Q&A with John Pierce
As UC San Diego's fourth alumnus, John Pierce received his doctorate in physics in 1964. He was one of the fortunate few students who worked alongside our world-renowned founding faculty and administrators in the early days, including the university's first chancellor, Herb York, and oceanographer Walter Munk. They had a tremendous influence on his career path, leading him to spend most of his career in government service. In this interview, John talks about what it was like to be one of the first students at UC San Diego, how the university and its founders shaped the direction of his life, and why he flew across the country from his home in Virginia to attend the campus' 50th anniversary Founders' Day celebration on Nov. 18.
