Photo: Courtesy SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Archives and History OfficeTau Lepton Discoverer
Martin Perl, professor emeritus of physics at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, died September 30 at Stanford Hospital. He was 87.
Perl, who joined SLAC a year after its 1962 founding, shared the 1995 Nobel Prize for his mid-1970s discovery of the tau lepton, an elementary particle similar to the electron. In a biographical note following his award, Perl emphasized the "good fortune" that accompanied him throughout life, in part because of the robust growth of universities and academic research. "Of course," he wrote, "my ultimate good fortune was that the tau existed."
First educated as a chemical engineer, Perl made a pivotal career move while working for General Electric; he encountered a Union College physics professor whose guidance helped spur his return to school. He entered the physics doctoral program at Columbia University in 1950 at the age of 23.
SLAC director Chi-Chang Kao, noting Perl's devotion to SLAC, reflected on Perl's lunchtime presence in the cafeteria, "inviting staff to sit and talk with him. His enthusiasm was as infectious as his smile."
Photo: Rod SearceyDocumentary Pioneer
Henry Breitrose was founder of the Stanford documentary film program, which has produced more than 500 filmmakers who are working around the world. He died October 2 at his campus home. He was 78.
Professor emeritus of communication, Breitrose came to the university as an instructor for the Film for Television course while earning a doctorate in communication research. He joined the faculty in 1966. The documentary program he fostered is now the documentary film and video program in the art and art history department.
Kristine Samuelson, professor emerita of art and art history, noted that Breitrose's work with the International Association of Film and Television Schools helped advance the development of film pedagogy and established him as part of an international documentary community.
"Henry just reveled in talking about film," said Donald Roberts, professor emeritus of communication and former chair of the department. "He also reveled in having students who were engaged in making films. He never stopped talking about his students. He just loved what he did."
Photo: Rod SearceyInternational Economist
Ronald McKinnon, professor emeritus of economics, died October 1 from complications following a fall on an escalator at San Francisco International Airport. He was 79.
McKinnon's research as an applied economist included early work on the effects of financial repression, which describes policies that force savers to take returns below inflation and enable banks to provide cheap loans that allow companies and governments to reduce the burden of debt repayments. He wrote or co-wrote nine books.
McKinnon joined Stanford as an assistant professor in 1961, received tenure in 1966 and became a full professor in 1969. His first book was Money and Capital in Economic Development; his expertise included international finance.
"His work had a following all over the world," said John Shoven, the director of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. "This was brought home to me in 1979, when I was visiting the London School of Economics and Ron McKinnon came to give a seminar. The faculty and students were so anxious to hear Ron that the seminar room was standing room only."
