Professor H. E. Clifford Describes Study of Electrical Engineering at Harvard--Recent Developments Astounding

In the following article, reprinted from the Harvard Engineering Society Bulletin, H. E. Clifford, Gordon McKay Professor of Electrical Engineering, writes on "The Study of Electrical Engineering at Harvard University".

The developments in electrical science during the past fifty years have been simply astounding, and without parallel in the world's history. The applications of this science in the field of electrical engineering have been of great variety tremendous fundamental importance and substantial effect in the advancement of civilization. It is difficult to name any branch of industry which has not been benefited by some phase of applied electrical science and in many industries this science has become an absolute essential.

We are especially fortunate here at Harvard in having an engineering school of only moderate size so that the contact between student and faculty is much closer than can possibly exist in institutions with a large student body. And if our faculty is of the right sort, as I firmly believe it is, this contact cannot help but aid the development of character in the students themselves. Our laboratories, though not so impressive in size as are those of some of the technical schools, have a very fine equipment both as to variety and genuine usefulness. Our methods of instruction are sound and effective and the proportion of graduate students is a cause for gratification.

A substantial amount of research has characterized the school for many years some being carried on in intimate contact with the industries and aiming as the solution of specific problems. At the present time, research is being conducted on the losses in insulating materials at radio frequencies, magnetic shielding stirring effects in non-ferrous furnaces mechanical and electrolytic rectifiers, ionization of gas films development of a precision bridge for dielectric measurements at low power factors, dielectric losses in various types of power cables creepage of insulators char acteristics and design of current transformers, insulating properties of various kinds of wood, and many more. Some of these studies have resulted in papers published recently.

A great advantage which our students possess over those in the strictly professional school comes from the close contact with the life of a great university, with its tremendous breadth of interest, its opportunities for seeing and hearing the leaders in the world's activities, its museums, the opportunity to hear fine music, and the access to a great library, with its treasures of literature of the ages. For the undergraduate, too, the friendly association with students whose major interest lies in fields other than engineering cannot but be of real benefit