NO.69
SPRING 2006
BENE LEGERE
NEWSLETTER OF THE
LIBRARY ASSOCIATES
The Library Associates
Join more than 6,000 other friends, book lovers, alumni, and faculty who recognize that the influence of a great research library reaches beyond the university it serves to the many communities of which it is a part.
Library Associates receive complimentary copies of the quarterly newsletter Bene Legere, as well as invitations to special occasions at the Library. For more information on the Library Associates program, please write or telephone: The Library Development Office, Room 131 Doe Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-6000; telephone (510) 642-9377. Or, check our website.
Oral history of Ernest Kuh, College of Engineering emeritus dean and professor
Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library
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Ernest Kuh’s story reveals his lifetime of pioneering work as a researcher, professor, and administrator. Co-author of four books on circuits, electronics, networks, systems, and computer-aided design, he joined the Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department faculty at UC Berkeley in 1956. From 1968 to 1972, he served as department chair, and from 1973 to 1980 he was dean of the College of Engineering. Kuh retired in 1993.
As dean, Kuh was an early leader in establishing professional relationships with universities in China and Japan. Another of his innovations was the industry liaison program, which fosters research and recruitment by connecting faculty and students with industry representatives. The program’s success showed the potential for partnership between industry and higher education.
Ernest Kuh was the first Asian American to serve as dean of the college of engineering, and as dean was the first to raise money to construct a new building--the Bechtel Engineering Center--built virtually entirely with private funds. He was department chair when I was hired as a faculty member, and as I consulted with him on various decisions over the years, I came to deeply appreciate his thoughtful insights. A beloved colleague and teacher, his thirty-seven years of academic and administrative leadership embodies the dedication and innovation Berkeley inspires at its best.
--Paul Gray, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost