加州理工院长98任职演说.doc

演讲稿范文/竞聘演讲稿 加州理工院长98任职演说 加州理工院长98任职演说加州理工院长98任职演说InauguralAddreDr.DavidBaltimoreMarch9,1998Representativesofacademia,electedofficials,ChairmanMooreandothermembersoftheBoardofTrustees,formerPresidentsofCaltech,alumni,Aociates,membersofthefaculty,students,staff-includingalloftheJetPropulsionLaboratorypersoelattendingelectronically-formertraineesfrommyover30yearsinresearch,friendsandmembersofthisgreatcommunity,Ithankyouallsomuchforbeingheretoday.Universitiesareenduringititutio.Theygotogreateffortstomarkthetraitiooftheirleadershipwiththehonoredandhistoricritualofaninauguration.Butthetruthisthattheychangeslowly,andnewchiefadministratorsdonotalterthatmeasuredpace.Thus,thisoverwhelmingevent,markingsuchadeepchangeinmylife,marksbutaslightdeflectionintheestablishedtrajectoryofthisgreatititution.MydeepestgoalaspresidentistomaintaintheeenceofCaltechwhilehelpingitadapttoachangingworld.IwanttobeginthisaddrebythankingallofthemembersoftheCaltechcommunityforthewarmwelcomethatAliceandIhavereceived.YouhavehelpedapairofinveterateEasternersbecomemembersoftwouniquesocieties,thesocietyofCaltechandthesocietyofPasadena.Thesearehistoriccommunitieswithdeepandwonderfulvalues,andwearesogladtohavejoinedthem.Asanoutsiderhere,IveentthelastfivemonthslearningasmuchasIcanaboutCaltech.IwantedtocomprehendtheititutionwellenoughtobeabletohelpitsolvetheinevitableproblemsthatIknowwillarise.Butmoreimportantly,IwantedtodevelopaperectiveonCaltechthatwouldallowmetochoosethekeyelementsonwhichtoworkwiththefaculty-toestablishpriorities.WhatIfoundisamostremarkableititution.Thedepthofscholarship,therigoroftraining,thecommitmenttothehighestidealsofpersonalbehaviormakeCaltechaveryecialplace.Itmanagestocoveranextraordinaryrangeofscientificandtechnicalareaswithaminimalfaculty.Ithasprovidedsomanynewexcitementsforonetrainedinbiologythatithasbeenacontinualfeastforme,andIknowthat therearemanymorefinemealsawaitingme.Itisanititutionthatseeminglylacksacrisis,allowingmetheluxuryofalongperiodofcontemplation.Forthisreite,IowemuchtotheseitivestewardshipofmypredeceorTomEverhart.IstandinaweofCaltechspantheonwhobuiltthisrareititution:Everhart,Goldberger,Brown,DuBridge,Millikan,Noyes,andHale.Whatanacttohavetofollow.AsIhavegatheredknowledgeaboutCaltech,questiohaveoccurredtomewhoseawerscanprovideperectiveforsettingpriorities.ThatisthepositionIminnow-manyquestio,fewawers.Thus,IthoughtIwouldframethisaddrearoundthequestio.Itisanopeninvitationtothemanycotituenciesonthecampustoparticipateinadialogue-theBoardofTrustees,faculty,administrators,students,staff,alumni,andthevariousfriendsofCaltechwhoprovidesuort.Thus,Iwillinthistalkposeanumberofquestio,explainwhyIraisethem,anddrawoutsomeoftheirimplicatio.ThefirstofmyquestioiswhetherCaltechistrulyimmunefromthewindsblowingthroughAmericanacademiclife.Iraisethisbecausethelastdecadehasbeenastormyoneforacademia,withmanyquestioningtheverybasisofscholarshipinboththehumanitiesandthesciences.Thequestionmightbewhetherbyfocusingonscienceandtechnology,Caltechhewstoeternaltruths,orwhethertheself-criticismthattheintellectualworldhasembracedinthelastdecadeshasilledoverintoourbastionofrationality.TheawerIsuectmostwouldgivehereisthatwhiletheculturewarsandthesciencewarshavebeenfuriouslyengagedonthestreetsofBerkeley,NewHaven,Cambridge,andParis,inPasadenatheprogreofsciencecontinuesquietlyandunabated.Notthatwedontreflectonouractivitiesorevenhaveourparticipantsinthewarwehaveallofthat.Itsjustthatwehaveaolutesinwhichwebelieve.Wehaveaolutezeroonthetemperaturescale,weknowthatnothingexceedstheeedoflight.Itisinterestingtocontemplatewhatwouldhaenifourastronomersmeasuredaredshiftindicatingthatagalaxywasrecedingfromusfasterthantheeedoflight.Orifwesomehowrecordedatemperatureofaolutezero,ormadeaperpetualmotionmachine.Inthesesituatio,theexperimentwouldreceivethedeepestscrutinyandonlyintheunlikelycasethatitsurvivedwouldtheorycomeintoquestion.Remembercoldfusion.Butwearewillingtoquestionouraolutes.Ouraolutesarenotsoaolute-theyawaitanexperimentthatcontradictsthem.Theyaretentativeaolutes,andwearecomfortablewiththem,needingnodailyreminderofthethreatthateachexperimentposestoourcomfort.Thatisthecultureofscience,anditisaecialculturethatwelivewith,weteach,andwebelieveinalmostasareligion.Itisaculturethatisincompreheibletothosewhohavenotmanipulatedtheconceptsofscience.Itiulatesusfrommanyoftheself-doubtsofthelargerintellectualworldandallowsustomoveforward.However,weshouldnotbetoocomplacent.Majorchangesarecoursingthroughacademia.Theyarenottheintellectualchallengesfromwhichourcultureimmunizesutheyaretechnologicdevelopmentsandanincreasinglymarket-drivenaroachtoeducation.Wearealreadyreondingtothesenewpreures,incorporatingtechnologyandlookingcarefullyatourcostsandprice.Weareinafavorablepositioneconomicallybecauseofourrelativelylowdependenceontuition.Infact,wearealreadyratedthebestbuyineducation.Furthermore,wehaveaecialproduct,andrightnowtheworldwantstobuyit-alicatioareupsome20againthisyear.Theworldrealizeshowwellweprepareyoungpeopletobescientistsandengineers-thehonorcodeandthesmallnumberofstudentsmakeslearningasharedexperienceofgreatinteity,whileourlaboratoriesprovidethehands-onexperiencethatistheeenceofscience.However,wecaotbecomplacent;weneedtorethinkourvaluesandourvaluecontinuallyinthecontextofotheroortunitiesavailabletostudentsandothermodesofeducation.Letmeturnfromanatractquestiontoaconcreteone.IsCaltechmakingasufficientcontributiontotheeconomiclifeofAmericaandeeciallyofPasadena?Yearsago,CaltechwasthescientificandtechnologicenginethatdrovethedevelopmentoftheaeronauticsindustryinSouthernCalifornia.ThereismuchnewenergyinCaltechthatcouldrepeatthissucce.TheoortunitylevelisparticularlyhighatJPL,whereneceitybreedsinventiononamonumentalscale.Wehavebeguntoreleaseourenergyofiovationtobenefitthelocalcommunityandthecountry,butthereismuchmorewecoulddo.Whathaenedinaeronauticscouldhaenagaininchemistry,biology,computersoftware,electronics,andotherfields,ifweprovidetherightcatalysis.WhyhaveStanfordandMITandevenUCSDbecomeenginesofeconomicgrowthandCaltech,surelyasfecund,livesinacitywithminimalhigh-techinfluence?ThepoliticsofPasadenaarecertainlyaniue,butcouldntCaltechhavemoreimpactifitcommitteditselftothisgoal?AnotherofmyquestioisoneIhaveraisedpubliclyalready,Areweactivelyenoughengagedinpromotingdiversityonthecampus?Iphrasethisasaquestion,butIhavemadeitplainthatIpersonallybelievethatacampusthatbettermirrorsthedemographyofAmericaisdesirable.Increaseddiversityhasthreebenefits.First,itbringstheparticularvaluesofaCaltecheducationtoapartoftheAmericanpublicthattoorarelyhassuchanadvantage.Second,itauresthatotherstudentsatCaltechdevelopanareciationofthevarietyofculturesthatmakeupAmerica,betterpreparingthemforanactiveroleinAmericanlife.Third,througheducatingawidermixofstudents,wecontributetothestabilityandeffectiveneofourdemocraticsociety.IwouldremindyouthatAfricanAmerica,Latinos,andAmericanIndiaaccountforonethirdofthechildrenborninAmericatoday.Meanwhile,thereisanongoingbacklashagaitaffirmativeactionthatisreadingthroughthenation.Minoritygraduatesinengineeringhaveincreasedfromafewhundredperyearintheearly70sto6,000peryeartoday.Thatsagreatachievement,butitisstillfarfromparity,andimprovementwillrequirecontinuedefforts.AnotheraectofthequestionofdiversityistheslowincreaseinthefractionofwomenatCaltech.Whatdoweneedtodotoacceleratethattrend?Themandateisthere:inthestudentlifesurvey,bothmenandwomenatCaltechwantedahigherfractionofwomenstudentsoncampus.Caltechhasforyearsrecognizedtheneedtofocusoniuesofdiversityandhasmadegreatstrides.However,itisanunfinishedagenda,andadifficultone-onlythoughtfulanalysisandcommittedeffortonthepartoftheentirecampuswillmakeithaen.Caltechssmallstudentbodymeathattuitionisasmallpartofourtotalincome.Furthermore,wealreadygivefinancialaidtosome70percentofourstudents.Therefore,weareinaparticularlygoodpositiontouseourfinancialresourcestoshapeourstudentbody.Also,weneedtorememberthatfinancialmattersareonlyapartoftheeduation:wealsomustaskourselveswhetherthecampusiswelcoming,stimulatingandsuortivetoadiversestudentbody.InpaingIreferredtoCaltechasasmallschool,andthatiscertainlytheself-imageofthiscampus.However,interestingthingsemergewhenyouask,InwhatseeisCaltechasmallschool?Therearemanymantrasecifictothiscampusbutnoneisaspervasiveasthestatement,Caltechisasmallschoolandwantstostaysmall.Fromthatshorttheoremmanycorollariesaredrawn.Itcanbecomeanargumentfornottakingnewdirectio,fornothiringmorefaculty,fornotaddingtothestudentbody,forlivingwithale-than-criticalmaoftalentinmanyareasofscienceandengineering.Allofthistomaintainthewonderfulandveryrealvaluesofsmallne-collegiality,encouragementofinterdisciplinaryefforts,focusofactivities,erit.However,inreality,Caltechisactuallysmallonlyinitsnumbersofstudentsandfaculty.IfyoucompareCaltechtootherresearch-inteiveschools,ithasthehighestratioofacetofacultyorfederalsuorttofacultyorprobablyanyothermeasureoftheamountofsciencedoneperfacultymember.Becauseofthehugeoff-campusfacilitiesrunbyCaltech,theenormousplantonthecampus,themanytalentedmembersofthestaffwhoarewhollyinvolvedinresearch,andthepostdoctoralfellows,Caltechisalotbiggerthanitmightseem.Anditisgrowing.UnderTomEverhart,therewereeightbuildingsputupthatincreasedthesquarefootageoncampusby20percent,whilethebudgetincreasedbyareal32percent.Duringthesametime,thefacultyincreasedby6percent,butactuallyitwasstillatalowerlevelthanatanearlierpeak.AnotheraectofCaltechssizeisJPL.IthasabudgetalmostfourtimesthatofCaltechandisgrowing.Caltechisnotreallysmall,itisjustbalanceddifferentlyfromotherschools.Wekeepourfacultyandundergraduatestudentbodysmallandreapthatharvest.Butmeanwhileweallowtheratioofouractivitiestoourfacultytogrowcontinually.Ithinkweneedtoquestionourselvesabouttheimplicatioofthisgrowth.Arewemaintainingsufficientcontroloverourgrowth?Isitaffectingthelifeofthecampus?Howcanwesafeguardthevaluesofsmallne?Letmeturntothedirectionofthestudents.HereIhavewondered,DoesCaltechsufficientlydevelopthoseaectsofthelivesofits20-year-oldundergraduatesthatwillallowthemtobecomethoughtful,balanced,productivemembersofsociety?ItisaquestionthatIaskasIvisittheHousesandmeetwithstudentleaders.ItisaquestionthatIhearfromalumni,manyofwhomseemtofeelthattheyenduredtheirundergraduatedaysratherthanenjoyingthem.Itisadeepquestionaboutvaluesystems.EachCaltechprofeorfeelsthathisorherareaofteachingiscriticallyimportanttothedevelopmentofstudentsandthatleavingoutanyofthegloryofthefieldisacrime.Forthestudentsitbecomesalifeoftryingtokeepupacademicallywithlittletimeforpersonaldevelopment.Weencourageorts,andhavegreatfacilities.Butwedolethanotherschools,evensmallones,toencouragethecreativeartsasextracurricularactivities.TheCaltecheducationconcentratesontheproductsofrationalthought.Weskimpontheotheraectsofsociety,oneslikeartandliteraturewheretheemotionalandpersonalcontentishigher.Wemightseemtooverlookthoseelements,butthatsnotreallythemeagewearesending,becausethatsnotthefacultyIhavecometoknow.Wearecollectorsofart,devoteesofmusic,readersofliterature.ManyofuscoultoutsideCaltechandunderstandthemultiplestraithatcontributetomodernlife.Maybewecoulddomoretobringthatunderstandingtoourstudents.Itisnotaniueofteachingmoreartorliterature.Myexperiencehasbeenthatyoudonotlearnabouttheroleofartorliteratureinclaesbecausetheclaroomisintriicallyananalyticframework-youlearnhowtolookatart,howtolistentomusic,howtounderstandthestructureandhistoryofliterature.Buttherealreasonforthearts,asareflectionofthecomplexityoflifewithitsintricatemixtureofrationality,paion,andhistory,isnottaughtbutratherlearnedbyexperienceintheworld-oftenthroughinteeinteractiowithothers.MighttheCaltechundergraduateexperience,aswonderfulasitis,improvewithmoretimeandoortunityforthestudentstogrowashumanbeings?Ineedtohearmorefromthevariouscotituenciesonthecampusaboutthisiue.Thealumnicanbeparticularlyhelpfulhere.TurningtotheresearchsideofCaltech,Ihaveasked,Howcanwejustifyouractivitiesinaworldthatisbecomingincreasinglymaterialistic?Caltechisagreatundergraduatecollegeandasuperbgraduateschool,butthelargestpartofitsactivitiesisfocusedonresearch.Andeventhoughwehaveanengineeringandaliedsciencedivision,mostoftheresearchisatthemostbasicendoftheectrum.Ourbigitruments,likePalomar,KeckandLIGO,areallattemptstoawerverybasicquestio,liketheageoftheuniverseoritsverynature.JPLismorepracticallyorientedtowardsthemechanicsofexploringace,butitsjustificationisacescience,aweringquestiolikewhetherlifeeverevolvedindependentlyofthatonearth.Afewyearsago,purescienceseemedunderverystrongattack,andthecancellationoftheSuperconductingSupercolliderseemedtheproofthatAmericawasnolongerwillingtosuortbasicscience.Remarkably,thetoneofWashingtonhaschangedrecently,andcongremenarevyingforwhocanpromisemoretotheNationalScienceFoundation,theNationalItitutesofHealth,andotheragencies.AlthoughtheoverallNASAbudgetisbeingreduced,acescienceremaistrong.Americahascertainlybecomemorematerialistic:morestudentsaregoingintobusine,admiiontolawschoolsisverycompetitive,andscienceandevenengineeringarenotdrawinginterestamongyoungAmericathewaytheydidinthedecadesfollowingWorldWarII.However,aswebecomearicherandmorepowerfulnation,theimportanceofscienceasthedriverofcommerceandthegeneratorofgoodhealthhasbecomeincreasinglyevident,andthusscienceisreceivingurecedentedsuort.Whiletakingadvantageofthegovernmentsnewlyfoundinterestinscience,weneedtorememberandtoreaertthevaluesthathavedrivenmostofusintoscience.Itistherushofdiscovery,theexcitementofbeingthefirsttouncoveranewsecretofnature,thesatisfactionofseeingmeycomplexityresolveintoelegantsimplicitythatdrivesmostoftheresearchactivityonthiscampus.Luckily,basicsciencefeedstheneedsofindustry,justifyingitssuort.Butitservesahigherfunction,thatofdemystifyingtheworld,providinganorderlyunderstandingofnaturalprocees.WhenTimemagazinefeaturesascientificstoryonitscover,itsnewtandsalessoar.Scienceservestheneedofpeopletounderstandtheworldaroundthem,andthatunderstandingisoneofourfinestproducts.Althoughscienceisdoingwellnowandhasgreatpublicsuort,therearemajoriuestobefaced.Congremencansuortsciencetodaybecauseoftheextraordinarystrengthoftheeconomyandthepoibilityofawindfallfromthetobaccoindustry.Thatcouldbeephemeral.Also,totakeadvantageoftheavailablefederalfunds,weneedtomakemajorinvestmentsinthecampusinace,facilities,andpeople.Thus,ourdependenceonprivatephilanthropyremaiasgreatasever.WeareluckythatCaltechhassomanyfinefriendswhoareascommittedasthefacultytoCaltechsgreatne.IhavesaidalotaboutwhatIhavelearnedaboutCaltech,butlittleaboutmyself.Letmeendonamorepersonalnote.Ideeplybelieveinthepower,beauty,andcomfortthatcomesfromarationaloutlookontheworld.Inmyyoungeryears,Ihankeredafteraworldinwhichrationalitywouldconqueremotionandbringpeace.Itwasreinforcedinmyearlyschooling-rememberthatIwasinschoolinthepost-WorldWarIIera,whenthecountrywasstillbaskinginthegloryofhavingdefeatedtheirrationalityoftheNazisandwhenthescienceandtechnologythathadwonthewarforuswereseenasthekeytothefuture.EventhephilosophythatthenoosedAmericas,theCommunistphilosophy,seemedtocomefromarationalanalysisofsocietyandseemedahumanealternativetoAmericascapitalistsociety,whichwassohardonthosewhowereunabletocopewithitsdemands.Whenyougrowupwithaworldviewlikethat,thereisacentralaectofsocietythatmakesnosee:politics.Foryears,Isimplycouldnotcomprehendwhatthewordmeant.Whenpeoplesaidthatinmakingdecisio,youneedtocoiderboththerationalelementsofaniueandthepoliticalones,Ididnotunderstandwhattheymeant-whywatrationalityenough?SomywholelifesinceIleftmyparentsnesthasbeenaneducationinirrationality.Ivehadtolearnthatyoucaotdenythepaioofpeople,youmustaccommodatethem;thatyoucaotdenyhistory,youmustaccommodateit.Ithinkthisisaperectivethatallscientistswhoarewillingtoworkwithinthelargersocietyhavetolearn,anditiswhatsometimeslimitstheeffectiveneofscientistswhentheydoventureoutsideoftheirlaboratoriesandititutio.InthefivemonthsthatIhavebeenhere,andintheprecedingfivemonthswhenIwasinthewings,IhavecometoloveCaltech.ItsvaluesareonesinwhichIdeeplybelieve:honesty,clearthinking,hardwork,astrivingforeleganceandnovelty.Caltechdoesthisasacommunity,nottheloose-knitsetofempiresfoundelsewhere.Thecommunityisarichone,includinghumanities,socialsciences,mathematicsandengineering,aswellastheremarkablebasicsciences.Itisarareoneinthedegreeofexcellenceandcommitmentfoundatalllevels,fromthefacultytothosewhomaintainthebeautifulgrounds.PartofthiscommunityistheJetPropulsionLaboratory,auniqueorganizationthataddsaecialdimeiontotheactivitiesofCaltech.Itisanhonorandthedeepestofreoibilitiestoacceptthehelmofthisititution.Thankyousomuchformakingmyfamilyapartofyours.Letusmoveeverforward,surmountingotacles,increasingourreachandourinfluence,holdingtoourvaluesandkeepingCaltechthejewelofacademia.