- Eric A. Walker
Eric Arthur Walker born
April 29 ,1910 in Long Eaton, England, diedFebruary 17 ,1995 was president ofPenn State University from 1956 to 1970 and founding member of theNational Academy of Engineering [http://www.nap.edu/openbook/030905575X/html/281.html] .Dr. Walker earned a
Bachelors Degree fromHarvard University inElectrical Engineering , aMasters Degree inbusiness administration , anddoctorate in general science and engineering from Harvard. DuringWorld War II , Walker was associate director of theUnderwater Sound Laboratory , initially located at Harvard, but relocated to the campus of Penn State University. Dr. Walker remained at Penn State, becoming head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, then Dean of the College of Engineering and Architecture in 1951. Next Dr. Walker became vice president for research at Penn State in 1956, and President of the University, also in 1956 [http://www.libraries.psu.edu/speccolls/psua/psgeneralhistory/presidents/walker.htm] .Penn State experienced changes and growth during the Presidency of Dr. Walker. The post-war student population at the university increased from 13,000 to 40,000, becoming one of the largest universities in the
United States [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0933958.html] . Dr. Walker also oversaw the creation of the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and research expenditures for the university grew from $8,000,000 in 1956-57 to $36,000,000 in 1969-70 [http://www.libraries.psu.edu/speccolls/psua/psgeneralhistory/presidents/walker.htm] .The Eric A. Walker building on Penn State's campus is named in honor of Dr. Walker. It houses the
Meteorology department, one of the larger science departments at the university, as well as theGeography department.
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