Comments on: Harry Williams

By: Mike van Driel

Mike van Driel — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 09:35:11 +0000

I just heard this news, breaks my heart – it brings a smile to my face when I think about the time we spent talking not just about fluid mechanics and how a then emerging field of CFD could be applied to blood and the human body, but sports as well. He was a big fan of the NFL, my thoughts went to him immediately when I heard the Rams are coming home. I will miss him dearly, no one ever put the mathematics behind the physics of fluids and their usefulness in mechanical applications so elegantly and clearly. His balance between theory and practice is the hallmark of what we all get from Mudd, and I am proud to say I benefited from his teachings immeasurably for this reason. My dearest heart-felt condolences to his family.

By: Bob Blackman

Bob Blackman — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 20:27:29 +0000

I sat with Prof. Williams on the Disciplinary Board in 1986-7. He had an unwavering sense of what honorable conduct was and expected HMC’s students to behave well in all circumstances. I learned a great deal from him about what to expect from others and how to behave when I was called up on to judge my peers.

By: Lauren Render Cobb

Lauren Render Cobb — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 22:29:21 +0000

A handful of years ago now, as I walked across the street from dropping my children at their elementary school another mother called out to me, “Did you attend there?” with a nod towards me. Initially confused I realized I was wearing a Harvey Mudd t-shirt, so I replied that I had. We fell into conversation and realized that her father had been my structural engineering professor, Harry Williams. She was Devon Bishop. Through her I had the pleasure of becoming re-acquainted with Harry as we both waited on Wednesdays, me to pick up my children and he his lovely, vibrant grand-daughters. I enjoyed our conversations; he never failed to recall where we left off and to inquire further and he shared of his pursuits freely. To know him as a friend these past few years has been a gift and I am grateful for the serendipitous time with him.

By: Mack Gilkeson

Mack Gilkeson — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 21:04:12 +0000

Interview of H.E. Williams by MMG on Jan. 8, 1993

In 1958, Harry Williams was working at JPL, going to school (CalTech Ph.D. program), and trying to find a job. He took a (part¬time) extension-program position with UCLA, teaching a night course on fluid dynamics at a Van Nuys site. During this time he wrote a letter of inquiry to U.C.¬San Diego which was just getting underway. For months he did not receive a reply. Finally he received a response which started, “In answer to your letter of ten months ago, . . . “. Harry thought it best to look elsewhere!

Harry wrote to the University of Washington and to U.C.¬Santa Barbara. One day, while looking in the real estate section of the L.A. Times, he saw a picture of a proposed building to be constructed at this new place (in Claremont). There was also a story in the newspaper about Al Focke who was leaving the navy in San Diego, from NEL (Navy Electronics Lab), and was going to ��Ƶ.

Harry wrote to Al Focke and received an instant response. Harry came out to Claremont and talked to Joe Platt. Joe said that HMC hadn’t yet hired an engineering chair, but that when they did, Joe would put Harry’s name into the hopper. When the first Chairman, Warren Wilson arrive, he informed Harry Williams that “he wanted an older guy.” So Harry went back to JPL colleague, Jack Alford, and told him, “You’ve been talking about going into teaching, here’s your chance to put up or shut up!” Jack acted!

A couple of years later, in 1960, when the Physics Dept. at HMC need to fill a slot, Al Focke called Harry and offered him the job. Then, in 1961, when the engineers needed to fill a position, Harry switched over. He could have stayed in the physics slot, because Al Focke had the philosophy, at variance with that of Warren Wilson!, that—physics or engineering background—it made no difference, either could do engineering. But Harry wanted to put his hat in the engineering ring, so he made the move.

At that time in mid¬1961 other engineering slots were being opened up. Harry called Sedat Serdengecti, a former classmate at CalTech. Harry told Sedat that he knew of Sedat’s interest in systems analysis and that HMC Chair Warren Wilson was planning to introduce systems analysis into the curriculum, so Sedat should phone Warren. Sedat was also hired that year, Fall¬1961.

Several years later, Harry was walking around CalTech one day and met a friend who was on the CalTech electrical engineering faculty. The latter told Harry that he had a graduate student who was looking for a teaching position and wondered if there were any openings Harry knew of. Harry directed him to HMC which led to the hiring of John Molinder (in 1970).

Harry Williams first memories of the Clinic come from his assignment by Jack Alford to a committee to oversee a project on design of a fountain as part of the LIBRA project (so must have been about 1971, maybe 1970). The student team included Randy Hanveldt. Project was a bit idiotic; was treated by the students as “make work.” Students drove around the County photographing fountains. Harry Williams tried to introduce engineering principles into the project. He advised the students to calculate water flows, horsepower, distances water streams would squirt. The project lacked an outside client and was not a success.

Another project, maybe 1970 or 1969, involved student Walt Foley, then a senior (who was doing some consulting in Greenland in parallel). The client-sponsor was Phil Wessels, a consulting engineer and part¬time HMC prof. The project goal was to design a switching mechanism. The project was a sensible one; the team could see the results of their work and interact with the client.

Harry was not present at the faculty seminar called the Green Room Massacre. He probably was not on sabbatical—just not wanting to sit through what probably was going to be an acrimonious meeting. Bob James was a leader of the opposition and might be able to recall the date and details of the meeting.

Harry Williams recalls two issues which caused much tension.

1. Could/should we accept funds from Ford Foundation for this purpose (Clinic development)?

2. Can faculty receive pay for project work done in place of the traditional one-day per week off-campus consulting work?

In summing up, Harry believes the Clinic became a success when we hit on real projects with student teams working for real clients. In the early days it was “like pulling teeth” to get good projects. Early funded projects, e.g. one done for Santa Fe International as client, were obtained through HMC trustee contacts.

By: Kirk Norenberg

Kirk Norenberg — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 18:23:03 +0000

I took his Strength of Deformable Solids class my junior year. I enjoyed his straight forward development of concepts and came away each day feeling that I had learned something. His course was part of the foundation of my 30+ year career as a mechanical engineer and his approach was something I tried to emulate as a mentor to young engineers.

By: Murray Thompson

Murray Thompson — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 20:25:47 +0000

Dr. Williams was one of my favorite professors during my years at HMC and one of my most important mentors who made a lifelong impact on me both personally and professionally. I am deeply saddened to learn of his passing.

By: Russell Merris

Russell Merris — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 18:15:00 +0000

HMC was founded on a vision for which there were few if any models. Above and beyond outstanding engineers, mathematicians and/or scientists, Mudd graduates were to be broadly educated, socially responsible leaders “with a clear understanding of the impact of their work on society.” The challenge of turning that vision into reality fell to Joseph B. Platt. Despite budgetary constraints, Joe managed to assemble a faculty with the academic credentials to be taken seriously, the courage to take a leap into the unknown, and the creativity to design a curriculum that surrendered a third of its precious core disciplinary class time to the humanities and social sciences. Along the way he seems to have expected that such a faculty would just naturally be comprised of gifted teachers – an expectation that, apart from a few shining exceptions, was belied by attrition rates in the first four classes that approached 50%.
It goes without saying that Harry Williams ranked among the shining exceptions. For all I know his 1960 recruitment served as the model on which HMC subsequently built a faculty that excelled in both teaching AND professional achievement. Be that as it may, Harry, himself, was a role model for my own 40-year professorial career, riding a bicycle to campus not excepted.
I think it was Harry’s participation in my 45th reunion that precipitated his transition from former teacher to friend. The breakthrough came over lunch when we discovered a shared connection to former UCSB Chancellor Huttenback and a shared dismay over the dismantling of the HMC library. The last time I saw Harry was in May 2014, again over lunch, this time during my 50th reunion. Seemingly healthy, happy, and as physically and mentally vigorous as ever, I remember him asking how the Egyptians derived a formula for the volume of a pyramid without calculus.
While wanting to go suddenly may be selfish – it is, after all, a shock to survivors – nevertheless, it is certainly the way I would choose for myself.
Goodbye, Harry. You will be missed.

By: Lisa Roeckner Hebert

Lisa Roeckner Hebert — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 15:28:26 +0000

Feeling very sad about this news. I remember Professor Williams and value all the many things he had to offer his students. He will be sorely missed.

By: Robert De Pietro

Robert De Pietro — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 02:15:25 +0000

Professor Williams was my senior year Advisor and Advisor for my Senior Year Engineering Project.

When Professor Duron and I first spoke of the idea of a Fellowship Program in research, I recalled my Senior Year Engineering Project and how meaningful and successful it was under the direction and mentoring of my Advisor, Professor Williams. I feel that the Fellowship Program, in some ways, mirrors the Senior Project.

When I was accepted to Graduate School At UC Berkeley, Professor William advised me to go since he knew they were doing state of the art research there in structures and in the development of Finite Element Analysis.

I also had the experience of taking a senior year Structural Mechanics Elective from Professor Williams. I was the only student in the class.

We developed a relationship that speaks of him and the essence of the HMC Education.

At Alumni Weekend in 1999 I was given the honor to introduce Professor Williams as was made an Honorary Alumnus by the Alumni Board of Governors.

I will miss him when I come to campus or to College functions. For me, Harry represents a strong personal connection to HMC.

By: Zee Duron

Zee Duron — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 22:28:59 +0000

There are so many memories of Harry. Mine include my time as his student in Solids, as his advisee, and as one of his many faculty colleagues in Claremont. Harry was a scholar who sought out simple solutions to complex problems, who thought carefully about how things worked, and who illustrated his approach through his wonderfully vivid calligraphy. Upon his retirement, Harry gave me his academic regalia. Every time I wore his robe I could feel his presence, and for that closeness, I will be forever grateful.