Interview with David S. Wood

Wood, David S. (1998) Interview with David S. Wood. Oral History Project, California Institute of Technology Archives, Pasadena, California.

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Abstract

An interview in two sessions in 1994 with David S. Wood, Caltech professor of materials science (1950-1988), associate dean of students (1968-1974), and alumnus (BS, 1941; MS, 1946; PhD, 1949). He recalls growing up in Sierra Madre, California, and attending school in Pasadena; family friendship with Russell Porter leads to application to Caltech; bachelor's in 1941. Recalls engineering program in the late 1930s: professors F. Thomas, D. Clark, R. Knapp, F. Converse, H. Clapp; employment with B. Sage and Knapp; Caltech’s Pump Lab. Develops interest in metallurgy; work with D. Clark in Impact Lab to study properties of metals. Wartime work on metals with P. Duwez; towards end of war goes to Los Alamos to work on mechanical design of uranium 235 (atomic) bomb; meets later colleagues R. Christy, R. Walker, R. Bacher, and R. Feynman. Postwar return to Caltech; graduate study and thesis on rapid load testing machine; cutaway drawing by R. Porter. Begins collaboration with Thad Vreeland; theory of dislocations in crystals. Recalls Caltech in postwar period and Lee A. DuBridge's presidency. Becomes associate dean of students (1968, under dean P. Eaton); organizes Freshman Camp; involvement with minority students program. Recalls participation with his wife Connie in campus musicals written by Kent Clark and Elliot Davis. Consulting work; work on stress analysis for industry. Remarks about improvement in pedagogy at Caltech; notes Feynman's lectures in physics as starting point of that trend.

EPrint Type:	Oral History
Interviewer:	Shirley K. Cohen
Interview Date:	May 25 and June 1, 1994
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Engineering; materials science
Subjects:	All Records Subjects > Engineering Subjects > Administration
ID Code:	106
Deposited By:	Oral Histories Administrator
Deposited On:	16 May 2005
Record Number:	CaltechOH:OH_Wood_D
Official Persistent URL:	http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechOH:OH_Wood_D
Official Citation:	Wood, David S. Interview by Shirley K. Cohen. Pasadena, California, May 25 and June 1, 1994. Oral History Project, California Institute of Technology Archives. Retrieved [supply date of retrieval] from the World Wide Web: http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechOH:OH_Wood_D
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