In regard to Ramsey Tesdell’s commentary on the Vance Coffman endowed chair, I’d like to offer a brief mix of appreciation for a level of discussion in short supply on this campus and a correction to his perceptions of the implications of having this chair.

First the correction: This chair was created from a gift with absolutely no strings attached beyond enhancing the department by ensuring a stronger faculty. Hence, what will be aided are the benefits that flow from a better faculty. Among those benefits are better educated students and new research. What those students do with that education and what research gets done will be determined by the students and the researchers.

Provoking thought among students and researchers on the choices they make of jobs and projects is where Tesdell’s comments important. Vance Coffman had a distinguished career pursuing work that in some cases led to stronger national defense and support of countries deemed allies by our government — an outcome held as honorable in this country. Ramsey notes cases where he (and I for that matter) don’t think much of those governmental choices, but we need to work more to convince others of that view.

Attention to the challenges he raises is what we want engineers to consider as they evaluate the social impacts of their work. That is more likely to happen the more people raise the subject — even if there are misperceptions about the event triggering the discussion.

Charles Glatz

Professor

Chemical Engineering