时间：2022-04-26 09:38:13
InauguralAddress
Dr.DavidBaltimore
March9,1998
Representativesofacademia,electedofficials,ChairmanMooreand
othermembersoftheBoardofTrustees,formerPresidentsof
Caltech,alumni,Associates,membersofthefaculty,students,
staff--includingalloftheJetPropulsionLaboratorypersonnel
attendingelectronically--formertraineesfrommyover30yearsin
research,friendsandmembersofthisgreatcommunity,Ithankyou
allsomuchforbeingheretoday.
Universitiesareenduringinstitutions.Theygotogreateffortsto
markthetransitionsoftheirleadership，全国公务员共同天地withthehonoredand
historicritualofaninauguration.Butthetruthisthatthey
changeslowly,andnewchiefadministratorsdonotalterthat
measuredpace.Thus,thisoverwhelmingevent,markingsuchadeep
changeinmylife,marksbutaslightdeflectionintheestablished
trajectoryofthisgreatinstitution.Mydeepestgoalaspresident
istomaintaintheessenceofCaltechwhilehelpingitadapttoa
changingworld.
Iwanttobeginthisaddressbythankingallofthemembersofthe
CaltechcommunityforthewarmwelcomethatAliceandIhave
received.YouhavehelpedapairofinveterateEasternersbecome
membersoftwouniquesocieties,thesocietyofCaltechandthe
societyofPasadena.Thesearehistoriccommunitieswithdeepand
wonderfulvalues,andwearesogladtohavejoinedthem.
Asanoutsiderhere,I''''vespentthelastfivemonthslearningas
muchasIcanaboutCaltech.Iwantedtocomprehendtheinstitution
wellenoughtobeabletohelpitsolvetheinevitableproblems
thatIknowwillarise.Butmoreimportantly,Iwantedtodevelopa
perspectiveonCaltechthatwouldallowmetochoosethekey
elementsonwhichtoworkwiththefaculty--toestablish
priorities.
WhatIfoundisamostremarkableinstitution.Thedepthof
scholarship,therigoroftraining,thecommitmenttothehighest
idealsofpersonalbehaviormakeCaltechaveryspecialplace.It
managestocoveranextraordinaryrangeofscientificandtechnical
areaswithaminimalfaculty.Ithasprovidedsomanynew
excitementsforonetrainedinbiologythatithasbeenacontinual
feastforme,andIknowthattherearemanymorefinemeals
awaitingme.Itisaninstitutionthatseeminglylacksacrisis,
allowingmetheluxuryofalongperiodofcontemplation.Forthis
respite,Iowemuchtothesensitivestewardshipofmypredecessor
TomEverhart.IstandinaweofCaltech''''spantheonwhobuiltthis
rareinstitution:Everhart,Goldberger,Brown,DuBridge,Millikan,
Noyes,andHale.Whatanacttohavetofollow.
AsIhavegatheredknowledgeaboutCaltech,questionshaveoccurred
tomewhoseanswerscanprovideperspectiveforsettingpriorities.
ThatisthepositionI''''minnow--manyquestions,fewanswers.Thus,
IthoughtIwouldframethisaddressaroundthequestions.Itisan
openinvitationtothemanyconstituenciesonthecampusto
participateinadialogue--theBoardofTrustees,faculty,
administrators,students,staff,alumni,andthevariousfriendsof
Caltechwhoprovidesupport.Thus,Iwillinthistalkposea
numberofquestions,explainwhyIraisethem,anddrawoutsomeof
theirimplications.
ThefirstofmyquestionsiswhetherCaltechistrulyimmunefrom
thewindsblowingthroughAmericanacademiclife.Iraisethis
becausethelastdecadehasbeenastormyoneforacademia,with
manyquestioningtheverybasisofscholarshipinboththe
humanitiesandthesciences.Thequestionmightbewhetherby
focusingonscienceandtechnology,Caltechhewstoeternaltruths,
orwhethertheself-criticismthattheintellectualworldhas
embracedinthelastdecadeshasspilledoverintoourbastionof
rationality.TheanswerIsuspectmostwouldgivehereisthat
whiletheculturewarsandthesciencewarshavebeenfuriously
engagedonthestreetsofBerkeley,NewHaven,Cambridge,and
Paris,inPasadenatheprogressofsciencecontinuesquietlyand
unabated.Notthatwedon''''treflectonouractivitiesorevenhave
ourparticipantsinthewars;wehaveallofthat.It''''sjustthat
wehaveabsolutesinwhichwebelieve.Wehaveabsolutezeroonthe
temperaturescale,weknowthatnothingexceedsthespeedoflight.
Itisinterestingtocontemplatewhatwouldhappenifour
astronomersmeasuredaredshiftindicatingthatagalaxywas
recedingfromusfasterthanthespeedoflight.Orifwesomehow
recordedatemperatureofabsolutezero,ormadeaperpetualmotion
machine.Inthesesituations,theexperimentwouldreceivethe
deepestscrutinyandonlyintheunlikelycasethatitsurvived
wouldtheorycomeintoquestion.Remembercoldfusion.Butweare
willingtoquestionourabsolutes.Ourabsolutesarenotso
absolute--theyawaitanexperimentthatcontradictsthem.Theyare
tentativeabsolutes,andwearecomfortablewiththem,needingno
dailyreminderofthethreatthateachexperimentposestoour
comfort.Thatisthecultureofscience,anditisaspecial
culturethatwelivewith,weteach,andwebelieveinalmostasa
religion.Itisaculturethatisincomprehensibletothosewho
havenotmanipulatedtheconceptsofscience.Itinsulatesusfrom
manyoftheself-doubtsofthelargerintellectualworldandallows
ustomoveforward.
However,weshouldnotbetoocomplacent.Majorchangesare
coursingthroughacademia.Theyarenottheintellectualchallenges
fromwhichourcultureimmunizesus;theyaretechnologic
developmentsandanincreasinglymarket-drivenapproachto
education.Wearealreadyrespondingtothesenewpressures,
incorporatingtechnologyandlookingcarefullyatourcostsand
price.Weareinafavorablepositioneconomicallybecauseofour
relativelylowdependenceontuition.Infact,wearealreadyrated
thebestbuyineducation.Furthermore,wehaveaspecialproduct,
andrightnowtheworldwantstobuyit--applicationsareupsome
20%againthisyear.Theworldrealizeshowwellweprepareyoung
peopletobescientistsandengineers--thehonorcodeandthesmall
numberofstudentsmakeslearningasharedexperienceofgreat
intensity,whileourlaboratoriesprovidethehands-onexperience
thatistheessenceofscience.However,wecannotbecomplacent;
weneedtorethinkourvaluesandourvaluecontinuallyinthe
contextofotheropportunitiesavailabletostudentsandother
modesofeducation.
Letmeturnfromanabstractquestiontoaconcreteone."Is
Caltechmakingasufficientcontributiontotheeconomiclifeof
AmericaandespeciallyofPasadena?"Yearsago,Caltechwasthe
scientificandtechnologicenginethatdrovethedevelopmentofthe
aeronauticsindustryinSouthernCalifornia.Thereismuchnew
energyinCaltechthatcouldrepeatthissuccess.Theopportunity
levelisparticularlyhighatJPL,wherenecessitybreedsinvention
onamonumentalscale.Wehavebeguntoreleaseourenergyof
innovationtobenefitthelocalcommunityandthecountry,but
thereismuchmorewecoulddo.Whathappenedinaeronauticscould
happenagaininchemistry,biology,computersoftware,electronics,
andotherfields,ifweprovidetherightcatalysis.Whyhave
StanfordandMITandevenUCSDbecomeenginesofeconomicgrowth
andCaltech,surelyasfecund,livesinacitywithminimal
high-techinfluence?ThepoliticsofPasadenaarecertainlyan
issue,butcouldn''''tCaltechhavemoreimpactifitcommitteditself
tothisgoal?
AnotherofmyquestionsisoneIhaveraisedpubliclyalready,"Are
weactivelyenoughengagedinpromotingdiversityonthecampus?"I
phrasethisasaquestion,butIhavemadeitplainthatI
personallybelievethatacampusthatbettermirrorsthedemography
ofAmericaisdesirable.
Increaseddiversityhasthreebenefits.First,itbringsthe
particularvaluesofaCaltecheducationtoapartoftheAmerican
publicthattoorarelyhassuchanadvantage.Second,itassures
thatotherstudentsatCaltechdevelopanappreciationofthe
varietyofculturesthatmakeupAmerica,betterpreparingthemfor
anactiveroleinAmericanlife.Third,througheducatingawider
mixofstudents,wecontributetothestabilityandeffectiveness
ofourdemocraticsociety.IwouldremindyouthatAfrican
Americans,Latinos,andAmericanIndiansaccountforonethirdof
thechildrenborninAmericatoday.Meanwhile,thereisanongoing
backlashagainstaffirmativeactionthatisspreadingthroughthe
nation.Minoritygraduatesinengineeringhaveincreasedfromafew
hundredperyearintheearly''''70sto6,000peryeartoday.That''''s
agreatachievement,butitisstillfarfromparity,and
improvementwillrequirecontinuedefforts.
Anotheraspectofthequestionofdiversityistheslowincreasein
thefractionofwomenatCaltech.Whatdoweneedtodoto
acceleratethattrend?Themandateisthere:inthestudentlife
survey,bothmenandwomenatCaltechwantedahigherfractionof
womenstudentsoncampus.
Caltechhasforyearsrecognizedtheneedtofocusonissuesof
diversityandhasmadegreatstrides.However,itisanunfinished
agenda,andadifficultone--onlythoughtfulanalysisandcommitted
effortonthepartoftheentirecampuswillmakeithappen.
Caltech''''ssmallstudentbodymeansthattuitionisasmallpartof
ourtotalincome.Furthermore,wealreadygivefinancialaidto
some70percentofourstudents.Therefore,weareina
particularlygoodpositiontouseourfinancialresourcestoshape
ourstudentbody.Also,weneedtorememberthatfinancialmatters
areonlyapartoftheeduation:wealsomustaskourselveswhether
thecampusiswelcoming,stimulatingandsupportivetoadiverse
studentbody.
InpassingIreferredtoCaltechasasmallschool,andthatis
certainlytheself-imageofthiscampus.However,interesting
thingsemergewhenyouask,"InwhatsenseisCaltechasmall
school?"
Therearemanymantrasspecifictothiscampusbutnoneisas
pervasiveasthestatement,"Caltechisasmallschoolandwantsto
staysmall."Fromthatshorttheoremmanycorollariesaredrawn.It
canbecomeanargumentfornottakingnewdirections,fornot
hiringmorefaculty,fornotaddingtothestudentbody,forliving
withaless-than-criticalmassoftalentinmanyareasofscience
andengineering.Allofthistomaintainthewonderfulandvery
realvaluesofsmallness--collegiality,encouragementof
interdisciplinaryefforts,focusofactivities,esprit.However,in
reality,Caltechisactuallysmallonlyinitsnumbersofstudents
andfaculty.IfyoucompareCaltechtootherresearch-intensive
schools,ithasthehighestratioofspacetofacultyorfederal
supporttofacultyorprobablyanyothermeasureoftheamountof
sciencedoneperfacultymember.Becauseofthehugeoff-campus
facilitiesrunbyCaltech,theenormousplantonthecampus,the
manytalentedmembersofthestaffwhoarewhollyinvolvedin
research,andthepostdoctoralfellows,Caltechisalotbigger
thanitmightseem.Anditisgrowing.UnderTomEverhart,there
wereeightbuildingsputupthatincreasedthesquarefootageon
campusby20percent,whilethebudgetincreasedbyareal32
percent.Duringthesametime,thefacultyincreasedby6percent,
butactuallyitwasstillatalowerlevelthanatanearlierpeak.
AnotheraspectofCaltech''''ssizeisJPL.Ithasabudgetalmost
fourtimesthatofCaltechandisgrowing.
Caltechisnotreallysmall,itisjustbalanceddifferentlyfrom
otherschools.Wekeepourfacultyandundergraduatestudentbody
smallandreapthatharvest.Butmeanwhileweallowtheratioof
ouractivitiestoourfacultytogrowcontinually.Ithinkweneed
toquestionourselvesabouttheimplicationsofthisgrowth.Arewe
maintainingsufficientcontroloverourgrowth?Isitaffectingthe
lifeofthecampus?Howcanwesafeguardthevaluesofsmallness?
Letmeturntothedirectionofthestudents.HereIhavewondered,
"DoesCaltechsufficientlydevelopthoseaspectsofthelivesof
its20-year-oldundergraduatesthatwillallowthemtobecome
thoughtful,balanced,productivemembersofsociety?"Itisa
questionthatIaskasIvisittheHousesandmeetwithstudent
leaders.ItisaquestionthatIhearfromalumni,manyofwhom
seemtofeelthattheyenduredtheirundergraduatedaysratherthan
enjoyingthem.Itisadeepquestionaboutvaluesystems.Each
Caltechprofessorfeelsthathisorherareaofteachingis
criticallyimportanttothedevelopmentofstudentsandthat
leavingoutanyofthegloryofthefieldisacrime.Forthe
studentsitbecomesalifeoftryingtokeepupacademicallywith
littletimeforpersonaldevelopment.Weencouragesports,andhave
greatfacilities.Butwedolessthanotherschools,evensmall
ones,toencouragethecreativeartsasextracurricularactivities.
TheCaltecheducationconcentratesontheproductsofrational
thought.Weskimpontheotheraspectsofsociety,oneslikeart
andliteraturewheretheemotionalandpersonalcontentishigher.
Wemightseemtooverlookthoseelements,butthat''''snotreallythe
messagewearesending,becausethat''''snotthefacultyIhavecome
toknow.Wearecollectorsofart,devoteesofmusic,readersof
literature.ManyofusconsultoutsideCaltechandunderstandthe
multiplestrainsthatcontributetomodernlife.Maybewecoulddo
moretobringthatunderstandingtoourstudents.Itisnotan
issueofteachingmoreartorliterature.Myexperiencehasbeen
thatyoudonotlearnabouttheroleofartorliteraturein
classesbecausetheclassroomisintrinsicallyananalytic
framework--youlearnhowtolookatart,howtolistentomusic,
howtounderstandthestructureandhistoryofliterature.Butthe
realreasonforthearts,asareflectionofthecomplexityoflife
withitsintricatemixtureofrationality,passion,andhistory,is
nottaughtbutratherlearnedbyexperienceintheworld--often
throughintenseinteractionswithothers.MighttheCaltech
undergraduateexperience,aswonderfulasitis,improvewithmore
timeandopportunityforthestudentstogrowashumanbeings?I
needtohearmorefromthevariousconstituenciesonthecampus
aboutthisissue.Thealumnicanbeparticularlyhelpfulhere.
TurningtotheresearchsideofCaltech,Ihaveasked,"Howcanwe
justifyouractivitiesinaworldthatisbecomingincreasingly
materialistic?"Caltechisagreatundergraduatecollegeanda
superbgraduateschool,butthelargestpartofitsactivitiesis
focusedonresearch.Andeventhoughwehaveanengineeringand
appliedsciencedivision,mostoftheresearchisatthemostbasic
endofthespectrum.Ourbiginstruments,likePalomar,Keckand
LIGO,areallattemptstoanswerverybasicquestions,liketheage
oftheuniverseoritsverynature.JPLismorepractically
orientedtowardsthemechanicsofexploringspace,butits
justificationisspacescience,answeringquestionslikewhether
lifeeverevolvedindependentlyofthatonearth.Afewyearsago,
purescienceseemedunderverystrongattack,andthecancellation
oftheSuperconductingSupercolliderseemedtheproofthatAmerica
wasnolongerwillingtosupportbasicscience.Remarkably,the
toneofWashingtonhaschangedrecently,andcongressmenarevying
forwhocanpromisemoretotheNationalScienceFoundation,the
NationalInstitutesofHealth,andotheragencies.Althoughthe
overallNASAbudgetisbeingreduced,spacescienceremainsstrong.
Americahascertainlybecomemorematerialistic:morestudentsare
goingintobusiness,admissiontolawschoolsisverycompetitive,
andscienceandevenengineeringarenotdrawinginterestamong
youngAmericansthewaytheydidinthedecadesfollowingWorldWar
II.However,aswebecomearicherandmorepowerfulnation,the
importanceofscienceasthedriverofcommerceandthegenerator
ofgoodhealthhasbecomeincreasinglyevident,andthusscienceis
receivingunprecedentedsupport.
Whiletakingadvantageofthegovernment''''snewlyfoundinterestin
science,weneedtorememberandtoreassertthevaluesthathave
drivenmostofusintoscience.Itistherushofdiscovery,the
excitementofbeingthefirsttouncoveranewsecretofnature,
thesatisfactionofseeingmessycomplexityresolveintoelegant
simplicitythatdrivesmostoftheresearchactivityonthis
campus.Luckily,basicsciencefeedstheneedsofindustry,
justifyingitssupport.Butitservesahigherfunction,thatof
demystifyingtheworld,providinganorderlyunderstandingof
naturalprocesses.WhenTimemagazinefeaturesascientificstory
onitscover,itsnewsstandsalessoar.Scienceservestheneedof
peopletounderstandtheworldaroundthem,andthatunderstanding
isoneofourfinestproducts.，全国公务员共同天地
Althoughscienceisdoingwellnowandhasgreatpublicsupport,
therearemajorissuestobefaced.Congressmencansupportscience
todaybecauseoftheextraordinarystrengthoftheeconomyandthe
possibilityofawindfallfromthetobaccoindustry.Thatcouldbe
ephemeral.Also,totakeadvantageoftheavailablefederalfunds,
weneedtomakemajorinvestmentsinthecampusinspace,
facilities,andpeople.Thus,ourdependenceonprivate
philanthropyremainsasgreatasever.WeareluckythatCaltech
hassomanyfinefriendswhoareascommittedasthefacultyto
Caltech''''sgreatness.
IhavesaidalotaboutwhatIhavelearnedaboutCaltech,but
littleaboutmyself.Letmeendonamorepersonalnote.Ideeply
believeinthepower,beauty,andcomfortthatcomesfroma
rationaloutlookontheworld.Inmyyoungeryears,Ihankered
afteraworldinwhichrationalitywouldconqueremotionandbring
peace.Itwasreinforcedinmyearlyschooling--rememberthatIwas
inschoolinthepost-WorldWarIIera,whenthecountrywasstill
baskinginthegloryofhavingdefeatedtheirrationalityofthe
Nazisandwhenthescienceandtechnologythathadwonthewarfor
uswereseenasthekeytothefuture.Eventhephilosophythat
thenopposedAmerica''''s,theCommunistphilosophy,seemedtocome
fromarationalanalysisofsocietyandseemedahumanealternative
toAmerica''''scapitalistsociety,whichwassohardonthosewho
wereunabletocopewithitsdemands.
Whenyougrowupwithaworldviewlikethat,thereisacentral
aspectofsocietythatmakesnosense:politics.Foryears,I
simplycouldnotcomprehendwhatthewordmeant.Whenpeoplesaid
thatinmakingdecisions,youneedtoconsiderboththerational
elementsofanissueandthepoliticalones,Ididnotunderstand
whattheymeant--whywasn''''trationalityenough?Somywholelife
sinceIleftmyparents''''nesthasbeenaneducationin
irrationality.I''''vehadtolearnthatyoucannotdenythepassions
ofpeople,youmustaccommodatethem;thatyoucannotdenyhistory,
youmustaccommodateit.Ithinkthisisaperspectivethatall
scientistswhoarewillingtoworkwithinthelargersocietyhave
tolearn,anditiswhatsometimeslimitstheeffectivenessof
scientistswhentheydoventureoutsideoftheirlaboratoriesand
institutions.
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,auniqueorganizationthataddsaspecial
dimensiontotheactivitiesofCaltech.Itisanhonorandthe
deepestofresponsibilitiestoacceptthehelmofthisinstitution.
Thankyousomuchformakingmyfamilyapartofyours.Letusmove
everforward,surmountingobstacles,increasingourreachandour
influence,holdingtoourvaluesandkeepingCaltechthejewelof
academia.