Peak to coal reserves. Recollections of A. Lange as “superb scientist;” fund-raising
efforts on Lange’s behalf with trustees and with W. M. Keck Foundation. Elaborates on
philosophy of dealing with donors. Recent NASA administrators and JPL; status of Mars
Science Laboratory mission.
225-231
Voyager mission and mission’s presiding “genius” E. Stone. Stone as Voyager project scientist,
PMA division chair, director of JPL, and head of CARA oversight board for Keck Observatory.
Story behind selection of D. Goldin to head NASA. Stone’s advocacy of Total Quality
Management at JPL. Loss of JPL Mars Polar Lander and Mars Climate Orbiter. C. Elachi as
director of JPL. Decision to float Caltech municipal bond issue to underwrite cost of TMT
design study. Recalls budgetary coup at Schlumberger.
232-234
Selection of Pritzker Prize winner T. Mayne as architect for Cahill Center for Astronomy and
Astrophysics; Mayne’s approach to building’s design and his working relationship with
Tombrello; reaction of donor Cahill and others to Cahill building; thoughts on how buildings
evolve.
Session 9
235-238
Recalls friendship with 1960s Kellogg graduate students L. Senhouse and A. Bacher. Current
friendship with Caltech trustee S. Malcolm. Nuclear spectroscopy work with graduate students
in 1960s. Begins transition into other research areas in late sixties.
238-241
Collaborates on field experiments in earthquake prediction in 1970s. Project’s progress and
setbacks and unfortunate loss of funding a year before 1987 Whittier Narrows quake.
http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechOH:OH_Tombrello_T