Once upon a time when I was young and foolish … I’m not young anymore – and long before there was such a thing as “on-line”, I sold textbooks back to the college bookstore after the semester ended. Most of the time, that was OK … but there’s at least one text on physics that even now I wish I had kept. I have the 2nd-semester book – the 2nd in the series – so that must be about the time I wised up.
So after way more formal education than was good for me (while gaining formal education, I lost practical hands-on knowledge. A balance must be maintained … but it is what it is).
A tip-of-the-hat to the professors that made a difference. It’s a pity that it takes sufficient hindsight to recognize the degree of influence. And since I was a not-much-better-than-mediocre student – at least early on, I’m sure I’m not on their lists of “honored” students … but I may be on the list of “remembered” students – although I have a greater suspicion I’m on the list of “Who?”
I’ll also pass on a tip of the hat to the professors that made a difference in a negative manner … but I won’t bother mentioning them even though I learned from them as well. But not what was intended.
Dr. Icantrecall 1: general physics professor during my first attempt at college. His teachings didn’t take right away, but they were there when they needed to be. Actually he was the inspiration for me to continue. It just took a while for his real teaching to sink in.
Dr. Icantrecall 2: physics instructor (spectroscopy) also at my first attempt at college. His teachings led to a life-long interest in such things. One of my most interesting projects at NASA was based on what I learned with him so many decades ago. Still have the text. One of those “outdated” texts that covers the basics to a deeper degree than the newer ones covering the latest and greatest.
Dr. Sam Brown at UF. I got close to ABD … but no cigar. Doesn’t lessen his influence though. That was my “before” life.
Dr. Bruce Johnson, Dr John Kleppe, Dr Gene Kosso at UNR
Drs. Huelsman, Kerwin, and Hamilton at UA
Drs Skokan, Anderson, Knaushaug, and Keller at Mines
Thank you all.
Others had a different sort of influence, but no need to call them out by name.
A special mention to Jake Baker, once of Boise State. I was/am a practicing, experienced, non-academic engineer – not a student. Different methods of thought. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Ask your stock broker. But you wrote a set of the best texts in my field I’ve been aware of. Right up there – maybe above – Gray&Meyer and Allen.
And a very special mention of Garry Cleveland and Jerry Wozniak of Lockheed Space Systems. They taught me how to be an engineer rather than an engineering student.
So anyway, I have an extensive “professional library” of both texts and other books and notes I’ve gathered along the way.
Some of my A-List items are listed. These would be the last I’d get rid of.
In no particular order …
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”5″ display=”pro_mosaic”]That’s good for now.
