Carl Barus Award for Outstanding Service in the Public Interest

Carl Barus

From about 1985 through 1990 Carl Barus chaired SSIT's Awards Committee. He carefully and thoroughly gathered and evaluated information about each proposed candidate. Published articles, internal reports, memos, and letters were supplemented, as appropriate, by oral interviews with knowledgeable people. Thus, when SSIT gave its Award for Outstanding Service in the Public Interest, which, by its very nature goes to people involved in controversies, we were confident that the society would not be embarrassed by the sudden surfacing of information detrimental to the awardee. The high reputation of this award owes a great deal to the work of Carl Barus. In many other ways this very able, wise man quietly contributed to the development of SSIT and its predecessor committee. It is therefore highly appropriate to have the award named in his honor, and dedicated to his memory. --S. H. Unger (3/23/95)

---

Award Recipients

David Monts -- 2003

David Monts made tireless efforts as an engineer within the Physical Plant Services Department of the University of Louisiana to report and rectify safety risks created by what he perceived to be the result of improper planning and budgetary constraints. Monts' positions inevitably resulted in his termination and a subsequent and protracted civil suit. In contrast with such widely-followed issues as the World Trade Center investigation, Mr. Mont's actions were important examples of the everyday ethical challenges which engineers face within modern practice.

Salvador Castro -- 2001

In recognition of his commitment to the public safety, in reporting a dangerous product design to the Food and Drug Administration at the cost of his job. Read his speech entitled "Experience of a Whistleblower."

Rebecca Leaf -- 1997

In recognition of her work, under particularly dangerous conditions, in directing a project to make electricity available to people in a remote rural area of Nicaragua, and to educate local people in the rudiments of technology.

Demetrios L. Basdekas -- 1991

In recognition of his long-standing efforts to improve the regulatory process in the nuclear power field.

Benjamin Linder -- 1988

Awarded posthumously, in recognition of his "courageous and altruistic efforts to create human good by applying his technical abilities" while working on appropriate technology projects in Nicarauga.
* Ben Linder - Juggler

Rick Parks -- 1986

In recognition of "his courageous adherence to the highest standards of professional ethics" in challenging procedures instituted by his employer in the nuclear power industry as unsafe and in violation of regulations.

Virginia Edgerton -- 1979

In recognition of her efforts to protect the public safety, despite losing her position, in filing a memorandum on possible degradation of police emergency dispatch response time by a computer program for which she was responsible.

Max Blankenzee, Robert Bruder, and Holger Hjortsvang -- 1978

In recognition of their efforts to protect the public safety, despite great personal sacrifice, in expressing their concern regarding uncorrected design problems in the BART rail system.

---

SSIT Awards and Recognition Committee

Chair: J. M. Benjamin, Jr.
jmbenjamin@aol.com