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Standing ovation for Sir William Pickering
Published by the Communications and Development Department
19 March 2003
In 1928 a young student named William Pickering began his academic studies at what was then Canterbury College. Seventy five years later the internationally renowned space engineer returned to Canterbury University to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering.
The doctorate was conferred on the 92-year-old at a special graduation ceremony in the Christchurch Town Hall yesterday. More than 1500 people of all ages turned out to see Sir William honoured and to listen to his personal account of a lifetime in unmanned space research. His informative and inspiring 40-minute address earned him a standing ovation.
Sir William led America’s deep space research and was a central figure in the space race between the US and Russia in the 60s and 70s. As Director of the California Technical Institute of Technology’s (Cal Tech) Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, Sir William led the development of space probes, including the first United States satellite, Explorer I.
Sir William also oversaw the first successful American around-the-moon probe, Pioneer IV, the Mariner flights to Venus and Mars in the 1960s, the Ranger photographic missions to the moon and the Surveyor lunar landings of 1966-67. Through the decades Sir William has received many accolades and has twice graced the cover of Time Magazine.
“Over the years I have received honours from various organisations in several countries but there’s something very special about being honoured in one’s original home,” he said.
“My first experience of university life was here and the experience stood me in good stead for the California Institute of Technology. This is a privately-run, very select institution with the highest standards and they admitted me as a student based on my work here in Christchurch.”
Sir William said he always expected to return to New Zealand to work in the developing electrical power business but jobs were hard to come by in the 1930s so he accepted a teaching position at Cal Tech.“I had no thought that this position would develop into space projects. At that time no-one except a few wild-eyed science fiction fans had any idea that space exploration would happen.”
As the space programme developed, Sir William was handed the perfect job spec. “I had a charter that basically said ‘go out and explore the solar system’.”
Sir William treated the audience to a quick tour of the solar system, illustrated with photographs of the planets and the various space craft used in interplanetary travel.
“The space business has been exciting and very interesting. It has produced as many new questions as it has solved old questions. Furthermore it looks as if there is a lot more work to be done.”Chancellor Dr Robin Mann quoted from a recent magazine article which described Sir William as “New Zealand’s greatest gift to America”. He said Sir William was an outstanding New Zealander and it was a “rare pleasure and a privilege” to pay tribute to one of the country’s “famous sons”.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Roy Sharp said Sir William’s respect for science and engineering and his commitment to furthering knowledge through scientific research was inspirational.
“I found it an inspirational message not just of man’s exploration of space and technological achievements but also inspirational for what an ordinary New Zealander can achieve on the world stage.”
For more information contact: Deborah parker
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