2023年加州理工排名_加州理工院长98任职演说.docx

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1、2023年加州理工排名_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-includingalloftheJetPropulsionLaboratoryp

2、ersoelattendingelectronically-formertraineesfrommyover30yearsinresearch,friendsandmembersofthisgreatcommunity,Ithankyouallsomuchforbeingheretoday.Universitiesareenduringititutio.Theygotogreateffortstomarkthetraitiooftheirleadershipwiththehonoredandhistoricritualofaninauguration.Butthetruthisthatthey

3、changeslowly,andnewchiefadministratorsdonotalterthatmeasuredpace.Thus,thisoverwhelmingevent,markingsuchadeepchangeinmylife,marksbutaslightdeflectionintheestablishedtrajectoryofthisgreatititution.MydeepestgoalaspresidentistomaintaintheeenceofCaltechwhilehelpingitadapttoachangingworld.Iwanttobeginthis

4、addrebythankingallofthemembersoftheCaltechcommunityforthewarmwelcomethatAliceandIhavereceived.YouhavehelpedapairofinveterateEasternersbecomemembersoftwouniquesocieties,thesocietyofCaltechandthesocietyofPasadena.Thesearehistoriccommunitieswithdeepandwonderfulvalues,andwearesogladtohavejoinedthem.Asan

5、outsiderhere,IveentthelastfivemonthslearningasmuchasIcanaboutCaltech.IwantedtocomprehendtheititutionwellenoughtobeabletohelpitsolvetheinevitableproblemsthatIknowwillarise.Butmoreimportantly,IwantedtodevelopaperectiveonCaltechthatwouldallowmetochoosethekeyelementsonwhichtoworkwiththefaculty-toestabli

6、shpriorities.WhatIfoundisamostremarkableititution.Thedepthofscholarship,therigoroftraining,thecommitmenttothehighestidealsofpersonalbehaviormakeCaltechaveryecialplace.Itmanagestocoveranextraordinaryrangeofscientificandtechnicalareaswithaminimalfaculty.Ithasprovidedsomanynewexcitementsforonetrainedin

7、biologythatithasbeenacontinualfeastforme,andIknowthattherearemanymorefinemealsawaitingme.Itisanititutionthatseeminglylacksacrisis,allowingmetheluxuryofalongperiodofcontemplation.Forthisreite,IowemuchtotheseitivestewardshipofmypredeceorTomEverhart.IstandinaweofCaltechspantheonwhobuiltthisrareititutio

8、n:Everhart,Goldberger,Brown,DuBridge,Millikan,Noyes,andHale.Whatanacttohavetofollow.AsIhavegatheredknowledgeaboutCaltech,questiohaveoccurredtomewhoseawerscanprovideperectiveforsettingpriorities.ThatisthepositionIminnow-manyquestio,fewawers.Thus,IthoughtIwouldframethisaddrearoundthequestio.Itisanopen

9、invitationtothemanycotituenciesonthecampustoparticipateinadialogue-theBoardofTrustees,faculty,administrators,students,staff,alumni,andthevariousfriendsofCaltechwhoprovidesuort.Thus,Iwillinthistalkposeanumberofquestio,explainwhyIraisethem,anddrawoutsomeoftheirimplicatio.ThefirstofmyquestioiswhetherCa

10、ltechistrulyimmunefromthewindsblowingthroughAmericanacademiclife.Iraisethisbecausethelastdecadehasbeenastormyoneforacademia,withmanyquestioningtheverybasisofscholarshipinboththehumanitiesandthesciences.Thequestionmightbewhetherbyfocusingonscienceandtechnology,Caltechhewstoeternaltruths,orwhetherthes

11、elf-criticismthattheintellectualworldhasembracedinthelastdecadeshasilledoverintoourbastionofrationality.TheawerIsuectmostwouldgivehereisthatwhiletheculturewarsandthesciencewarshavebeenfuriouslyengagedonthestreetsofBerkeley,NewHaven,Cambridge,andParis,inPasadenatheprogreofsciencecontinuesquietlyandun

12、abated.Notthatwedontreflectonouractivitiesorevenhaveourparticipantsinthewarwehaveallofthat.Itsjustthatwehaveaolutesinwhichwebelieve.Wehaveaolutezeroonthetemperaturescale,weknowthatnothingexceedstheeedoflight.Itisinterestingtocontemplatewhatwouldhaenifourastronomersmeasuredaredshiftindicatingthatagal

13、axywasrecedingfromusfasterthantheeedoflight.Orifwesomehowrecordedatemperatureofaolutezero,ormadeaperpetualmotionmachine.Inthesesituatio,theexperimentwouldreceivethedeepestscrutinyandonlyintheunlikelycasethatitsurvivedwouldtheorycomeintoquestion.Remembercoldfusion.Butwearewillingtoquestionouraolutes.

14、Ouraolutesarenotsoaolute-theyawaitanexperimentthatcontradictsthem.Theyaretentativeaolutes,andwearecomfortablewiththem,needingnodailyreminderofthethreatthateachexperimentposestoourcomfort.Thatisthecultureofscience,anditisaecialculturethatwelivewith,weteach,andwebelieveinalmostasareligion.Itisaculture

15、thatisincompreheibletothosewhohavenotmanipulatedtheconceptsofscience.Itiulatesusfrommanyoftheself-doubtsofthelargerintellectualworldandallowsustomoveforward.However,weshouldnotbetoocomplacent.Majorchangesarecoursingthroughacademia.Theyarenottheintellectualchallengesfromwhichourcultureimmunizesutheya

16、retechnologicdevelopmentsandanincreasinglymarket-drivenaroachtoeducation.Wearealreadyreondingtothesenewpreures,incorporatingtechnologyandlookingcarefullyatourcostsandprice.Weareinafavorablepositioneconomicallybecauseofourrelativelylowdependenceontuition.Infact,wearealreadyratedthebestbuyineducation.

17、Furthermore,wehaveaecialproduct,andrightnowtheworldwantstobuyit-alicatioareupsome20againthisyear.Theworldrealizeshowwellweprepareyoungpeopletobescientistsandengineers-thehonorcodeandthesmallnumberofstudentsmakeslearningasharedexperienceofgreatinteity,whileourlaboratoriesprovidethehands-onexperiencet

18、hatistheeenceofscience.However,wecaotbecomplacent;weneedtorethinkourvaluesandourvaluecontinuallyinthecontextofotheroortunitiesavailabletostudentsandothermodesofeducation.Letmeturnfromanatractquestiontoaconcreteone.IsCaltechmakingasufficientcontributiontotheeconomiclifeofAmericaandeeciallyofPasadena?

19、Yearsago,CaltechwasthescientificandtechnologicenginethatdrovethedevelopmentoftheaeronauticsindustryinSouthernCalifornia.ThereismuchnewenergyinCaltechthatcouldrepeatthissucce.TheoortunitylevelisparticularlyhighatJPL,whereneceitybreedsinventiononamonumentalscale.Wehavebeguntoreleaseourenergyofiovation

20、tobenefitthelocalcommunityandthecountry,butthereismuchmorewecoulddo.Whathaenedinaeronauticscouldhaenagaininchemistry,biology,computersoftware,electronics,andotherfields,ifweprovidetherightcatalysis.WhyhaveStanfordandMITandevenUCSDbecomeenginesofeconomicgrowthandCaltech,surelyasfecund,livesinacitywit

21、hminimalhigh-techinfluence?ThepoliticsofPasadenaarecertainlyaniue,butcouldntCaltechhavemoreimpactifitcommitteditselftothisgoal?AnotherofmyquestioisoneIhaveraisedpubliclyalready,Areweactivelyenoughengagedinpromotingdiversityonthecampus?Iphrasethisasaquestion,butIhavemadeitplainthatIpersonallybelievet

22、hatacampusthatbettermirrorsthedemographyofAmericaisdesirable.Increaseddiversityhasthreebenefits.First,itbringstheparticularvaluesofaCaltecheducationtoapartoftheAmericanpublicthattoorarelyhassuchanadvantage.Second,itauresthatotherstudentsatCaltechdevelopanareciationofthevarietyofculturesthatmakeupAme

23、rica,betterpreparingthemforanactiveroleinAmericanlife.Third,througheducatingawidermixofstudents,wecontributetothestabilityandeffectiveneofourdemocraticsociety.IwouldremindyouthatAfricanAmerica,Latinos,andAmericanIndiaaccountforonethirdofthechildrenborninAmericatoday.Meanwhile,thereisanongoingbacklas

24、hagaitaffirmativeactionthatisreadingthroughthenation.Minoritygraduatesinengineeringhaveincreasedfromafewhundredperyearintheearly70sto6,000peryeartoday.Thatsagreatachievement,butitisstillfarfromparity,andimprovementwillrequirecontinuedefforts.Anotheraectofthequestionofdiversityistheslowincreaseinthef

25、ractionofwomenatCaltech.Whatdoweneedtodotoacceleratethattrend?Themandateisthere:inthestudentlifesurvey,bothmenandwomenatCaltechwantedahigherfractionofwomenstudentsoncampus.Caltechhasforyearsrecognizedtheneedtofocusoniuesofdiversityandhasmadegreatstrides.However,itisanunfinishedagenda,andadifficulton

26、e-onlythoughtfulanalysisandcommittedeffortonthepartoftheentirecampuswillmakeithaen.Caltechssmallstudentbodymeathattuitionisasmallpartofourtotalincome.Furthermore,wealreadygivefinancialaidtosome70percentofourstudents.Therefore,weareinaparticularlygoodpositiontouseourfinancialresourcestoshapeourstuden

27、tbody.Also,weneedtorememberthatfinancialmattersareonlyapartoftheeduation:wealsomustaskourselveswhetherthecampusiswelcoming,stimulatingandsuortivetoadiversestudentbody.InpaingIreferredtoCaltechasasmallschool,andthatiscertainlytheself-imageofthiscampus.However,interestingthingsemergewhenyouask,Inwhats

28、eeisCaltechasmallschool?Therearemanymantrasecifictothiscampusbutnoneisaspervasiveasthestatement,Caltechisasmallschoolandwantstostaysmall.Fromthatshorttheoremmanycorollariesaredrawn.Itcanbecomeanargumentfornottakingnewdirectio,fornothiringmorefaculty,fornotaddingtothestudentbody,forlivingwithale-than

29、-criticalmaoftalentinmanyareasofscienceandengineering.Allofthistomaintainthewonderfulandveryrealvaluesofsmallne-collegiality,encouragementofinterdisciplinaryefforts,focusofactivities,erit.However,inreality,Caltechisactuallysmallonlyinitsnumbersofstudentsandfaculty.IfyoucompareCaltechtootherresearch-

30、inteiveschools,ithasthehighestratioofacetofacultyorfederalsuorttofacultyorprobablyanyothermeasureoftheamountofsciencedoneperfacultymember.Becauseofthehugeoff-campusfacilitiesrunbyCaltech,theenormousplantonthecampus,themanytalentedmembersofthestaffwhoarewhollyinvolvedinresearch,andthepostdoctoralfell

31、ows,Caltechisalotbiggerthanitmightseem.Anditisgrowing.UnderTomEverhart,therewereeightbuildingsputupthatincreasedthesquarefootageoncampusby20percent,whilethebudgetincreasedbyareal32percent.Duringthesametime,thefacultyincreasedby6percent,butactuallyitwasstillatalowerlevelthanatanearlierpeak.Anotheraec

32、tofCaltechssizeisJPL.IthasabudgetalmostfourtimesthatofCaltechandisgrowing.Caltechisnotreallysmall,itisjustbalanceddifferentlyfromotherschools.Wekeepourfacultyandundergraduatestudentbodysmallandreapthatharvest.Butmeanwhileweallowtheratioofouractivitiestoourfacultytogrowcontinually.Ithinkweneedtoquest

33、ionourselvesabouttheimplicatioofthisgrowth.Arewemaintainingsufficientcontroloverourgrowth?Isitaffectingthelifeofthecampus?Howcanwesafeguardthevaluesofsmallne?Letmeturntothedirectionofthestudents.HereIhavewondered,DoesCaltechsufficientlydevelopthoseaectsofthelivesofits20-year-oldundergraduatesthatwil

34、lallowthemtobecomethoughtful,balanced,productivemembersofsociety?ItisaquestionthatIaskasIvisittheHousesandmeetwithstudentleaders.ItisaquestionthatIhearfromalumni,manyofwhomseemtofeelthattheyenduredtheirundergraduatedaysratherthanenjoyingthem.Itisadeepquestionaboutvaluesystems.EachCaltechprofeorfeels

35、thathisorherareaofteachingiscriticallyimportanttothedevelopmentofstudentsandthatleavingoutanyofthegloryofthefieldisacrime.Forthestudentsitbecomesalifeoftryingtokeepupacademicallywithlittletimeforpersonaldevelopment.Weencourageorts,andhavegreatfacilities.Butwedolethanotherschools,evensmallones,toenco

36、uragethecreativeartsasextracurricularactivities.TheCaltecheducationconcentratesontheproductsofrationalthought.Weskimpontheotheraectsofsociety,oneslikeartandliteraturewheretheemotionalandpersonalcontentishigher.Wemightseemtooverlookthoseelements,butthatsnotreallythemeagewearesending,becausethatsnotth

37、efacultyIhavecometoknow.Wearecollectorsofart,devoteesofmusic,readersofliterature.ManyofuscoultoutsideCaltechandunderstandthemultiplestraithatcontributetomodernlife.Maybewecoulddomoretobringthatunderstandingtoourstudents.Itisnotaniueofteachingmoreartorliterature.Myexperiencehasbeenthatyoudonotlearnab

38、outtheroleofartorliteratureinclaesbecausetheclaroomisintriicallyananalyticframework-youlearnhowtolookatart,howtolistentomusic,howtounderstandthestructureandhistoryofliterature.Buttherealreasonforthearts,asareflectionofthecomplexityoflifewithitsintricatemixtureofrationality,paion,andhistory,isnottaug

39、htbutratherlearnedbyexperienceintheworld-oftenthroughinteeinteractiowithothers.MighttheCaltechundergraduateexperience,aswonderfulasitis,improvewithmoretimeandoortunityforthestudentstogrowashumanbeings?Ineedtohearmorefromthevariouscotituenciesonthecampusaboutthisiue.Thealumnicanbeparticularlyhelpfulh

40、ere.TurningtotheresearchsideofCaltech,Ihaveasked,Howcanwejustifyouractivitiesinaworldthatisbecomingincreasinglymaterialistic?Caltechisagreatundergraduatecollegeandasuperbgraduateschool,butthelargestpartofitsactivitiesisfocusedonresearch.Andeventhoughwehaveanengineeringandaliedsciencedivision,mostoft

41、heresearchisatthemostbasicendoftheectrum.Ourbigitruments,likePalomar,KeckandLIGO,areallattemptstoawerverybasicquestio,liketheageoftheuniverseoritsverynature.JPLismorepracticallyorientedtowardsthemechanicsofexploringace,butitsjustificationisacescience,aweringquestiolikewhetherlifeeverevolvedindepende

42、ntlyofthatonearth.Afewyearsago,purescienceseemedunderverystrongattack,andthecancellationoftheSuperconductingSupercolliderseemedtheproofthatAmericawasnolongerwillingtosuortbasicscience.Remarkably,thetoneofWashingtonhaschangedrecently,andcongremenarevyingforwhocanpromisemoretotheNationalScienceFoundat

43、ion,theNationalItitutesofHealth,andotheragencies.AlthoughtheoverallNASAbudgetisbeingreduced,acescienceremaistrong.Americahascertainlybecomemorematerialistic:morestudentsaregoingintobusine,admiiontolawschoolsisverycompetitive,andscienceandevenengineeringarenotdrawinginterestamongyoungAmericathewaythe

44、ydidinthedecadesfollowingWorldWarII.However,aswebecomearicherandmorepowerfulnation,theimportanceofscienceasthedriverofcommerceandthegeneratorofgoodhealthhasbecomeincreasinglyevident,andthusscienceisreceivingurecedentedsuort.Whiletakingadvantageofthegovernmentsnewlyfoundinterestinscience,weneedtoreme

45、mberandtoreaertthevaluesthathavedrivenmostofusintoscience.Itistherushofdiscovery,theexcitementofbeingthefirsttouncoveranewsecretofnature,thesatisfactionofseeingmeycomplexityresolveintoelegantsimplicitythatdrivesmostoftheresearchactivityonthiscampus.Luckily,basicsciencefeedstheneedsofindustry,justify

46、ingitssuort.Butitservesahigherfunction,thatofdemystifyingtheworld,providinganorderlyunderstandingofnaturalprocees.WhenTimemagazinefeaturesascientificstoryonitscover,itsnewtandsalessoar.Scienceservestheneedofpeopletounderstandtheworldaroundthem,andthatunderstandingisoneofourfinestproducts.Althoughsci

47、enceisdoingwellnowandhasgreatpublicsuort,therearemajoriuestobefaced.Congremencansuortsciencetodaybecauseoftheextraordinarystrengthoftheeconomyandthepoibilityofawindfallfromthetobaccoindustry.Thatcouldbeephemeral.Also,totakeadvantageoftheavailablefederalfunds,weneedtomakemajorinvestmentsinthecampusinace,facilities,andpeople.Thus,ourdependenceonprivatephilanthropyremaiasgreatasever.WeareluckythatCaltechhassomanyfinefriendswhoareascommittedasthefacultytoCaltechsgreatne.IhavesaidalotaboutwhatIhavelearnedaboutCaltech,butlittleaboutmyself.Letmeendonamorepersonalnote.Ideeplybelieveinthe