Milestone-Proposal talk:Walter Guyton Cady

Plaque Location -- CSchlombs (talk) 13:00, 1 May 2018 (UTC)

Dear Sidney,

Thank you so much for submitting this milestone honoring the piezoelectric inventions as the Wesleyan Labs. I have some questions about the location of the plaque. The meeting room you propose for the plaque location -- what kind of meeting room is it, and how publicly accessible is it? Also, why is the meeting room proposed for the plaque location, not the original lab building?

Suggested revisions to citation -- Administrator4 (talk) 13:26, 1 May 2018 (UTC)

I would recommend revising the citation to:

In 1921, Professor Walter Guyton Cady designed the first circuit to control frequencies based on a quartz crystal resonator, and recognized that the circuit could be used as a standard of frequency, a filter, or as a coupling device between circuits. Cady’s research at Wesleyan was fundamental to the development of ultrasonics, sonar, quartz time standards, radar, and myriad other areas.

Re: Suggested revisions to citation -- Jason.k.hui (talk) 16:32, 7 May 2019 (UTC)

I agree with the suggested revision as the current citation needs more clarity.

Jason Hui, Milestones Subcommittee Chair

Re: Suggested revisions to citation -- Sidneylang (talk) 11:34, 13 June 2019 (UTC)

The revision as shown is completely acceptable. One minor grammatical correction is needed. The phrase "myriad other areas" should be replaced with "myriads of other areas".

Letter from Vacek Miglus concerning plaque location -- Sidneylang (talk) 07:47, 2 May 2018 (UTC)

The proposed room was originally described as a meeting room however it is much more. It is used extensively by students as a study space. This includes the obvious population from physics but it is popular among students from many disciplines. It is also a space that houses mailboxes for faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate physics students and as such is visited on a regular basis. The room is open and used all day and night whenever classes are in session. During the summer months the room is closed at night. There proposed location of the plaque is facing the passanger elevators so it would be hard for any visitor to miss. The room was named in Professor Cady’s honor. It was dedicated by his students on the anniversary of his 100th birthday that he was planning to attend. Unfortunatly things didn’t quite work out for him to attend.

> One of the concerns of the History Committee is that plaques be mounted at locations that are publicly accessible as well as well-guarded--and to find the right balance between the two (which sometimes are mutually exclusive). Often, it is preferable to have a plaque be mounted in an entry hall or on the outside of a building, to allow easier public access to the plaque. Would such an alternative location be possible in this case?

There is an alternate location available. It is the building that physics was housed in during the time that Cady was at Wesleyan. It would have been my first preference if there was any remaining sign of the sort of work that was done there from 1903 to 1969. It is now, to quote their webpage “The Allbritton Center is the hub of civic engagement at Wesleyan. We study public life, actively partner with the local and regional community, and teach practical skills for social impact.” a building very much focused on the humanities and I have a hard time envisioning the visitors there to have any interest in the work that Professor Cady did. I believe the level of receptive engagement from visitors as well as the Wesleyan population would be much higher if the plaque was displayed in the Cady Lounge.

Furthermore, the plaque would tend to disappear among all the present signage and other distractions in the former Scott Laboratories, now Allbritton Center, unless mounted to the exterior where security becomes more of an issue than indoors.

I have posted notated photographs of possible locations, both indoor as well as outdoor at Allbritton as well as the proposed location In the Cady Lounge. Possible plaque locations are in the green circles. (with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one)(1)

http://vmiglus.site.wesleyan.edu/w_g_cady/

E-mail addresses of contacts at Wesleyan University -- Sidneylang (talk) 07:50, 2 May 2018 (UTC)

Prof. Vacek Miglus vmiglus@wesleyan.edu

Prof. Greg Voth gvoth@wesleyan.edu

Required References -- Jason.k.hui (talk) 16:26, 7 May 2019 (UTC)

The Milestone proposal requires a minimum of five references to establish the dates, location, and importance of the achievement. I don't see evidence of this in the proposal. Please confirm.

Jason Hui, Milestone Subcommittee Chair

Re: Required References -- Jason.k.hui (talk) 13:08, 13 June 2019 (UTC)

I received the references on 6/12/19. The references are sufficient in establishing the dates, locations, and importance of the technical achievement. This issue is closed.

Expert Review #1-- Jason.k.hui (talk) 12:22, 13 July 2019 (UTC)

The following is an expert review from Prof. Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb, IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control Society President received on 13 July 2019:

1) Is the suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate?

Yes

2) Is the evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Citation?

Yes

3) Does the proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement?

Yes! This is the birth of the field of ferroelectricity. For our Society is similar to the IEEE Maxwell statue in Edinburgh.

Expert Review #2 -- Jason.k.hui (talk) 10:04, 15 July 2019 (UTC)

The following is an expert review from Paul Reynolds, IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control Society President-Elect received on 15 July 2019:

Jason

In answer to your questions

In reviewing the proposal, the IEEE History Committee would like assessment of three particular aspects of the proposal:

Q1) Is the suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate?

A1) Yes, the wording is accurate.

Q2) Is the evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Citation?

A2) Yes, the evidence is detailed, accurate, and substantial.

Q3) Does the proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement?

A3) Yes, the milestone recognizes a significant technical achievement. One application alone, timing in watches, has resulted in nearly every watch in the world using a 'descendant' of this achievement, and accurate to a few seconds per year, at a price affordable to most. His work had substantial impact in areas such as SONAR and medical ultrasound imaging. I have no question in supporting this as a worthy milestone.

Advocate Approval -- Jason.k.hui (talk) 10:09, 15 July 2019 (UTC)

As advocate, I have reviewed the milestone proposal (along with two positive expert reviews) and recommend that it move forward for IEEE History Committee consideration.

Jason Hui

Milestone Subcommittee Chair

Re: Advocate Approval -- Jbart64 (talk) 21:30, 4 September 2019 (UTC)

This milestone celebrates an individual rather than an achievement. I suggest modifying it toward the achievement as follows. Dave Bart

In 1921, the first circuit to control frequencies based on a quartz crystal resonator was designed on this site. That circuit was later applied as a standard of frequency, a filter, or as a coupling device between circuits. The field of ferroelectricity subsequently emerged from this accomplishment, which was fundamental to the development of ultrasonics, sonar, quartz time standards, radar, and myriads of other areas.

Re: Re: Advocate Approval -- Amy Bix (talk) 01:39, 5 September 2019 (UTC)

"designed on this site" is vague - and it sounds as if there is still some uncertainty about exactly where the plaque might go? To get around this and add some possible further modifications:

In 1921, research at Wesleyan led to development of the first circuit to control frequencies based on a quartz crystal resonator, which was later applied as a standard of frequency, a filter, and as a coupling device between circuits. This discovery helped create the field of ferroelectricity, which proved fundamental to the development of ultrasonics, sonar, quartz time standards, radar, and myriad other areas.

title? -- Allisonmarsh (talk) 06:05, 13 September 2019 (UTC)

I think there is a disconnect with the title. Does Piezoelectric need to be defined?

Possible re-write -- Allisonmarsh (talk) 13:02, 17 September 2019 (UTC)

Amy & I worked on this during the morning coffee break. Please comment on the revisions.

Invention of Piezoelectric Resonator and Oscillator, 1921-1923

In 1921, research at Wesleyan led to development of the first circuit to control frequencies based on a quartz crystal resonator, known as a piezoelectric effect. This technique was later applied as a standard of frequency, a filter, and as a coupling device between circuits. This technology advanced ultrasonics, sonar, and radar, and appeared in daily life through quartz wristwatches.

Citation of Allison and Amy -- JaninA (talk) 13:00, 2 October 2019 (UTC)

I like this version. However I suggest to remove words "known as a piezoelectric effect" as it is not correct to use them in this context.

"In 1921, research at Wesleyan led to development of the first circuit to control frequencies based on a quartz crystal resonator. This technique was later applied in standards of frequency, filter and for coupling between circuits. Quartz oscillators advanced ultrasonics, sonar, radar and myriads of other electronic applications. They appeared in everyday life through quartz wristwatches".

I strongly recommend to change the title of this Milestone to 'Invention of Quartz Oscillator 1921-1923 Why? A patent for Rochelle Salt (Piezoelectric) Oscillators was lodged by Nicholson in 1918, and he retained the patent after an unsuccessful challenge from Cady. Quartz resonator based patents were lodged in USA for ultrasonic submarine detection by Langevin in 1916 and 1917. It was listening to a Longevin's presentation in USA in June 1917 that made Cady to start researching piezoelectricity....

Re: Citation of Allison and Amy -- Jason.k.hui (talk) 18:47, 2 October 2019 (UTC)

Janina - See "Most significant contributions" at https://ieee-uffc.org/about-us/history/walter-guyton-cady-memorial-page/. It refers to the piezoelectric oscillator.