Water Resources: Hydraulics and Hydrology
University of
at Berkeley
I decided to go to the University of California at Berkeley. I enrolled in engineering, and
was there five years, majoring in civil engineering. I was interested in astronomy and
economics, I took several courses in those subjects as well.
What was the curriculum like in the School of Engineering at the University of California
when you enrolled?
A:
Well, the first two years I took basic courses in physics, chemistry, and mathematics.
After that I concentrated on basic civil engineering courses on surveying, sanitary
engineering, bridge design, and hydraulics. I had to go to one two-week summer camp
to learn surveying for staking out a railroad. I had one course in sanitary engineering.
I learned a little about sewers but never used it.
I should have had a lot more hydraulic engineering courses. One semester before I
graduated, I went to the professor who taught me a couple of hydraulic engineering
courses, and said, "I'm wondering whether I should come back and get a doctorate in
hydraulic engineering and spend more time on the design of dams? I want to learn more
about dams. Also, since you don't have any courses on dams, would it be possible for me
to do a lot of reading of the literature about dams, and give you some kind of report after
the semester?
He said, "Yes, that's fine. You pick out what you want to read." He suggested a few
books. So I read a lot, and wrote a summary report of what I read, and I gave it to the
professor. He didn't even give me an examination. He gave me three credits with an A
for what I read.
I learned more about dams than I did in any of the courses I took from him. I said to him,
"Do you think it would be worth my while to come back and get a doctorate and
emphasize the design of dams?" He said, "Get a job where they design dams. You'll
learn more there than going back to school. So that's what I did.
So you had really decided when you went to California that you were going to go into civil
engineering.
A:
Yes.
Previous Page
