Acceptance Remarks for the Von Hippel Award of the Materials Research Society, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts - November 27, 1979

Extract

It is a high honor to receive this award; especially so, considering the distinction of the first two recipients: Professor von Hippel, who pioneered brilliantly in the development and definition of Materials Science, and Dr. Baker, under whose leadership were made the great scientific and technological discoveries at Bell Laboratories during the past decades. It is not clear to me that I belong in this progression. I feel that I am in a position rather like that of a certain Linus. I'm sure that you all know of two famous persons named Linus but you may not have heard of the Linus to whom I refer. He was identified by the ecclesiastical historian Eusebius as the first Bishop of Rome following the Apostles Peter and Paul. In any event, this award indicates that some of my colleagues, rightly or wrongly, think highly of me and that is pleasant to know.