Interview with Stacey Miller on behalf of father Herman Miller

On Seminar Day—Caltech’s annual reunion event—May 19, 2012, for the first time the Caltech Archives and Library offered alumni/ae the opportunity to record mini-interviews with Archives’ staff. Nine people participated, including one alumni spouse and one daughter. These alums held bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees across several divisions, with engineering marginally in the lead. One former student who transferred out of Caltech came back to relate how well his Caltech years had served him in his later studies and career in psychology. Ranging from 10 to 15 minutes in length, the interviews typically relate stories or episodes from student years. Favorite topics include pranks and traditions, some of which have died out. Alumni also reflect on professors and classes which were memorable and on the unique intellectual stimulus that a Caltech education provides. Readers will find that the transcripts of the short interviews reflect the personal and colloquial tone at which the event aimed.

Interview with Charles W. Peck

Interview in five sessions, October-November 2003, with Charles W. Peck, professor of physics (now emeritus) in the Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy. He recalls his early life in South Texas and his interest in radio; first year of college at Texas Arts & Industries; three more years at New Mexico College of Agriculture & Mechanical Arts. Recalls graduate studies at Caltech with Murray Gell-Mann, H. P. Robertson, Robert Walker, Richard A. Dean, W. R. Smythe. Works on increasing intensity and stability of the Caltech synchrotron, with Walker, Matt Sands, and Alvin Tollestrup; 1964 thesis on K-lambda photoproduction. Joins the faculty as an assistant professor in 1965. Discusses his various teaching assignments, including an embarrassing moment when Richard Feynman attended one of his freshman physics lectures. Discusses his research at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center and Lawrence Radiation Laboratory’s Bevatron. Collaboration with UC Berkeley and SLAC on “crystal ball” detector for SLAC’s SPEAR storage ring. Taking the crystal ball to DESY, in Hamburg. Works with Barry Barish at Gran Sasso laboratory in Italy, on MACRO; search for magnetic monopoles. He also discusses his administration work at Caltech, as executive officer for physics (1983-1986) and as PMA division chair from 1993 to 1998, when he immediately had to deal with the troubles plaguing LIGO [Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory]. Detailed discussion of the LIGO contretemps and how it was settled, and of turning Big Bear Solar Observatory over to the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Advent of David Baltimore as Caltech president; attempt to recruit Ed Witten.

Interview with Hans G. Hornung

An interview in two sessions, June and July 2014, with Hans Georg Hornung, Clarence L. Johnson Professor of Aeronautics, emeritus, in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science. Dr. Hornung describes the origins of the German Templer Colony in Palestine and his upbringing there before and during World War II. Family moves to Templer settlement, Melbourne, Australia, 1948. He attends technical college; University of Melbourne; master’s in engineering, 1962. Researcher, Aeronautical Research Laboratories, Melbourne; PhD, Imperial College, London, 1965. He recalls his academic career at the Australian National University, Canberra (1967-1980); his interest in hypersonics; building free-piston shock tunnel with Raymond Stalker. Sabbatical in Darmstadt with Ernst Becker. Seven years as director of fluid-mechanics institute of the DLR [Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt], in Göttingen. Comes to Caltech in 1987 to succeed Hans W. Liepmann as director of GALCIT [Graduate Aerospace Laboratories, California Institute of Technology]. Recalls his various aero colleagues, his work with Rocketdyne on Caltech’s T5 (successor to Canberra’s T3 shock tunnel) and Ludwieg tube, collaboration with JPL on space program, and work with graduate students Simon Sanderson and Eric Cummings. Discusses his involvement in various scientific societies and his current activities and continuing research as an emeritus professor.

Interview with Dana L. Roth

An interview in four sessions, January and February 2014, with longtime Caltech chemistry librarian Dana L. Roth. Roth received his undergraduate education at Pasadena City College and UCLA (BS in chemistry, 1962). In 1965, he received master’s degrees in chemistry from Caltech and in library science from UCLA; that summer, he became Caltech’s chemistry librarian. After consolidation of Caltech’s division libraries in Millikan Library in 1967, he undertook various administrative responsibilities at Millikan over the years, along with his continuing duties as chemistry librarian. Active in the chemistry division of the Special Libraries Association. In 2008, inducted into the SLA Hall of Fame. That year he also received the Thomas W. Schmitt Staff Prize, presented to a Caltech staff member whose contributions “embody the values and spirit that enable the institute to achieve excellence in research and education.” Retired April 2013. In this interview he discusses his initial education as a chemist, including his graduate education at Caltech, and his switch to library science. He traces the development of library science in general and at Caltech—from the card-catalog days to the growth of the electronic Caltech Library system and the present state of online access and databases.