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,seemedtocomefromarationalanalysisof