Ralph B. Peck
Professor, Mentor, and then some
James E. Monsees, Ph. D., P.E., NAE
N.Y., N.Y., April 15, 2004
P
Professor – Teacher of the
highest rank in a branch of
learning in a college or
university
Knowing the subject (soil mechanics and foundation engineering) well
and broadening our knowledge is only one of Peck’s duties. The other,
equally important but more difficult one is to teach it successfully. I
have taught the subject for many years but the results have been very
disappointing. Examining the reasons in retrospect, they are quite
plain. All my youthful aberrations have been enthusiastically
perpetuated because they responded to the irrational craving of the
human mind for certainties even in fields which are entirely governed
by the laws of probability. Students take to gadgets and neat little
mathematical procedures like ducklings to water. But the essence of
my teachings, dealing with the art of reducing the hazards of design
and construction to a minimum in spite of the inevitable uncertainties
involved – this essence which constitutes the lasting core of soil
mechanics has been persistently slighted or even ignored. However,
Peck has the great advantage that he takes over the heritage in a
radically disinfected condition. Therefore, I express the hope that he
may succeed where I have failed and that he may educate a generation
of foundation engineers who retain their common sense and their
sense of proportion in spite of having been fed a dangerous drug – the
drug of higher learning. Now and then this drug produces marvelous
mental growth, but far oftener it has the opposite effect.
P
Professional – Engaged
in one of the learned
professions.
Professional Practice
 The most fruitful research grows out of practical
problems
 Geology should be used for greater advantage
 Our practice falls short of our knowledge
 Simple calculations based on a range of variables
are better than elaborate ones based on limited input
 Construction deserves more attention in design
 Instrumentation is no substitute for adequate design
 We should write with more description
 Our profession has a promising future
P C
Counselor – Mentor; wise
and trusted advisor
P C
Cultivator – One who
promotes or improves
growth by labor and
attention
Cultivator
Tom
Thornburn
Herb Ireland
Geology Department
George White
Ralph Grim
Don Deere
P C E
Expertise – Special or
expert skill or knowledge
in a particular field
Expertise
 Foundations
 Ore
Storage Facilities
 Tunnels
 Dams and Dikes
 Open Cuts
 Piles
 Cofferdams
P C E P
Persevering – Activity
maintained in spite of
difficulties; steadfast and
long continued
application
P C E P K
Kind – Having a good or
benevolent nature or
disposition; desiring to
do good for others
P C E P K A
Available – Suitable or
ready for service
P C E P K A R
Respect – High esteem
or differential regard; felt
with a warm, kindly feeling
P C E P K A R H
Honors – High public
esteem, credit or
reputation for worthy or
distinctive behavior
January 22, 1945 – Celebration of Ralph Peck’s Norman Medal
and Nate Newmark’s Croes Medal.
From left to right: Wilbur Wilson, Nate Newmark, Ralph Peck,
And Karl Terzaghi.
Honors
Norman Medal
National Medal of Science
Rankine Lecture
Carrillo Lecture
Bjerrum Memorial Lecture
Washington Medal
National Academy of Engineering
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
National Society of Professional Engineers
Who’s Whos
Moles Nonmember
Golden Beaver
P C E P K A R H L
Luck – Good fortune
Marjorie and Ralph
on their wedding day,
June 14, 1937
P C E P K A R H L
Legacy – A gift of value
handed down to
succeeding generations
Ph.D. Dissertations Directed
by Ralph Peck
1945 Chang, Arthur C-C
1945 Uyanik, Mehmet E.
1946 Moretto, Oreste
1949 Teng, Wayne C-Y
1949 Zeevaert, Leonardo
1951 Lee, Tien-Un
1951 Mostafa, M. Khalil
1951 Wu, Tien-Hsing
1952 Sabry, A.A.A.
1953 Ghanem, Mohamed F.
1955 Deere, Don U.
1955 Ireland, Herbert O.
1956 Hay, William W.
1956 Nordlund, Reymond L.
1959 Fry, Thomas S.
1960 Davisson, Melvin T.
1960 Misiaszek, Edward T.
1960 Olson, Roy E.
1960 Triandafilidis, George E.
1961 Esrig, Melvin I.
1961 Kane, Harrison
1961 Lucroix, Yves H.
1961 Wagner, John E.
1962 Gangopadhyay, Chittta R.
1962 Prakash, Shamsher
1962 Raamot, Tonis
1963 Chryssafopoulos,
Hanka W.
1963 Lamb, John H., Jr.
1966 DiBiagio, Elmo L.
1966 Flaate, Kaare S.
1967 Bazaraa, Abdel, R. S. S.
1967 Salley, James R.
1968 Schindler, Larry
1969 Chang, Yuan-Chun
Eugene
1969 Hagerty, Donald J.
1969 Schmidt, Birger
1971 Palladino, Donald J.
1973 Campbell, Joe D.
1976 Parker, Harvey W., III
P C E P K A R H L
Professor, Professional
Counselor, Cultivator
Expertise
Persevering
Kind
Available
Respect
Honors
Luck, Legacy
R A L P H
P E C K