加州理工院长98任职演说

InauguralAddre

Dr.DavidBaltimore

March9,1998

Representativesofacademia,electedofficials,ChairmanMooreand

othermembersoftheBoardofTrustees,formerPresidentsof

Caltech,alumni,Aociates,membersofthefaculty,students,

staff--includingalloftheJetPropulsionLaboratorypersoel

attendingelectronically--formertraineesfrommyover30yearsin

research,friendsandmembersofthisgreatcommunity,Ithankyou

allsomuchforbeingheretoday.

Universitiesareenduringititutio.Theygotogreateffortsto

markthetraitiooftheirleadershipwiththehonoredand

historicritualofaninauguration.Butthetruthisthatthey

changeslowly,andnewchiefadministratorsdonotalterthat

measuredpace.Thus,thisoverwhelmingevent,markingsuchadeep

changeinmylife,marksbutaslightdeflectionintheestablished

trajectoryofthisgreatititution.Mydeepestgoalaspresident

istomaintaintheeenceofCaltechwhilehelpingitadapttoa

changingworld.

Iwanttobeginthisaddrebythankingallofthemembersofthe

CaltechcommunityforthewarmwelcomethatAliceandIhave

received.YouhavehelpedapairofinveterateEasternersbecome

membersoftwouniquesocieties,thesocietyofCaltechandthe

societyofPasadena.Thesearehistoriccommunitieswithdeepand

wonderfulvalues,andwearesogladtohavejoinedthem.

Asanoutsiderhere,I’veentthelastfivemonthslearningas

muchasIcanaboutCaltech.Iwantedtocomprehendtheititution

wellenoughtobeabletohelpitsolvetheinevitableproblems

thatIknowwillarise.Butmoreimportantly,Iwantedtodevelopa

perectiveonCaltechthatwouldallowmetochoosethekey

elementsonwhichtoworkwiththefaculty--toestablish

priorities.

WhatIfoundisamostremarkableititution.Thedepthof

scholarship,therigoroftraining,thecommitmenttothehighest

idealsofpersonalbehaviormakeCaltechaveryecialplace.It

managestocoveranextraordinaryrangeofscientificandtechnical

areaswithaminimalfaculty.Ithasprovidedsomanynew

excitementsforonetrainedinbiologythatithasbeenacontinual

feastforme,andIknowthattherearemanymorefinemeals

awaitingme.Itisanititutionthatseeminglylacksacrisis,

allowingmetheluxuryofalongperiodofcontemplation.Forthis

reite,Iowemuchtotheseitivestewardshipofmypredeceor

TomEverhart.IstandinaweofCaltech’spantheonwhobuiltthis

rareititution:Everhart,Goldberger,Brown,DuBridge,Millikan,

Noyes,andHale.Whatanacttohavetofollow.

AsIhavegatheredknowledgeaboutCaltech,questiohaveoccurred

tomewhoseawerscanprovideperectiveforsettingpriorities.

ThatisthepositionI’minnow--manyquestio,fewawers.Thus,

IthoughtIwouldframethisaddrearoundthequestio.Itisan

openinvitationtothemanycotituenciesonthecampusto

participateinadialogue--theBoardofTrustees,faculty,

administrators,students,staff,alumni,andthevariousfriendsof

Caltechwhoprovidesuort.Thus,Iwillinthistalkposea

numberofquestio,explainwhyIraisethem,anddrawoutsomeof

theirimplicatio.

ThefirstofmyquestioiswhetherCaltechistrulyimmunefrom

thewindsblowingthroughAmericanacademiclife.Iraisethis

becausethelastdecadehasbeenastormyoneforacademia,with

manyquestioningtheverybasisofscholarshipinboththe

humanitiesandthesciences.Thequestionmightbewhetherby

focusingonscienceandtechnology,Caltechhewstoeternaltruths,

orwhethertheself-criticismthattheintellectualworldhas

embracedinthelastdecadeshasilledoverintoourbastionof

rationality.TheawerIsuectmostwouldgivehereisthat

whiletheculturewarsandthesciencewarshavebeenfuriously

engagedonthestreetsofBerkeley,NewHaven,Cambridge,and

Paris,inPasadenatheprogreofsciencecontinuesquietlyand

unabated.Notthatwedon’treflectonouractivitiesorevenhave

ourparticipantsinthewarwehaveallofthat.It’sjustthat

wehaveaolutesinwhichwebelieve.Wehaveaolutezeroonthe

temperaturescale,weknowthatnothingexceedstheeedoflight.

Itisinterestingtocontemplatewhatwouldhaenifour

astronomersmeasuredaredshiftindicatingthatagalaxywas

recedingfromusfasterthantheeedoflight.Orifwesomehow

recordedatemperatureofaolutezero,ormadeaperpetualmotion

machine.Inthesesituatio,theexperimentwouldreceivethe

deepestscrutinyandonlyintheunlikelycasethatitsurvived

wouldtheorycomeintoquestion.Remembercoldfusion.Butweare

willingtoquestionouraolutes.Ouraolutesarenotso

aolute--theyawaitanexperimentthatcontradictsthem.Theyare

tentativeaolutes,andwearecomfortablewiththem,needingno

dailyreminderofthethreatthateachexperimentposestoour

comfort.Thatisthecultureofscience,anditisaecial

culturethatwelivewith,weteach,andwebelieveinalmostasa

religion.Itisaculturethatisincompreheibletothosewho

havenotmanipulatedtheconceptsofscience.Itiulatesusfrom

manyoftheself-doubtsofthelargerintellectualworldandallows

ustomoveforward.

However,weshouldnotbetoocomplacent.Majorchangesare

coursingthroughacademia.Theyarenottheintellectualchallenges

fromwhichourcultureimmunizesutheyaretechnologic

developmentsandanincreasinglymarket-drivenaroachto

education.Wearealreadyreondingtothesenewpreures,

incorporatingtechnologyandlookingcarefullyatourcostsand

price.Weareinafavorablepositioneconomicallybecauseofour

relativelylowdependenceontuition.Infact,wearealreadyrated

thebestbuyineducation.Furthermore,wehaveaecialproduct,

andrightnowtheworldwantstobuyit--alicatioareupsome

20againthisyear.Theworldrealizeshowwellweprepareyoung

peopletobescientistsandengineers--thehonorcodeandthesmall

numberofstudentsmakeslearningasharedexperienceofgreat

inteity,whileourlaboratoriesprovidethehands-onexperience

thatistheeenceofscience.However,wecaotbecomplacent;

weneedtorethinkourvaluesandourvaluecontinuallyinthe

contextofotheroortunitiesavailabletostudentsandother

modesofeducation.

Letmeturnfromanatractquestiontoaconcreteone."Is

Caltechmakingasufficientcontributiontotheeconomiclifeof

AmericaandeeciallyofPasadena?"Yearsago,Caltechwasthe

scientificandtechnologicenginethatdrovethedevelopmentofthe

aeronauticsindustryinSouthernCalifornia.Thereismuchnew

energyinCaltechthatcouldrepeatthissucce.Theoortunity

levelisparticularlyhighatJPL,whereneceitybreedsinvention

onamonumentalscale.Wehavebeguntoreleaseourenergyof

iovationtobenefitthelocalcommunityandthecountry,but

thereismuchmorewecoulddo.Whathaenedinaeronauticscould

haenagaininchemistry,biology,computersoftware,electronics,

andotherfields,ifweprovidetherightcatalysis.Whyhave

StanfordandMITandevenUCSDbecomeenginesofeconomicgrowth

andCaltech,surelyasfecund,livesinacitywithminimal

high-techinfluence?ThepoliticsofPasadenaarecertainlyan

iue,butcouldn’tCaltechhavemoreimpactifitcommitteditself

tothisgoal?

AnotherofmyquestioisoneIhaveraisedpubliclyalready,"Are

weactivelyenoughengagedinpromotingdiversityonthecampus?"I

phrasethisasaquestion,butIhavemadeitplainthatI

personallybelievethatacampusthatbettermirrorsthedemography

ofAmericaisdesirable.

Increaseddiversityhasthreebenefits.First,itbringsthe

particularvaluesofaCaltecheducationtoapartoftheAmerican

publicthattoorarelyhassuchanadvantage.Second,itaures

thatotherstudentsatCaltechdevelopanareciationofthe

varietyofculturesthatmakeupAmerica,betterpreparingthemfor

anactiveroleinAmericanlife.Third,througheducatingawider

mixofstudents,wecontributetothestabilityandeffectivene

ofourdemocraticsociety.IwouldremindyouthatAfrican

America,Latinos,andAmericanIndiaaccountforonethirdof

thechildrenborninAmericatoday.Meanwhile,thereisanongoing

backlashagaitaffirmativeactionthatisreadingthroughthe

nation.Minoritygraduatesinengineeringhaveincreasedfromafew

hundredperyearintheearly’70sto6,000peryeartoday.That’s

agreatachievement,butitisstillfarfromparity,and

improvementwillrequirecontinuedefforts.

Anotheraectofthequestionofdiversityistheslowincreasein

thefractionofwomenatCaltech.Whatdoweneedtodoto

acceleratethattrend?Themandateisthere:inthestudentlife

survey,bothmenandwomenatCaltechwantedahigherfractionof

womenstudentsoncampus.

Caltechhasforyearsrecognizedtheneedtofocusoniuesof

diversityandhasmadegreatstrides.However,itisanunfinished

agenda,andadifficultone--onlythoughtfulanalysisandcommitted

effortonthepartoftheentirecampuswillmakeithaen.

Caltech’ssmallstudentbodymeathattuitionisasmallpartof

ourtotalincome.Furthermore,wealreadygivefinancialaidto

some70percentofourstudents.Therefore,weareina

particularlygoodpositiontouseourfinancialresourcestoshape

ourstudentbody.Also,weneedtorememberthatfinancialmatters

areonlyapartoftheeduation:wealsomustaskourselveswhether

thecampusiswelcoming,stimulatingandsuortivetoadiverse

studentbody.

InpaingIreferredtoCaltechasasmallschool,andthatis

certainlytheself-imageofthiscampus.However,interesting

thingsemergewhenyouask,"InwhatseeisCaltechasmall

school?"

Therearemanymantrasecifictothiscampusbutnoneisas

pervasiveasthestatement,"Caltechisasmallschoolandwantsto

staysmall."Fromthatshorttheoremmanycorollariesaredrawn.It

canbecomeanargumentfornottakingnewdirectio,fornot

hiringmorefaculty,fornotaddingtothestudentbody,forliving

withale-than-criticalmaoftalentinmanyareasofscience

andengineering.Allofthistomaintainthewonderfulandvery

realvaluesofsmallne--collegiality,encouragementof

interdisciplinaryefforts,focusofactivities,erit.However,in

reality,Caltechisactuallysmallonlyinitsnumbersofstudents

andfaculty.IfyoucompareCaltechtootherresearch-inteive

schools,ithasthehighestratioofacetofacultyorfederal

suorttofacultyorprobablyanyothermeasureoftheamountof

sciencedoneperfacultymember.Becauseofthehugeoff-campus

facilitiesrunbyCaltech,theenormousplantonthecampus,the

manytalentedmembersofthestaffwhoarewhollyinvolvedin

research,andthepostdoctoralfellows,Caltechisalotbigger

thanitmightseem.Anditisgrowing.UnderTomEverhart,there

wereeightbuildingsputupthatincreasedthesquarefootageon

campusby20percent,whilethebudgetincreasedbyareal32

percent.Duringthesametime,thefacultyincreasedby6percent,

butactuallyitwasstillatalowerlevelthanatanearlierpeak.

AnotheraectofCaltech’ssizeisJPL.Ithasabudgetalmost

fourtimesthatofCaltechandisgrowing.

Caltechisnotreallysmall,itisjustbalanceddifferentlyfrom

otherschools.Wekeepourfacultyandundergraduatestudentbody

smallandreapthatharvest.Butmeanwhileweallowtheratioof

ouractivitiestoourfacultytogrowcontinually.Ithinkweneed

toquestionourselvesabouttheimplicatioofthisgrowth.Arewe

maintainingsufficientcontroloverourgrowth?Isitaffectingthe

lifeofthecampus?Howcanwesafeguardthevaluesofsmallne?

Letmeturntothedirectionofthestudents.HereIhavewondered,

"DoesCaltechsufficientlydevelopthoseaectsofthelivesof

its20-year-oldundergraduatesthatwillallowthemtobecome

thoughtful,balanced,productivemembersofsociety?"Itisa

questionthatIaskasIvisittheHousesandmeetwithstudent

leaders.ItisaquestionthatIhearfromalumni,manyofwhom

seemtofeelthattheyenduredtheirundergraduatedaysratherthan

enjoyingthem.Itisadeepquestionaboutvaluesystems.Each

Caltechprofeorfeelsthathisorherareaofteachingis

criticallyimportanttothedevelopmentofstudentsandthat

leavingoutanyofthegloryofthefieldisacrime.Forthe

studentsitbecomesalifeoftryingtokeepupacademicallywith

littletimeforpersonaldevelopment.Weencourageorts,andhave

greatfacilities.Butwedolethanotherschools,evensmall

ones,toencouragethecreativeartsasextracurricularactivities.

TheCaltecheducationconcentratesontheproductsofrational

thought.Weskimpontheotheraectsofsociety,oneslikeart

andliteraturewheretheemotionalandpersonalcontentishigher.

Wemightseemtooverlookthoseelements,butthat’snotreallythe

meagewearesending,becausethat’snotthefacultyIhavecome

toknow.Wearecollectorsofart,devoteesofmusic,readersof

literature.ManyofuscoultoutsideCaltechandunderstandthe

multiplestraithatcontributetomodernlife.Maybewecoulddo

moretobringthatunderstandingtoourstudents.Itisnotan

iueofteachingmoreartorliterature.Myexperiencehasbeen

thatyoudonotlearnabouttheroleofartorliteraturein

claesbecausetheclaroomisintriicallyananalytic

framework--youlearnhowtolookatart,howtolistentomusic,

howtounderstandthestructureandhistoryofliterature.Butthe

realreasonforthearts,asareflectionofthecomplexityoflife

withitsintricatemixtureofrationality,paion,andhistory,is

nottaughtbutratherlearnedbyexperienceintheworld--often

throughinteeinteractiowithothers.MighttheCaltech

undergraduateexperience,aswonderfulasitis,improvewithmore

timeandoortunityforthestudentstogrowashumanbeings?I

needtohearmorefromthevariouscotituenciesonthecampus

aboutthisiue.Thealumnicanbeparticularlyhelpfulhere.

TurningtotheresearchsideofCaltech,Ihaveasked,"Howcanwe

justifyouractivitiesinaworldthatisbecomingincreasingly

materialistic?"Caltechisagreatundergraduatecollegeanda

superbgraduateschool,butthelargestpartofitsactivitiesis

focusedonresearch.Andeventhoughwehaveanengineeringand

aliedsciencedivision,mostoftheresearchisatthemostbasic

endoftheectrum.Ourbigitruments,likePalomar,Keckand

LIGO,areallattemptstoawerverybasicquestio,liketheage

oftheuniverseoritsverynature.JPLismorepractically

orientedtowardsthemechanicsofexploringace,butits

justificationisacescience,aweringquestiolikewhether

lifeeverevolvedindependentlyofthatonearth.Afewyearsago,

purescienceseemedunderverystrongattack,andthecancellation

oftheSuperconductingSupercolliderseemedtheproofthatAmerica

wasnolongerwillingtosuortbasicscience.Remarkably,the

toneofWashingtonhaschangedrecently,andcongremenarevying

forwhocanpromisemoretotheNationalScienceFoundation,the

NationalItitutesofHealth,andotheragencies.Althoughthe

overallNASAbudgetisbeingreduced,acescienceremaistrong.

Americahascertainlybecomemorematerialistic:morestudentsare

goingintobusine,admiiontolawschoolsisverycompetitive,

andscienceandevenengineeringarenotdrawinginterestamong

youngAmericathewaytheydidinthedecadesfollowingWorldWar

II.However,aswebecomearicherandmorepowerfulnation,the

importanceofscienceasthedriverofcommerceandthegenerator

ofgoodhealthhasbecomeincreasinglyevident,andthusscienceis

receivingurecedentedsuort.

Whiletakingadvantageofthegovernment’snewlyfoundinterestin

science,weneedtorememberandtoreaertthevaluesthathave

drivenmostofusintoscience.Itistherushofdiscovery,the

excitementofbeingthefirsttouncoveranewsecretofnature,

thesatisfactionofseeingmeycomplexityresolveintoelegant

simplicitythatdrivesmostoftheresearchactivityonthis

campus.Luckily,basicsciencefeedstheneedsofindustry,

justifyingitssuort.Butitservesahigherfunction,thatof

demystifyingtheworld,providinganorderlyunderstandingof

naturalprocees.WhenTimemagazinefeaturesascientificstory

onitscover,itsnewtandsalessoar.Scienceservestheneedof

peopletounderstandtheworldaroundthem,andthatunderstanding

isoneofourfinestproducts.

Althoughscienceisdoingwellnowandhasgreatpublicsuort,

therearemajoriuestobefaced.Congremencansuortscience

todaybecauseoftheextraordinarystrengthoftheeconomyandthe

poibilityofawindfallfromthetobaccoindustry.Thatcouldbe

ephemeral.Also,totakeadvantageoftheavailablefederalfunds,

weneedtomakemajorinvestmentsinthecampusinace,

facilities,andpeople.Thus,ourdependenceonprivate

philanthropyremaiasgreatasever.WeareluckythatCaltech

hassomanyfinefriendswhoareascommittedasthefacultyto

Caltech’sgreatne.

IhavesaidalotaboutwhatIhavelearnedaboutCaltech,but

littleaboutmyself.Letmeendonamorepersonalnote.Ideeply

believeinthepower,beauty,andcomfortthatcomesfroma

rationaloutlookontheworld.Inmyyoungeryears,Ihankered

afteraworldinwhichrationalitywouldconqueremotionandbring

peace.Itwasreinforcedinmyearlyschooling--rememberthatIwas

inschoolinthepost-WorldWarIIera,whenthecountrywasstill

baskinginthegloryofhavingdefeatedtheirrationalityofthe

Nazisandwhenthescienceandtechnologythathadwonthewarfor

uswereseenasthekeytothefuture.Eventhephilosophythat

thenoosedAmerica’s,theCommunistphilosophy,seemedtocome

fromarationalanalysisofsocietyandseemedahumanealternative

toAmerica’scapitalistsociety,whichwassohardonthosewho

wereunabletocopewithitsdemands.

Whenyougrowupwithaworldviewlikethat,thereisacentral

aectofsocietythatmakesnosee:politics.Foryears,I

simplycouldnotcomprehendwhatthewordmeant.Whenpeoplesaid

thatinmakingdecisio,youneedtocoiderboththerational

elementsofaniueandthepoliticalones,Ididnotunderstand

whattheymeant--whywa’trationalityenough?Somywholelife

sinceIleftmyparents’nesthasbeenaneducationin

irrationality.I’vehadtolearnthatyoucaotdenythepaio

ofpeople,youmustaccommodatethem;thatyoucaotdenyhistory,

youmustaccommodateit.Ithinkthisisaperectivethatall

scientistswhoarewillingtoworkwithinthelargersocietyhave

tolearn,anditiswhatsometimeslimitstheeffectiveneof

scientistswhentheydoventureoutsideoftheirlaboratoriesand

ititutio.

InthefivemonthsthatIhavebeenhere,andintheprecedingfive

monthswhenIwasinthewings,IhavecometoloveCaltech.Its

valuesareonesinwhichIdeeplybelieve:honesty,clearthinking,

hardwork,astrivingforeleganceandnovelty.Caltechdoesthis

asacommunity,nottheloose-knitsetofempiresfoundelsewhere.

Thecommunityisarichone,includinghumanities,socialsciences,

mathematicsandengineering,aswellastheremarkablebasic

sciences.Itisarareoneinthedegreeofexcellenceand

commitmentfoundatalllevels,fromthefacultytothosewho

maintainthebeautifulgrounds.PartofthiscommunityistheJet

PropulsionLaboratory,auniqueorganizationthataddsaecial

dimeiontotheactivitiesofCaltech.Itisanhonorandthe

deepestofreoibilitiestoacceptthehelmofthisititution.

Thankyousomuchformakingmyfamilyapartofyours.Letusmove

everforward,surmountingotacles,increasingourreachandour

influence,holdingtoourvaluesandkeepingCaltechthejewelof

academia.