My Professional Life as an Engineer
Although I have been a health and fitness “nut” since my teens, my formal training is as an engineer. I graduated from Pratt Institute (in New York City) in 1963 with a BME degree in mechanical engineering. I also received MS and PhD degrees in mechanical engineering from Rutgers University (in New Jersey) in 1966 and 1971 respectively. While a PhD candidate and a few years thereafter, I taught basic engineering science courses at Lafayette College (in Pennsylvania).
Even though I have a high-powered education, my love has always been for the practical aspects of engineering --- specifically the design of machines and neat things like fast motorcycles. Because of this as well as my love for aquatic sports (rowing, swimming, spear fishing, etc.), I moved to Guam in 1972 where I was involved with teaching and development of simple associate degree level engineering technician training programs at the University of Guam. Still at the University of Guam, I was later “drafted” into heading up a water research center, something very far from my professional interests. However, the center did very well and we eventually added alternate energy research to its scope of interest.
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| A solar system that provides power for lights in a remote island junior high school dormitory. The boys in the photo were students at the school and helped out with the installation of the system. |
In 1985 I moved to Micronesia where I set up a small company called Appropriate Technology Enterprises. This company dealt with the design and installation of solar power and water supply systems for use on remote tropical islands. This was exciting and rewarding work that took me to many far flung dots of islands. It was by means of this work that I really came to appreciate the virtues of simplicity. Colleagues and I often talked about the K*I*S*S* concept and how essential it was to our work in order to leave behind projects that would be sustainable in the long run.
In 1998, I closed the company and Marian and I (and our baby son) moved to her home island, an idyllic site more than 100 miles of ocean away from the nearest developed island. There we lived a Robinson Caruso lifestyle starting out in a thatched hut and year by year improving our situation such that, when we left five years later, we had built a comfortable home with all the basic amenities of civilization. Our little girl was born there and, as the years rolled by, we became more and more conscious of the hardships the children would face getting a decent education, not to mention how much we would miss them when they went away to high school and college.
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| A solar system that provides power for a high efficiency freezer used for making ice cubes for local fishermen. The small wind generator provides additional power for the system. This photo provides a glimpse of the beautiful Truk Lagoon. It is now a Mecca for divers who come to look at the Japanese ships that were sunk there during WWII. |
So, in 2007, after a few years on the main island, we finally returned to New York. My dream now is to make a retirement career out of my lifelong love of health and fitness. The K*I*S*S* Fitness Program and sequels are a part of living this dream.
I remain professionally active as a consultant to the Federated States of Micronesia embassy to the United Nations. This is exciting work that keeps us in touch with family and friends on the other side of the world.
If you would like to discuss any of this further, please feel free to Contact Us.