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Ashley H. Carter: Research
Scientist Turned Educator

 
Former AT&T Bell Laboratories research physicist Ashley Carter is known these days as director of The Charles A. Dana Research Institute for Scientists Emeriti (RISE) at Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. The ground-breaking program teams retired industrial scientists like Dr.Carter with under- graduates on original research projects (see Reinventing Retirement #3). He assumed his new job at age 75, but he is no stranger to academia. While he was still at Bell, he began his 25-year relationship with Drew as an adjunct professor of physics and mathematics. He received a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and master’s and doctoral degrees from Brown University.

Becoming a fellow of RISE was a natural step after he retired from Bell in 1990. "I am very devoted to Drew," he says, "It’s a wonderful school and I’ll continue to participate in as many ways as I can." At the moment, this means directing and raising money for the RISE program, overseeing the work of nine Fellows and the students currently enrolled, recruiting new Fellows for the Institute, mentoring students himself, completing a textbook on thermal physics, and teaching upper level physics courses. The latter would be a full time job, noted physics department colleague Jim Supplee.

RISE will be part of a $30 million expansion at the Hall of Sciences at Drew University. "Science is changing so rapidly, it becomes a challenge to anticipate what kinds of facilities we’ll need in the future," Carter says. "The interest in molecular biology, genetics and neurobiology is especially high today."

Clearly, retirement is the last thing on Ash Carter’s mind. As one who grew up in Maine, he has little affinity for the Sun Belt. He relaxes with classical music or jazz. His father, Edwin Carter, was a role model for productivity in later life. The elder Carter was a Congregational minister who continued to preach until he was 90. "He was always curious about the world around him, and I think that curiosity rubbed off on me and led me to become a physicist."

Last year Ash Carter gave a talk on recent scientific observations that have shaken the world of astronomers and cosmologists. Researchers have been trying to decide if the universe will continue expanding or end in a big crunch. Recent observations of distant supernovae favor expansion and indicate that it is speeding up. Dr. Carter described the excitement of scientists about the planned launching of two sky-mapping satellites early in the millennium. The hope is that the data obtained will eventually lead to a full understanding of the cosmos. He challenged Drew physics students to "seize the opportunity" to get involved. "The truth is out there," he said.

Getting Started

The Charles A.Dana
Research Institute for Scientists Emeriti (RISE)
Drew University
Madison, New Jersey
www.depts.drew.edu/rise/

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