MIT Class of 1963, Class
Notes for June 2001 issue of Technology Review:
Here are some short notes, mostly from Alumni Fund envelope flaps: Thomas Sheriff is still finding his work as General Counsel of World Vision International challenging and satisfying. World Vision is an international relief and development organization. His wife, Sylvia, continues to enjoy teaching second grade, though Thomas says he doesn't know how she faces the kids every day. Bill Jessiman, my former teammate on the freshman basketball team of 1959-60, is working at American Airlines, negotiating contracts with pilots and flight attendants. He says he's still enjoying it, despite reports of labor conflicts you might read about in the press. Phil Marcus is in his 12th year of independent computer consulting focusing on database solutions. His son, Gary, (MIT Ph.D. 1993 in Brain and Cognitive Sciences) has a new book out this year, and his daughter, Julie, age 12 is doing well in middle school. Roger Hinrichs continues as chair of the physics department at SUNY-Oswego. He recently finished the third edition of his textbook, "Energy", which has been used at MIT. Garret Stone joined FunMail, Inc. of Pleasanton, CA as VP of business development in June 2000. FunMail is an animated instant messaging system for desktop PCs, and after an early 2001 launch on the NTT DoCoMo "i-mode" system in Tokyo FunMail will also provide animated instant messaging on cell phones. You can try it at www.funmail.com. John Brach, who lives in Atlanta, is consulting part time with Urban Engineers of Philadelphia. John's favorite activities are bass and trout fishing. He has a bass boat and usually fishes Lake Lanier. In my last column I mentioned that Steve Kaufman stepped down as CEO of Arrow Electronics in July 2000. A more recent note tells us that in Feb. 2001 he started teaching at Harvard's Business School. A press release from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers reveals that E. Allen Womack was named a Fellow of ASME in January. He received his bachelor's, masters, and doctoral degrees in course 8 (physics), and lives and works in Lynchburg, VA, where he is president of BWX Technologies, Inc. Ira Blumenthal reports that his daughter, Robin, and her husband, Luc Verbist, became the proud parents of a daughter, Emma Adelaine, born January 17 in Palo Alto. This is Ira's first grandchild. Welcome to the club Grandpa Ira.
More and more of us are retiring. After 26 years Forrest Tomes recently left Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, IA. Forrest and Bunnie live in Cedar Rapids and look forward to travel and active retirement investing. Gerald Scott retired from Oak Ridge National Lab in Jan 2001, and plans to do some part time engineering and consulting. Gustav Dreier, who graduated in course 16 (aero-astro), is now enjoying retirement. Gustav is living in upstate NY and is active in competitive rifle shooting. He is the current Senior National Service Rifle Champion.
Cynthia Kolb Whitney is the editor and publisher of Galilean Electrodynamics – a somewhat dissident physics journal that, she says, seems mainly to serve electrical engineers nursing deep questions about modern physics. She finds it fascinating. Being a physicist by training (though not a dissident) I looked up the journal's web site and downloaded an article called "Rectifying Glitches and Omissions in Early Physics." This article talks about getting the details right in basic physical theories, Maxwell's equations for example. The author points out that details are often glossed over with simplistic arguments – the kind we often got in 8.01, 2, 3, and 4. But there is often interesting and important physics buried in these details.
On a sad note I report the passing of Seth Curlin, who died 3/28/99. Seth graduated in Course 4 (architecture) and was practicing with Restoration Associates in San Francisco at the time of his death. The note from his business partner accompanying the obituary notice said that Seth regarded his years at MIT as hard but wonderful. Our condolences to his family.
From time to time I've reported information about the students supported by your contributions to the Class of 1963 Scholarship Fund and the Phi Delta Theta Class of 1963 Scholarship Fund. Class President Larry Krakauer sent me a copy of a letter from Ryan Klimczak, '04, one of the students supported by the former. Ryan is from Illinois and was valedictorian of his class at Rolling Hills High School. At MIT he's leaning toward a major in chemical engineering. Ryan lives near Kenmore Square and Fenway Park, and he writes that, "Growing up as a suburbanite, I find living in the city much more vibrant." He reports for The Tech, plays intramural sports, participates in some "crazy" experiments here and there, and works as an officer in his residence house. Over Independent Activities Period in January he worked at home to raise money for the spring semester. Ryan tells our class, "Thanks for the funds which were made available by your generous [Class of 1963] scholarship. Without this grant it would definitely be difficult, if not impossible, for me to afford the tremendous debts and expenses at this school. Your funds have given me the opportunity to attend one of the greatest and most prestigious of schools in the world…Thank you for helping me to attend MIT." Paula Vo, '01, another student we supported, just graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. Paula was a resident of Next House and worked in the Media Lab. Mathew Leal, '04, was valedictorian of his high school class in Ludlow, MA. In high school Matthew was class president for two years, and played the saxophone in the concert, marching and jazz bands. In his spare time (hahaha!) Matthew attained the rank of Eagle Scout. AT MIT he intends to major in mathematics. The Phi Delta Theta scholarship supported Manuel Martinez, '01, of Little Falls, NJ who just graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. At MIT Manuel played intramural hockey, polished his trumpet skills, and did some woodworking and bicycling. He worked in the Lab for Manufacturing Productivity and plans to pursue a career in product development and design.
On a personal note, next month Barbara and I will be heading East. One week last summer we rented a house on Lake Sunapee in western New Hampshire, and our daughters and their families came north and joined us. It was so much fun we're doing it again. I'm looking forward to canoeing on the lake in the early morning – just the great blue herons and me. I may live in California, but New England still exerts a powerful pull.
All alumni now receive Technology Review, so we've expanded our audience for this column. That's good, because I've run out of my backlog of information. Take a minute and send me a note – with E-mail it's easy. I'd especially like to hear from classmates who haven't written or been in contact with MIT for a long time – let me know what you're doing. You can reach me at: Mike Bertin, 22 Gillman St, Irvine, CA 92612. E-mail: MCB1@aol.com. If you want to schmooze, call me at (949) 786-9450.