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| START > 1967-1972 | 1972-1980 | 1980-1993 | 1993-2002 > Remaining Chapters |
1972-1980. Youth: The Years of Early Growth
The Atmospheric Sciences Capability Also Grows
The development of atmospheric sciences also was being addressed. Guided by Chimonas, Einaudi, and Hooke, CIRES added John Wyngaard and Robert Sani as NOAA and University fellows, respectively. One consideration in building the atmospheric sciences program (see chapter seven) was an awareness of the strength of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, near neighbor of CIRES. It was desirable that CIRES develop capabilities in important areas of atmospheric science that would not compete with NCAR, but would complement its efforts. The work of the original group in gravity wave propagation in the atmosphere met that criterion, and the addition of two senior specialists in atmospheric boundary layer theory was an appropriate extension.
The Astro-Geophysics Department was the sole site in the University that housed atmospheric science. The inability of CIRES to reach an agreement with that department on joint faculty appointments was an obstacle to the development of the subject within CIRES. Sani came in 1976 as a faculty member in Chemical Engineering, and no new fellows in atmospheric science came through the Department of Astro-Geophysics until the creation years later of the Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, not part of CIRES but linked to it by fellows.
The difficulty in finding an academic home for new University appointments in the physics of the atmosphere opened the way to a new direction for CIRES that was to have a profound impact: the addition of atmospheric chemistry. Eldon Ferguson, then the director of ERL's Aeronomy Laboratory [ About this Lab ] , came to Kisslinger to ask if CIRES would consider adding an outstanding chemist working on atmospheric problems as a faculty member and fellow. The fellows agreed that this was an excellent approach to the dilemma caused by the difficulty of growing the atmospheric physics effort through University appointments. A.W. "Will" Castleman joined in 1974 as a professor of chemistry and fellow. The program in environmental chemistry had been launched. Relations between CIRES and the Aeronomy Lab were also greatly improved, significant because the main interaction with ERL up to that time had been through the Wave Propagation Lab.
Ties to the NOAA laboratories were strengthened by the expansion of the research associate appointments. After lengthy discussions with NOAA management to insure that all federal hiring regulations would be observed, a procedure was established by which the director of a NOAA laboratory could nominate to CIRES a Ph.D.-level scientist for appointment to a specific research position, with full documentation of the candidate's qualifications and a commitment of funds for salary and research support. The CIRES administration would consider the application and if the person was found to be suitably qualified, an offer was sent as provided in University procedures. The number of research associates has grown greatly from this time. These research associates are important members of the CIRES science staff and acknowledge their CIRES connection on publications, but work within the NOAA laboratory that supports them financially.
During the last half of the 1970s the general situation with regard to the creation of any new faculty positions on the Boulder campus was dif- ficult. In the face of the resulting resistance to honoring the commitment made to CIRES in 1972 for new positions, the director sought and received reconfirmation of this commitment from Chancellor Mary Berry and Vice Chancellor Milton Lipetz. He was authorized to continue the process of developing the scientific capabilities of the Institute by additions to the faculty.
The Support Staff. In 1972, the key administrative staff consisted of Isabel Pelander and Jeanette Trebing. The rapid growth of the scientific staff and programs required more office support. Lynn Walloch joined in May 1973, and Betty Walters, the first professional accountant in CIRES, came on in 1974. The retirement of Isabel Pelander's husband as a machinist in JILA and their decision to leave Boulder meant the end of her invaluable service to CIRES. At the time of this narrative Lynn Walloch had functioned continuously as an essential strength of the administration.
Another person who contributed substantially to the early operations was Bill Phelps of NOAA, who served as the first CIRES/NOAA Liaison Officer. He was replaced by Joseph J. Krieg of the ERL Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry Laboratory when he transferred to the Geological Survey as part of the 1973 OMB action. In 1976, William Kleis of the ERL Office of Programs was designated as Program Officer for CIRES, with Krieg continuing as Liaison Officer.
The Housing Problem Continues. The Litman Research Laboratory, building rl-1, once the home of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, provided adequate work space for the entire CIRES operation for a number of years. The Institute shared the building with other organized research units, especially the Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), which engaged in studies closely related to some of those being done in CIRES. Some modifications to the building were necessary, for example to accommodate Spetzler's rock physics laboratory. A true crisis arose when it was realized that building insulation contained asbestos, then recently recognized as a hazardous substance. After lengthy consultation with experts in the subject, the problem was solved by sealing the insulation with a special coating. CIRES chemists continued to monitor the air for asbestos particles in the following years.
The housing of all of CIRES in one compact building had desirable effects. The fellows and other members of the scientific staff met daily for morning coffee and talked about whatever science topic was laid on the table. Most of the research in the mid-1970s was unified by an interest in one equation, the wave equation. Whether they were gravity waves in the atmosphere, earthquake waves in solids or fluids, or electromagnetic waves, all were governed by that equation. Methods of formulating problems efficiently and finding solutions developed in one of these fields were often transferable to the others. The fellows and members learned from each other during these informal chats and all could at least appreciate what the others were working on. A feeling of family persisted and, as in even the most harmonious of families, healthy disagreements on policy matters arose and were defended vigorously. Resolutions were sought primarily on the basis of making CIRES a better research organization.
The growth of the number of fellows, research associates, and graduate research assistants put a strain on the available space. The newlyadded program in Climate and Polar Studies, which brought with it responsibility for World Data Center A for Glaciology (see chapter seven) could not be housed in rl-1. Space was acquired in rl-2, across the parking lot. This first necessary separation of activities along disciplinary lines, even though the distance was small, foretold the gradual breakup of the closely knit staff due to the lack of a single large building to accommodate all of CIRES, as envisioned in the original MoU.
The director, in consultation with Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, Milton Lipetz, brought the problem to the attention of the Board of Regents. That body reconfirmed its commitment to the provision in the MoU, to provide a suitable building on the main campus, but no further action followed. Dean Lipetz explained that his vision was that the east campus would be developed as the science campus, to evolve from the considerable activity already there (this was before the creation of the Research Park). This further development never occurred.
One attempt to solve the CIRES problem was an offer by the Boulder campus administration to give the Institute the building then occupied by the High Altitude Observatory of NCAR. An examination determined that this attractive building, while conveniently on-campus, offered no more space than that already available to the Institute. At a meeting of the entire staff with the building officials, CIRES laid out what would have to be done in the way of expansion and modification of the existing structure to make it acceptable. Representatives of HAO observing from the back of the room interjected that if the University was prepared to make the improvements specified by CIRES, they would stay in the building, as their needs were very similar to those of CIRES. Consideration of this potential solution ended. That building now houses Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.
No further progress was made on providing suitable space until the 1980s, as told in chapter three. The addition of major activity in chemistry led to more separation of disciplines, in this case between the east and main campuses. Eventually, most of CIRES housed on the east campus moved to new or remodeled accommodations on the main campus.
Next > Strengthened Ties to the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC)
