Seibert Q. Duntley
Encyclopedia
Seibert Quimby Duntley was born in Bushnell, Illinois on October 2, 1911. He received an SB in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1933. Duntley received an MS degree from California Institute of Technology
in 1935 and an Sc.D. in physics from MIT in 1939. While at MIT, Duntley met and worked with Karl Taylor Compton
, Harold Eugene Edgerton
, and many other prominent physicists. Duntley's primary interest was in applied physics particularly the optics of turbid media.
He started the Visibility Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1939/40. It was the brainchild of Duntley and MIT physics chair Dr. Arthur C. Hardy. It was focused on applying optics
to such problems as camouflage
, misdirection of aerial bombardment, target location, visibility of submerged objects at sea. In 1952, Roger Revelle
and Quimby Duntley agreed that the laboratory would become part of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
in San Diego, and the U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships agreed to pay for the move. The work of the laboratory centered on the transmission of visible light through the atmosphere and water and the related problems of image formation and recognition. The nature of much of the research required measurements of the optical properties of the ocean or atmosphere for which no instruments existed. As a result of these requirements, many unique and very specialized instruments were developed by the laboratory, many of which were based on concepts or optical designs devised by Duntley. He earned the academic rank of Professor in 1966 and taught at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
and at the Department of Applied Physics and Information Science (APIS) at UCSD until his retirement.
Duntley was an active member of many professional associations, particularly the Optical Society of America
and Sigma Xi. He was president of the Optical Society of America
in 1965 . He was Chairman of the Representatives of the Optical Society on the U.S. National Committee of the International Commission on Illumination
. During the 1960's he was a member of the Armed Forces-National Research Council Committee on Vision. He was a participant in the 1971 JASON Laser Summer Study. He chaired the Richardson Medal Committee of the Optical Society of America
from 1972 to 1975 . He received many awards, including the Army-Navy Certificate of Appreciation and, in 1961, the Frederic Ives Medal, the highest award of the Optical Society of America, "recognizing overall distinction in optics." Quimby Duntley died in La Jolla on October 22, 1999.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 1933. Duntley received an MS degree from California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
in 1935 and an Sc.D. in physics from MIT in 1939. While at MIT, Duntley met and worked with Karl Taylor Compton
Karl Taylor Compton
Karl Taylor Compton was a prominent American physicist and president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1930 to 1948.- The early years :...
, Harold Eugene Edgerton
Harold Eugene Edgerton
Harold Eugene "Doc" Edgerton was a professor of electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology...
, and many other prominent physicists. Duntley's primary interest was in applied physics particularly the optics of turbid media.
He started the Visibility Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 1939/40. It was the brainchild of Duntley and MIT physics chair Dr. Arthur C. Hardy. It was focused on applying optics
Optics
Optics is the branch of physics which involves the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behavior of visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light...
to such problems as camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
, misdirection of aerial bombardment, target location, visibility of submerged objects at sea. In 1952, Roger Revelle
Roger Revelle
Roger Randall Dougan Revelle was a scientist and scholar who was instrumental in the formative years of the University of California, San Diego and was one of the first scientists to study global warming and the movement of Earth's tectonic plates...
and Quimby Duntley agreed that the laboratory would become part of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, is one of the oldest and largest centers for ocean and earth science research, graduate training, and public service in the world...
in San Diego, and the U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships agreed to pay for the move. The work of the laboratory centered on the transmission of visible light through the atmosphere and water and the related problems of image formation and recognition. The nature of much of the research required measurements of the optical properties of the ocean or atmosphere for which no instruments existed. As a result of these requirements, many unique and very specialized instruments were developed by the laboratory, many of which were based on concepts or optical designs devised by Duntley. He earned the academic rank of Professor in 1966 and taught at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, is one of the oldest and largest centers for ocean and earth science research, graduate training, and public service in the world...
and at the Department of Applied Physics and Information Science (APIS) at UCSD until his retirement.
Duntley was an active member of many professional associations, particularly the Optical Society of America
Optical Society of America
The Optical Society is a scientific society dedicated to advancing the study of light—optics and photonics—in theory and application, by means of publishing, organizing conferences and exhibitions, partnership with industry, and education. The organization has members in more than 100 countries...
and Sigma Xi. He was president of the Optical Society of America
Optical Society of America
The Optical Society is a scientific society dedicated to advancing the study of light—optics and photonics—in theory and application, by means of publishing, organizing conferences and exhibitions, partnership with industry, and education. The organization has members in more than 100 countries...
in 1965 . He was Chairman of the Representatives of the Optical Society on the U.S. National Committee of the International Commission on Illumination
International Commission on Illumination
The International Commission on Illumination is the international authority on light, illumination, color, and color spaces...
. During the 1960's he was a member of the Armed Forces-National Research Council Committee on Vision. He was a participant in the 1971 JASON Laser Summer Study. He chaired the Richardson Medal Committee of the Optical Society of America
Optical Society of America
The Optical Society is a scientific society dedicated to advancing the study of light—optics and photonics—in theory and application, by means of publishing, organizing conferences and exhibitions, partnership with industry, and education. The organization has members in more than 100 countries...
from 1972 to 1975 . He received many awards, including the Army-Navy Certificate of Appreciation and, in 1961, the Frederic Ives Medal, the highest award of the Optical Society of America, "recognizing overall distinction in optics." Quimby Duntley died in La Jolla on October 22, 1999.
External links
- Articles Published by early OSA Presidents Journal of the Optical Society of America
See also
- Optical Society of America#Past Presidents of the OSA