Westinghouse needs engineers who understand this generation or this generation. In the next ten years, demand for electric company. What about West- computers, transportation, medical electricity will double. What's West- inghouse, the schoolteacher? In its science, air pollution, oceanography, inghouse doing about it? Plenty. first two years. Westinghouse Learn- and more. Is that any way to run an We're number one in commercial ing Corporation had over 60 govern- nuclear power. We're working on ment and private contracts, including electric company? an advanced breeder reactor. We're We think so. If you think so. talk training for the Peace Corps, Job with our campus recruiter, or write spending $450 million to boost our Corps, and private industry. Luke Noggle, Westinghouse Educa- production capacity. Which doesn't even start to de- tion Center. Pittsburgh. Pa. 152/1- Okay, that's Westinghouse, the scribe Westinghouse. We're also in An equal opportunity employer. Did you read this ad about the research facilities of Continental Can? It ran in The Wall Street Journal, and it's quite a story. It tells how Continental is developing the pack- ages of the future. It describes the largest research organization in packaging with an annual budget of more than 22 million dollars. It's a message of importance to the business community—and to all engineering and scientific college graduates evaluating their futures. Continental is working in these challenging areas: HIGH SPEED EQUIPMENT DESIGN • DYNAMIC STRESS AND VIBRATION • EVALUATION OF METAL FABRICATING PROCESSES • DIGITAL LOGIC • TOOL DEVELOPMENT • HIGH POWER SOLID STATE CIRCUITS • FLUIDICS • ELECTROSTATICS • ENERGY CONVERSION • LASER, INFRA-RED, ULTRASONIC, X-RAY AND ELECTRON BEAM • ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY • INK FORMULATION AND RHEOLOGY • GRAPHIC ARTS • INSTRUMENTATION • PLASTIC PROCESSES AND APPLICA- TIONS • MATERIAL EVALUATION • EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING • PLANNING CONTROL COMPUTER SCHEDULING USING THIRD GENERATION HARDWARE We need mechanical, electrical, electronic or chemical engineers, chemists, specialists in data processing, food scientists, physicists, mathematicians, metallurgists. For a reprint of our research story—write to John G. Mikota, Recruiting Supervisor at the address below. Or see our recruiting representative. He'll be at your campus on April 2. STAFF FEATURES: PAGE T. M. Schafer editor "An Informal Report Into . . . " 9 Art Bell features editor Alan Shratter Davis Chase art editor Work Merged With Wisdom 17 Comments by Harry L. Conrad David Sumner advertising manager Art Bell Spike Cline circulation manager Superengineer 23 Wayne Zilka staff writer Alan Shratter staff writer Mary Harvey editorial assistant Russ Andre humor editor DEPARTMENTS: ADVISOR Editorial 5 Mr. Logan Blank Student Organizations 13 Flying Fickle Finger of Fate Award 27 Engrineers 36 You'll never get anywhere without it. Nothing helps a young engineer's demands reasonable enough so that our career like being given a challenge. recruits can make their decisions at their Which is another way of saying a chance to fail now and then. To make his own own pace. But our thinking is, a man mistakes. feels awfully good about even a small decision when it's his. At Western Electric we give our newly If you're the type who'd like the chance recruited engineers responsibility almost to make your own moves, see our recruiter immediately. They make their own de- or write College Relations, 222 Broad- cisions. Learn from their own errors. way, New York, N. Y. 10038. Don't get us wrong. We keep our A lot of hard work never hurt anyone. Inoticerecentlyinana Fortune magazine that, in the last five years, those homework problems that your instructor told you to do and forget about everything past that exam you have next week. Oh, there is the percentage of top executives in U.S. one thing that you could do to prepare for corporations who were trained as scientists your future—lock yourself in the garage this and/or engineers has dropped from 18% to 12%. weekend with your car—and leave the engine Those individuals who occupy the top level running. That way your lungs will begin to get positions in both industry and government accustomed to the atmosphere that your undeniably are the opinion makers and the children will have to breathe. That would make molders of our future. Why then, in an era of your eyes smart you say? Have you ever been exploding technology (no pun intended) do to Los Angeles? those with technical backgrounds seem to be The point I really wanted to make in this getting to the policy making level less space is that for everyone, technology is not an frequently? It could be that technical people, in end in itself but rather a means for obtaining a general, are more interested in maintaining the better way of life, where each man is free to exponential rate of growth of technology than define his "better way of life". Whether or not in the use to which their technology is put. Or, the technical advances which have been and will it could be that technical people are becoming be made are to be used to obtain a better life, less and less able to make any decision other or to be abused by neglect of by-products and than what size resistor, bolt or pipe to use in side effects, is largely determined by those in their latest assigned project. And that isn't managerial positions. With few exceptions the shaping the future, baby. road to the executive suite is not travelled by Well, maybe you don't care about shaping the those with technical competence alone. And future, all you want is a nice quiet lab with only MSU basics in addition to your somewhere and a couple of technicians and a technical courses that's about all you'll leave draftsman and a boss who doesn't yell very here with-technical competence alone. •oud. That's good—you just go home and do Engineering and Science at IBM "You're treated like a professional right from the start" "The attitude here is, if you're good enough to be hired, you're good enough to be turned loose on a project," says Don Feistamel. Don earned a B.S.E.E. in 1965. Today, he's an Associate Engineer in systems design and evaluation at IBM. Most of his work consists of determining modifications needed to make complex data processing systems fit the special- ized requirements of IBM customers. Small teams Depending on the size of the project, Don works individually or in a small team. He's now working with three other engineers on part of an air traffic control system that will process radar information by computer. Says Don: "There are only general guide- lines. The assignment is simply to come up with the optimum system." This informal working environment is typical of engineering and science at IBM Don sees a lot of possibilities for the future. He says, "My job requires that I keep up to date with all the latest IBM equipment and systems programs. With that broad an outlook, I can move into almost any technical area at IBM." Check with your placement office If you're interested in engineering or science at IBM, ask your placement office for more information. Or send a letter or resume to Mr. Irv Pfeiffer, IBM Corporation, Dept. CC2007,100 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606. We'd like to hear from you even if you're headed for graduate school or military service. An Equal Opportunity Employer A diversified and challenging career is yours at Monsanto because the key to our future rests with engineers of ability. At Monsanto there is no ceiling on your future. A rewarding and interesting career will be found by engineers who thrive on engineering challenges. Important opportunities are offered to chemical, mechanical, electrical, industrial and civil engineers who are needed to maintain our outstanding growth record. Your profes- sional challenge can be found in engineering, manufactur- ing, research or marketing at locations throughout the nation. Excellent benefits and salaries are yours at one of the nation's largest chemical companies. If you are interested in a career at Monsanto, ask your placement director for more information and see the man from Monsanto when he visits your campus. Or write t o : Manager. Professional Recruiting. Department CL 815. Monsanto. St. Louis. Missouri. 63166. "There are lots of big companies. What's so good about yours?" Here's what: at IH you won't have to stand in line waiting for responsibility. You'll get it. Right from the start. And you won't be pushed into a job that leads to nowhere. You'll move up on your merits. The sooner you can cut it, the quicker you'll move. You see, we're looking for the thinker. The innovator. Thetype of guy who has lots of imagination and plenty of guts. (It takes guts to make decisions and stand up for your ideas.) You'll have to be on the ball all right. But we'll give you plenty in return. For one thing, we're diversified. You'll find all kinds of action in steelmaking, motor trucks, construction or farm equipment. And lots of things in research and development. (We've got some far-out ideas on laser beam construction equipment, solar energy and nuclear power.) In other words, we're working on things that should shape the future. Yours and ours. So talk to your campus placement officer about us. He'll give you the word on the jobs we have in engineering, accounting, production management and sales. Sure, we're a big company. But we're big in a lot more ways than just size. Hey diddle-diddle see why. After twenty years of getting that Oberth guessed wrong and look The cat and the fiddle n o t h i n g but handshakes and out Germancitizenship. Several weeks The cow jumped over the moon testimonials for his pioneering, he hit later he found himself standing in a If you think cow is an inaccurate it lucky-a Guggenheim and a reward) train station with the clothes on this description of Apollo 8, you've never grant from his old Alma Mater and he back, a s l u f f e d sachel in one hand and seen a Saturn V close up. The thing is had the pleasure of continuing liis a one way ticket to a grubby little built like a bridge-I-beams, steel studies in the middle of I New village out in the boonies called plates, tie rods, internal bracing, rivets Mexican desert (plenty of privacy, ami Peenemunde in the other. thrown in every time it seemed like a the chance of a lifetime to bone up 00 Acloll Hitler, if you'll recall, was a good idea. With the capsule securely Navajo culture). Virtue is always bit of a fanatic at times. he had a screwed into the top, the whole mess rewarded-for Robert Goddard WWII thing (to name only one) about was 30 yards longer than a regulation brought a civil service job with the gadgets particularly the kind that could conquer the world, one day rockeis caught his eye. Hitler requisitioned a few recent College grads and put them to work. One of these Wernher Von Braun was chosen head of the group, chiefly for two reasons. (l)he came from a good family in fact, technically, Von Braun is a Count (don't laugh, at the time it was important); (2)he was a former student of Oberth's. Speaking of Herman, he didn't hit it off too well with Wernher it seems that bombing London wasn't exactly what he had in mind back at old Heidelberg. So Oberth puttered about, pulling an absentminded-professor routine, and in general made himself useless. Before long he was on the go again this time transferred to the anti-aircraft division in Berlin and Navy and a relocation to Annapolis. Von Braun suddenly found himself football field and checked in at a Overcome, perhaps, by the thought of holding a large and very empty bag. dainty 6.2 million pounds. The fact never again having to hock his Although not what you'd call that the monster actually got off the underwear for a new gyroscope, he b r i l l i a n t a n d c e r t a i n l y no ground, let alone escaped gravitation died in 1945 long before rockets hit Oberth Von Braun was a good and made it to the moon and back is it big, and leaving it to the engineer, and as such he knew rule #3 conclusive proof that money can Guggenheim Foundation to collect of practical engineering If you don't accomplish what technology cannot. $ 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 from the U.S. know, look it up. (no prizes for Whither the Apollo 8? Whither Government for patent infringement. guessing the first 2) Lovell, Anders, Borman, the Houston Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Wernher frantically dug into his Spaceflight Center and 100 billion another dreamer was busy beating his files while the Nazi High Command dollars never to be seen again? And, head against a wall. This was Herman suggestively twitched their riding incidentally, whose bright idea was crops. His best bet turned out to be this in the first place? Oberth, and he should have gotten the message when his doctoral thesis on Goddard's sixth and last success a Goddard started it all. After nifty little lox and kerosene burner interplanetary travel got him laughed graduating from a college in—of all with good performance and even out of Heidelberg. Things brightened places-Wyoming, he began better potential. The Peenemunde up a little when he ran into Goddard's singlehandedly to put together the Boys used good old German work, but not much—the American foundations of rocketry; turning it know-how, applied new technology, always seemed a couple of jumps from a casual amusement on the 4th streamlined the aerodynamics, named ahead of him. A good sport if there °f July into an exact science. Knowing ever was one however, Oberth it the V-2, and reached for their the extent of his work, you'd think corresponded with Goddard and Lowenbraus with a sigh when it finally that Goddard filled the sky with continued working, publishing (usually left the ground to wobble off in the experimental rockets. Actually, he at his own expense), teaching, and general direction of the British Isle. °nly got six of the damn things to fly, traveling—he was shuffled around from As you probably know, job security but each one was a significant college to college in Central Europe, in those days wasn't what it is advancement in the state of the art. no one willing to keep the kook on the now-by 1945 Von Braun and his staff It's pretty unlikely that Goddard's staff for longer than a couple of years. were busy updating resumes and goal was to reach the moon, but he investigating other employment It was in 1940, while lecturing at (Continued on page 28) definitely did want to get off the the Munich Technological Institute, earth-and considering his life, you can We feature a sort of to make sure that you do-it-yourself training, can grab more as soon as rather than long, dreary- you can handle it. formal programs. It's your ball, but we'll go all out If you have a degree in to help you carry it just chemistry, chemical, as far and as fast as mechanical or industrial you can go. When you engineering, physics or need a hand, it will be marketing or accounting there—from experienced —plus a large degree of pros. Your on-the-job, initiative and imagina- on-the-project experience tion—Celanese has a lot will be thorough. to offer you. In profes- sional growth. In rewards And, frankly, we need based on performance, you on the job right now. not how old you are or To help us continue a how long you've been growth rate that's zoomed with us. from 318 million to 1.1 billion dollars in sales Discuss us with your over the last 10 years. faculty and placement Besides a lot of hard work, officer. Talk to our repre- we think the reason is sentative when he's on that we are really many your campus. Or write to: companies. Fibers. John B. Kuhn, Manager of Chemicals. Plastics. Coat- University Recruitment, ings. Petroleum. Each Celanese Corporation, pursuing its area of 522 Fifth Avenue, New expertise autonomously York, NY. 10036. against a broad corporate an equal opportunity employer plan. This freedom of operation makes it possible to give you as much responsibility as you're ready for. And we'll work along with you Dictionaries define hurdling as jumping over a hurdle in a race. Obviously. Webster never made the track team. "A good hurdler never jumps," the experts tell us. " H e tries to duplicate the movements of sprinting. The head stays level. It's never higher over the hurdle than it is between them." A level head helps overcome any obstacle. Take bearing problems. They're best approached by a person with training, determination and the ability to think things through. Are you such a person? When you run up against a tough problem, are you able to take it in stride? And do you like the challenges of rugged competition, and the rewards that come from winning? Then write The Timken Roller Bearing Company, Canton, Ohio 44706. Ask our Manager of College Relations to give you a tryout. An Equal Opportunity Employer. If it doesn't shrink on their backs, why should it shrink on yours. Animals wear leatherall their lives. And from shrinking. they don't worry about rain or dirt or We took a little known chemical called cracking or hardening. Glutaraldehyde and refined it and de- But as soon as they lose their hides, signed it so it could be added to the that's when the trouble can start. With- tanning process. out protection, baseballs can shrivel up, To give you a leather that resists hard- mini-skirts become micro-skirts, size 9 ening. A leather that resists cracking. A shoes become size 8. leather that doesn't shrink at the sight Union Carbide got together with the of water. tanners to save a little bit of the world We're out to save your hide. Editor's Note: Professional organizations provide the student with an opportunity to gain insights into his chosen held at a time when he still has the most options open to him. Descriptions of the student branches of professional organizations and the activities of these student branches will be a continuing feature of the Spartan Engineer, The Michigan State University Amateur Radio Club welcomes as members all who are interested in amateur radio operating and experimentation. Holders of valid amateur licenses may use the facilities of the club station W8SH. W8SH, with modern equipment, is active on all amateur frequencies and annually makes thousands of contacts with amateurs all over the world. Radio enthusiasts not holding licenses may take part in the club's educational program, may have the use of the receiving facilities, and may participate in other activities. The station is located in Room 339 Engineering Building. Meetings are held each Thursday at 7:30. The student chapter of the American Society for Metals is sponsored by the Jackson Chapter of the national society of metallurgical engineers. Membership is made up of students in the mechanical , engineering department as well as students enrolled in metallurgy. Activities include attendance at meetings of the Jackson Chapter as well as meetings of the student chapter on campus. The purpose of the student organization is to bring the student into contact with practicing engineers and with industrial problems involving metallurgy and machine design. Pi Tau Sigma is an honorary mechanical engineering fraternity, established to foster high ideals and scholarship within the engineering profession. The Tau Epsilon chapter of Pi Tau Sigma was formed on the MSU campus in 1949 and was officially recognized by the national fraternity in 1950. Chapter activities consist of initiation procedures and ceremonies to honor top level Mechanical Engineering students and also several business meetings during the year to plan service projects for the Engineering College. Such projects as student-faculty administrative matters, participation in the Engineering Exposition each spring term, and the annual selection of the outstanding sophomore Mechanical Engineering student for the L. G. Miller award are some of the main functions of the organization. Like, we'll ask a graduating engineer: "What opportunities do you think an engineer has if he works for the telephone company?" And, zap—we get a blackout! Well, we think the company responsible for engineering innovations such as the transistor, radio astronomy, high fidelity and stereo recording, magnetic tape, synthetic crystals, negative feedback, sound motion pictures, microwave relay, electronic switching, the solar battery and telstar deserves a consideration that's strong and clear. When the Bell System recruiting team comes to your campus, be sure to talk to them. Or ask your Placement Director for the name of the Bell System recruiter at the local Bell Telephone Company, an equal opportunity employer. We'll turn you on. From your campus to ours... tion they worked on in college. so many people have found the move Last year more than 100 graduates from their campus to ours a natural and came to our campus at TRW Space For our challenges are much like rewarding one. Park in Redondo Beach, or to our yours. Perhaps you'd like to consider the Houston or Washington, D.C. opera- We're deeply involved in the explora- same move. Make an appointment to tions. Of the more than 16,000 men and tion of space and the defense of the see us when we're on your campus (see women in TRW Systems Group, over Free World. We're also applying these below), or write to Dr. W. D. Mclvers, 7000 are college graduates.Their major advanced technologies to the complex College Relations, Room 7001-J, TRW fields of interest are as varied as your social problems of today...transporta- Systems Group, One Space Park, own: Engineering, Behavioral Sciences, tion, health, urban renewal, land plan- Redondo Beach, California 90278. TRW Physical Sciences, Computer Sciences, ning, water and air pollution, global is an equal opportunity employer. Life Sciences, Management Sciences, communication, ocean sciences. and the Humanities. As they work to meet these diverse It's characteristic of TRW Systems challenges, many of our employees are Group that many of our employees con- continuing their study for advanced tinue to do advanced and applied re- degrees with TRW's blessing and finan- search in the same area of specializa- cial help. That's just one of the reasons Let me take you away from all this. Away from indecision. From confusion. Away to Allison Divi- dreamed about. Projects that extend far into the future. Not sion of General Motors. Where young aerospace engineers a here-today-gone-tomorrow atmosphere. At Allison, the become first team varsity. On a winning team. work's here today, and here to stay. In case you haven't heard, Allison is where everything is hap- So come on along. You've worked hard for that degree. Don pening right now. There's an entire family of gas turbine en- waste it. Go where it'll do you the most good. Write Ken gines for you to work on. Turbofan. Turbojet. Turboprop. Friedlein, Scientific Placement, Dept 303, Allison Division Turboshaft. New and exciting projects. The kind you've of General Motors, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206. The construction field is one of the fastest moving of modern industries, and locally the Christman Company has made more than its share of contributions. Of all the buildings on campus, the Christman Company has worked on over half including the Engineering Building. Currently leading this dynamic company is Harry L. Conrad, a 1940 graduate of Civil Engineering and one of the areas most active engineering alumni. Mr. Conrad is currently a National Director for the Association of General Contractors and is also one of ten alumni who works closely with the College of Engineering in reviewing the present curricula of all majors. While most students are not completely committed to a particular career, Mr. Conrad knew his field early in his life as he watched construction crews working and became a brick layer as soon as he turned eighteen. One of the highpoints of his early working days was reaching the penny a minute wage rate! For those students interested in the construction area, many firms hold summer training programs which not only give practical experience but also show real rather than printed descriptions of the business. Mr. feels that those students who excel these are some of the industry's Conrad feels that the educational scholastically should obtain as much self-criticisms, the major concern of needs of the construction industry are the student is to constantly evaluate education as possible, but that the three-fold being: his potential, realize where his average student should seek 1. Construction engineers with employment with responsibility for interests lie, and get completely Civil Engineering degrees and a involved in the industry as much as "responsibility is the world's best strong enough education to pass possible. teacher". t h e r e g i s t e r e d engineers Mr. Conrad became so involved in examination. As far as the industry is concerned, the construction field that he worked 2. Technicians who supervise field Mr. Conrad feels it fails to attract and from bricklayer to engineer to work, layouts, and handle some help the emerging engineer before he president of the company without of the testing necessary. graduates, for undergraduate help is losing the satisfaction of doing it all 3. Apprenticeship programs to vital to the continuation of the through hard work and wisdom. When merge modern technology with industry. This help takes the form of a person like Mr. Conrad looks back dexterity for highly effective summer jobs, summer training and realizes that his path to success workmen. programs, and field work where the was not miraculous, but due to hard student does—instead of watches. Also work and the proper training, we will The Civil Engineer who wants to go as the engineer is learning to apply his all benefit from his opinions and into construction must become a concerns over future engineering registered engineer as well as have knowledge, an experienced worker should supervise and consul him so he leaders and their current educational adequate summer training to be both needs. LJ gains confidence rapidly. Although successful and proficient. Mr. Conrad some decisions are relatively unimportant Where you put your engineering talent to work is not As you contemplate one of the most important decisions of your life, we invite you to consider a career at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. Here, you will find wide-open opportunities for professional growth with a company that enjoys an enviable record of stability in the dynamic atmosphere of aerospace technology. We select our engineers and scientists carefully. Motivate them well. Give them the equipment and facilities only a leader can provide. Offer them company-paid, graduate-education opportunities. Encourage them to push into fields that have not been explored before. Keep them reaching for a little bit more responsibility than they can manage. Reward them well when they do manage it. And your decision is made easier, thanks to the wide range of talents required. Your degree can be a B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in: MECHANICAL • AERONAUTICAL • ELECTRICAL • CHEMICAL • CIVIL • MARINE • INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING • PHYSICS • CHEMISTRY • METALLURGY • MATERIALS SCIENCE • CERAMICS • MATHEMATICS • STATISTICS • COMPUTER SCIENCE • ENGINEERING SCIENCE • ENGINEERING MECHANICS. Consult your college placement officer-or write Mr. William L Stoner, Engineering Department, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, East Hartford, Connecticut 06108. "I never feel like a rookie" "Sure I'm new at B&W, but I've been too busy to think about that. I've been working in my field all out making steam generation equipment. That led to along, and the training sort of blends right in." atomic power stations, nuclear marine propulsion If Randy Trost sounds like a B&W booster, you equipment, refractories, specialty steel, machine tools, should hear what his supervisor says about him. computers, and closed-circuit TV. (And we still make We're looking for aggressive, talented young engi- the best boiler in America.) neers like Randy. W e want you if you want significant If you'd like to talk with Randy Trost about B&W, responsibility from the start. In fact, we need more call him collect at our facility in Lynchburg, Virginia, engineers than ever before. That's because we're grow- AC 703 846-7361. ing faster. Sales were §625 million in 1967. Up almost In the meantime, be on the lookout for the B&W 12 per cent. recruiter when he visits your campus. That's how it's been from the beginning. We started The Babcock & Wilcox Company, 161 East 42nd Street, New York, New York 10017. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF 1967 - 1968 GRADUATES OF THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING Career opportunities were never better at Bethlehem Steel. Get the cold facts. Schuss on down to the placement office and pick up a copy of our booklet, " Careers with Bethlehem Steel and the Loop Course." Or write: Manager of Personnel, Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Bethlehem, PA 18016 Be frustrated. As only a participant can be. • We'll give you every opportunity to participate. To stretch your mind. To struggle with a problem until you get mad. Until you solve it. And get the credit you deserve. • We don't promise the world. Or the moon. Just the satisfaction of using your talents. Day after day. • Whether you're in research and development, marketing, refining, planning and engineering, or administration. • Your pencils are waiting. • That's what we prom- Come with us and be fulfilled. If you have a degree in: Chemical Engineering