January 24, 2001: Features

100 Notable Alumni of the Graduate School

Since William Libbey received the first doctoral degree conferred by Princeton, in 1879, thousands of graduate alumni have gone on to make names for themselves in the wider world. In honor of the celebration of the Graduate School's centennial, an Alumni Council committee, together with the Princetoniana committee, has been working to compile a list of notable graduate alumni of the 20th century. The following 100 names have been selected by the editors of PAW, somewhat arbitrarily, from that much larger compilation. Suggestions? Additions? Corrections? Let us know.

Princeton University Presidents

Harold Dodds *14, History, Politics & Economics · 1933-57

Robert Goheen '40 *48, Classics · 1957-72

William Bowen *58, Economics · 1972--88

Harold Shapiro *64, Economics · 1988-2001

Nobel Laureates

Clinton Davisson *11, Physics · 1937

Arthur Holly Compton *16, Physics · 1927

Edwin McMillan *33, Physics · Chemistry 1951

John Bardeen *36, Mathematics · Physics 1956

Robert Hofstadter *38, Physics · 1961

Richard Feynman *42, Physics · 1965

Philip Anderson *49, Physics · 1977

John Nash *50, Mathematics · Economics 1994

Steven Weinberg *57, Physics · 1979

Richard Smalley *74, Chemistry · 1996

James Heckman *71, Economics · 2000

Academics, Researchers, & Inventors

Henry Norris Russell *1900, Astronomy
Coinventor of Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, crucial to understanding of stellar evolution; Princeton professor, 1905-57

Henry DeWolf Smyth '18 *21, Physics
Author, Atomic Energy for Military Purposes on the Manhattan Project; member of Atomic Energy Commission, 1949-54; Princeton professor, 1924-86

Willard Thorp *26, English
Oversaw compilation of Literary History of the United States; Princeton professor, 1926-90

Harry Hammond Hess *32, Geosciences
In 1960, originated the concept of Sea Floor Spreading, which led to the "Plate Tectonic Revolution" in the earth sciences; Princeton professor 1934-69

Lyman Spitzer *38, Physics
Known as the "Father of the Hubble Space Telescope," Princeton professor, 1947-97

Alan Turing *38, Mathematics
Developed principles of the "Turing Machine," a device that laid the foundation for the modern computer; leader in breaking German "Enigma" codes during World War II

John Tukey *39, Mathematics
Important statistician, known for work in telecommunications industry; coined the terms "bit" and "software"; Princeton professor, 1950-2000

William McElroy *43, Biology
Pioneer in bioluminescence; discoverer of luciferase, the firefly enzyme; chancellor, University of California-San Diego, 1972-80

Harrison White *60, Sociology
Leader in mathematical analyses of business firms and market operation; professor, Columbia

W. Robert Connor *61, Classics
Director, National Humanities Center; Princeton professor, emeritus

Robert Kahn *64, MS, Electrical Engineering
CEO, Corporation for National Research Initiatives; former director at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, where he developed ARPANET, which led to the Internet

Burton Malkiel *64, Economics
Author, A Random Walk Down Wall Street; current Princeton professor

W. Jason Morgan *64, Physics
First to propose that the earth's surface was formed of plates; cowinner, 2000 Vetlesen Prize for Earth Science Achievement; current Princeton professor

Elizabeth Bailey *72, Economics
Chair, Public Policy and Management, Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania; Commissioner, Civil Aeronautics Board, 1977-83

Margaret Geller *75, Physics
MacArthur Fellow; codiscoverer, Great Wall of Galaxies; professor, Harvard

Edward Witten *76, Physics
Pioneer in string theory; winner of the Fields Medal, highest honor for mathematicians; professor, Institute for Advanced Study

Elaine Fuchs *77, Biochemical Sciences
Pioneer in biochemical and molecular studies of human skin diseases; professor, University of Chicago

Cornel West *80, Philosophy
Noted author, lecturer, and expert on race relations; professor, Harvard

David Card *83, Economics
Labor economist; won Clark Medal for best U.S. economist under the age of 40; professor, University of California-Berkeley

Allison Booth *86, English
Chair, English Department, University of Virginia

NASA Scientists/Astronauts

Gerald Soffen *61, Biology
Project scientist, Viking Mars Project; founder, Mission to Planet Earth program, creator, NASA Academy

Gerald Carr *62, MSE, Aeronautical Engineering
Astronaut, Skylab 4

James Adamson *77, MSE, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Astronaut, Shuttle STS 43

Daniel Barry *80, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Astronaut, Shuttle STS 72, STS 96

Gregory Linteris '79 *90, MSE, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Astronaut, Shuttle STS 83

Business Leaders

Lee Iacocca *46, MSE, Mechanical Engineering
Chair and CEO, Chrysler Corp., 1979-92

George Rathman *51, Chemistry
Founder, Amgen

Norman Augustine '57 *59, MSE, Aeronautical Engineering
Chair, Lockheed Martin

Michael Jordan *59, MSE, Chemical Engineering
CEO, Westinghouse, 1993-97

Philip Condit *65, MSE, Aeronautical Engineering
Chair and CEO, Boeing Corp.

Robert Johnson *72, MPA, WWS
Chair and CEO, Black Entertainment Television

Arthur Levinson *77, Biochemical Sciences
President and CEO, Genentech

Ann Kirschner *78, English
President and CEO, Fathom, a Web company offering online learning

Peter Dawkins *79, WWS
Vice chair, Citigroup; Heisman Trophy winner

Barbara Cassani *84, MPA, WWS
CEO, Go Airlines

Presidents of colleges and universities

Karl Compton *12, Physics
MIT, 1930-48; brother of Nobel laureate Arthur *16

Frederick Seitz *34, Physics
Rockefeller University, 1968-78

John Toll *52, Physics
Washington College; chancellor, emeritus, University of Maryland

Chang Lin-Tien *59, Mechanical Engineering
University of California, Berkeley, 1990-97

Ilhi Synn *66, German
Keimyung University, Daegu, South Korea

Don Randel '62 *67, Music
University of Chicago

Daniel Christman *69, MPA, WWS; MSE
USMA (West Point)

Hunter Rawlings *70, Classics
Cornell University

Lorna Marsden *72, Sociology
York University, Toronto

Janet Holmgren *74, Linguistics
Mills College

John Gerhart *75, WWS
American University, Cairo

Pulitzer Prize winners

Thornton Wilder *26, Modern Languages
The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1927), Our Town (1938), and The Skin of Our Teeth (1942)

George Will *68, Politics
Washington Post commentary (1977)

F. Taylor Branch *70, MPA, WWS
Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954-63 (1988)

Sheryl Wu Dunn *88, MPA, WWS
New York Times coverage of Tiananmen Square revolt, China (1990)

Writers/Editors/Journalists

Robert P. Tristram Coffin *16, Unknown
Poet

Lowell Thomas *16, History and Politics
Radio and television broadcaster; chronicled exploits of Lawrence of Arabia, hosted "High Adventure with Lowell Thomas" (CBS, 1957-58)

Frederick Crews *58, English
Wrote The Pooh Perplex, a bestselling parody of literary criticism

Jason McManus *58, MPA, WWS
Editor-in-chief, Time Warner, 1987-94

Verlyn Klinkenborg *82, English
New York Times columnist

Richard Preston *83, English
Bestselling author of The Hot Zone,

The Cobra Event
Patricia Cohen *86, MPA, WWS
Editor, Art & Ideas, New York Times

Artists

Milton Babbitt *42 MFA, *92 Ph.D, Music
Renowned modern composer; in 1982 received special Pulitzer citation for his body of work; Princeton professor, emeritus

Robert Venturi '47 *50, MFA, Architecture
Architect; designer of several buildings on Princeton's campus

Charles Rosen '48 *51, Modern Languages and Literature
Concert pianist and music scholar; professor, University of Chicago, 1986-96

John Harbison *63, MFA, Music
Composer of opera Gatsby

Leaders in the Arts/Nonprofits

Alfred Barr '22 *23, Art and Archaeology
Founding director, Museum of Modern Art (New York)

Wen Fong '51 *58, Art and Archaeology
Consulting chair, Asian Art department, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1971-99; Princeton professor, emeritus

Thomas Hoving '53 *60, Art and Archaeology
Director, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1967-77; now editorial director, artnet.com

Ralph Gomory *54, Mathematics
President, Sloan Foundation

Peter Bell *64, MPA, WWS
President, CARE

James Johnson *68, MPA, WWS
Chair, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Barry Munitz *68, Comparative Literature
Chair, Getty Foundation; Princeton trustee

William Thorsell *72, MPA, WWS
CEO, Royal Ontario Museum

Lawrence Goldman *76, WWS
President and CEO, New Jersey Performing Arts Center

Politicians/Government officials

Syngman Rhee *10, Unknown
President of the Republic of Korea, 1948-60

Allen Dulles *16, History and Politics
CIA Director, 1953-61

Paul van Zeeland *21, Economics and Social Institutions
Belgian premier, 1936-37

Andrew Goodpaster *50, Politics (*49 MSE)
General; NATO Commander, 1969-74; Superintendent, USMA, 1977-81

Murray Weidenbaum *58, Economics
(*54 MPA, WWS)
Chairman of President's Council of Economic Advisers, 1981-82

W. Michael Blumenthal *56, Economics
(*53 MPA, WWS)
Secretary of the Treasury, 1977-79

Josephat Njunga Karanja *62, History
Former vice president of Kenya

William Crowe, Jr. *65, Politics
Admiral; Chair, Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1985-89

Meldon Levine *66, MPA, WWS
U.S. Congressman (D--CA), 1983-93

Robert Taft *67, MPA, WWS
Governor, State of Ohio

Richard Holbrooke *70, MCF**, WWS
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.

N. Lloyd Axworthy *72, Politics
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, 1996-2000

V. Manuel Camacho Solis *72, MPA, WWS
Mayor of Mexico City, 1988-94

W. Anthony Lake *74, WWS
National Security assistant, 1993-97

Ryan Crocker *85, MCF**, WWS
U.S. Ambassador to Syria

Degrees are Ph.D.s unless otherwise noted.

** The Mid-Career Fellows program was a non-degree program offered by the Woodrow Wilson School.