Admiral Bobby Inman to Speak at Caltech's Commencement
"We're honored to have him," said J. Morgan Kousser, chair of the convocations committee, which oversees commencement. "He's a good speaker, skilled and knowledgeable in the types of technological activities that Caltech students are and will be involved in, and he has been closely associated with the Institute since he became a trustee." Kousser, who is a professor of history and social science, also noted that Inman rose to the top of his profession "through the ranks of [the Navy,] perhaps the most meritocratic institution in the country."
Caltech alumnus Les Deutsch will start things off with an organ prelude, and Kousser will lead the procession of faculty, trustees, administrators, and graduates to the strains of Caltech's Convocations Brass and Percussion Ensemble, directed by Bill Bing. Afterward, the Caltech Glee Clubs, conducted by Don Caldwell, will sing "Hallelujah" from Handel's Messiah.
Caltech will award approximately 230 bachelor's degrees, 110 master's degrees, 1 engineer's degree, and 167 PhD degrees. The PhD count is the highest to date and includes, at latest count, 60 scholars in Engineering and Applied Sciences; 54 from Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; 27 from Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy; 15 from Biology; 10 from Geological and Planetary Sciences; and 3 from Humanities and Social Sciences. Thirty-nine of the 169 are women, and 71 are international students.
The senior class (168 men and 62 women) has 27 international students, 74 Californians, and 15 Texans (the second most-represented state). The seniors have 122 graduates from Engineering and Applied Science, 36 from Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, 31 from Biology, 24 from Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 9 from Geology and Planetary Sciences, 7 from Humanities and Social Sciences, and 1 in independent studies.
Born in Texas in 1931, Inman graduated from the University of Texas in 1950. He joined the Naval Reserve in 1951 and was commissioned as an ensign in 1952. Over the next 19 years he served on an aircraft carrier, two cruisers, and a destroyer, and carried out many missions in naval intelligence.
After graduating from the National War College in 1972, Inman was promoted to rear admiral in 1974 and to vice admiral in 1976. In 1981, he was promoted to admiral, becoming the first naval intelligence specialist to achieve the four-star rank. Between 1974 and 1982, Inman served as director of Naval Intelligence, vice director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, director of the National Security Agency, and deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He retired with the permanent rank of admiral in 1982.
From 1983 to 1986, Inman served as chairman and CEO of the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation in Austin, Texas, and from 1986 to 1989, he was chairman, president, and CEO of Westmark Systems, Inc., a privately owned electronics industry holding company. From 1987 through 1990, he was chairman of the Reserve Bank of Dallas, and he is currently adjunct professor with both the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the Graduate School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.
In addition to being a member of Caltech's Board of Trustees since 1989, Inman is a trustee of Southwestern University and a member of the board of directors of Fluor, Science Applications International, Southwestern Bell, Temple-Inland, and Xerox. He serves in a volunteer status as a trustee of the American Assembly and the Center for Excellence in Education. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Public Agenda Foundation and is a member of the National Academy of Public Administration.
Contact: Jay Aller (818) 395-3631 aller@caltech.edu
