Letters

I was surprised and delighted to see an image from the Hubble Space Telescope (“Hooray for Hubble!”) in the May-June issue in honor of its 25th anniversary.

You might be interested in knowing that while Duncan [Moore, the Rudolf and Hilda Kingslake Professor of Optical Engineering,] worked on correcting the manufacturing error to the lens, my late husband, Joe Oberheuser ’68 (MS), designed the primary optical system.

In fact, he either outright designed, or worked on, the optical systems of all but two of the more than 24 astronomical telescopes ever launched by the United States. Obviously we’re proud of him and that fact.

When Joe passed in 2005, someone commented, “Now he’s up there with all of his telescopes.”

Had time permitted to develop a tiny space-borne container, the astronauts on the last servicing mission would have put some of his ashes on Hubble.

Instead they were taken by the mission director to Florida for the launch—complete with a visitor’s badge—and then kept on his console in Mission Control throughout the entire mission. An honor, to be sure.

As an added acknowledgment of Joe’s work on Hubble, I was sent the large detailed model of Hubble that the astronauts used during training for their mission. It’s proudly displayed for everyone who visits to see.

Judie Oberheuser

San Angelo, Texas

A Call for Safety

The picture on page 40 (“Full Spectrum and Full Throttle”) of the May-June issue caused me to write. Long, dangly hair is a safety concern in a fabrication shop. It’s just as much a danger with machinery as it was in the days of open flames used as a heat source in a chemistry lab.

Fortythree years in the pharmaceutical industry, in the drug product development and investigational drug manufacturing arenas, has taught me the importance of considering all safe working practices, first and foremost. Such practices include both personal protection equipment and training in safe working procedures.

Since 2009, two university accidents, one at Yale in which long hair wrapped onto a lathe of a student working alone and another at the University of California in which a student received burns from a runaway reaction, resulted in the death of students.

Both could have been prevented by increased forethought about accident possibilities and prevention and increased training and supervision.

I offer these words in the spirit of constructive critique.

Charles Carney ’66

Newtown, Connecticut

Photo ID

In the Class of 1988 photo in the May-June issue (Class Notes), I recognize myself as the sole doctoral student in the gold robe standing at the top right. Being a “W,” I was used to being last.

Dirk Wilmoth ’87W (PhD)

Emory, Virginia

Thanks for the Feedback

Rochester Review is always great reading, but the latest issue (May-June) is superb. You must be very proud of the quality of your publication. Editorial direction, writing, visual content, and layout are invariably first class.

We alumni, students, and faculty have every reason to be proud of you.

Graeme Roberts ’90S (MBA)

Pittsford, New York

---

Review welcomes letters and will print them as space permits. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity. Unsigned letters cannot be used. Send letters to Rochester Review, 22 Wallis Hall, P.O. Box 270044, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627-0044; rochrev@rochester.edu.