Autobiography
My parents, Charles Brovarnik and Pearl Gorinstein, were born in Zhytomyr in Ukraine and came to London in 1908 as part of the vast Jewish immigration in the early part of this century. They were married in London. In 1909 my sister, Ann, was born. I arrived on May 22, 1912. In June 1914 my father decided to join his mother and father and other members of his family in Chicago, much to the dismay of my mother, whose own family largely remained in England. My grandfather’s name had been anglicized to Brown, and that became our name. In the United States, my two sisters, Sophie and Riva, were born in 1916 and 1918.
My father had been trained as a cabinet maker, doing delicate inlaid work. However, he found little market for his skills in the U.S. and turned to carpentry. We lived in an apartment above the store and I attended the Haven School at Wabash and
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16th Street with predominantly black classmates. I did well in school and was advanced several times, graduating at 12. Indeed, I was offered, but refused, further advancement since I did not want to be in the same class with my sister, Ann.
On graduation, I went to Englewood High School on the South Side of Chicago. Unfortunately, my father became ill of some sort of infection and died in 1926. I left school to work in our store, I am afraid that I was not really interested in the business and spent most of my time reading. My mother finally decided that she would attend to the store and I should go back to school. Accordingly, I reentered Englewood in February 1929 and graduated in 1930. At Englewood I ran the humor column of the school paper and won a national prize.
We sold the store at that time. I had no hope of going on to college. However, this was the beginning of the Depression and I could find no permanent job. Studying appealed to me much more than the odd jobs I could find. I decided to go to college. I entered college intending to major in electrical engineering. I had heard that one could make a good living in that area. However, I took chemistry and became fascinated with that subject, and remained with chemistry thereafter. I had just completed one semester at Crane Junior College when it was announced in 1933 that the school was to be closed for lack of funds. I then went to night school at the Lewis Institute, taking one or two courses, financing myself by working as a part time shoe clerk.
I then heard that one of the instructors at Crane, Dr. Nicholas Cheronis, had opened his laboratory to several students, so that they could continue their studies on their own. I went there and grew to know and love a fellow student, Sarah Baylen. Sarah had been the brightest student in chemistry at Crane prior to my arrival. She has described ("Remembering HCB") how she initially "hated my guts." But since she could not beat me, she later decided to join me, to my everlasting delight.
In 1934 Wright Junior College opened its doors. We went there and nine of us graduated in 1935 as the first graduating class. In my yearbook Sarah predicted that I would be a Nobel Laureate!
I entered the University of Chicago in the fall (autumn) of 1935, accompanied by my girlfriend, Sarah. This was the time when the President of the University, Robert Maynard Hutchins, was arguing for the principle that students should be permitted to proceed as rapidly as possible. Indeed, at that time it cost no more to take ten courses than it did the usual three. I did so, and completed my junior and senior year in three quarters, receiving the ВSc in 1936.
I received my Ph.D. in 1938. Unfortunately (perhaps fortunately), I coulI cot find an industrial position. Professor M.S. Kharasch then offered me a position as a postdoctorate at a stipend of $1600 and my academic career was initiated. The following year Professor Schlesinger invited me to become his research assistant with the rank of instructor. Consequently, I am an unusual example of a chemist who ended up in academic work because he could not find an industrial position. ,
At that time one did not achieve tenure until after ten years. I had seen a number of individuals who had remained at Chicago as instructors for nine years without tenure
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and then had to find another position under severe pressure. I decided to avoid this situation. Accordingly, after four years I asked Professor Schlesinger for a decision as to my future in the Department. When he came back with the word that there was no future, I undertook to find another position.
Fortunately, Morris Kharasch had a good friend, Neil Gordon, the originator of the Gordon Research Conferences, who had given Morris Kharasch his first position at the University of Maryland back in 1920.) Neil Gordon was persuaded to give me a position at Wayne as Assistant Professor, preserving my academic career. I became Associate Professor in 1946, and was invited to Purdue in 1947 by the Head of the Chemistry Department, Henry B. Hass, as Professor of Inorganic Chemistry. In 1959 I became Wetherill Distinguished Professor and in 1960 Wetherill Research Professor. I became Emeritus in 1978, but continue to work with a large group of postdoctorates.
Originally my research covered physical, organic and inorganic chemistry and I took students in all three areas. However, as the Department became more organized into divisions, it became necessary to make a choice, and I elected to work primarly with coworkers in organic chemistry. In addition to my research program in the borane-organoborane area, my research program has involved the study of steric effects, the development of quantitative methods to determine steric strains, the examination of the chemical effects of steric strains, the non-classical ion problem, the basic properties of aromatic hydrocarbons, a quantitative theory of aromatic substitution, and the development of a set of electrophilic substitution constants, s+, which correlate aromatic substitution data and a wide variety of electrophilic reactions.
(Adapted from the Internet material)
APPENDIX. KEYS TO THE TASKS "
Key to task 3.3,1,
Heorhiy Vorony is widely known as one of the most talented mathematicians in the theory of numbers on the verge of the 19th - 20th centuries. The scientist managed to publish only 12 papers during his lifetime but each one was so important that it gave impulse to the development of new branches in mathematics.
Heorhiy Vorony was born in Poltava region in 1868. After finishing gymnasium he entered St. Petersberg University where he mastered mathematics and physics, and cherished a dream of his own discoveries. On receiving his Master’s degree Heorhiy Vorony was appointed to work in Warsaw University as professor of mathematics.
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Key to task 3.3.2.
The name of Myron Zarytsky, a brilliant mathematician, gifted and inspired educator is very little known in Ukraine. He was born into the family of a priest, in Temopil region in 1889.
Myron Zarytsky entered Vienna University and continued his studies at Lviv University. In Lviv the notable mathematician became a member of the Scientific Society named after T.Shevchenko. In Lviv he gained his Doctor of Philosophy degree and wrote about 20 scientific works. His activity at Lviv University, Lviv Polytechnic Institute and Uzhhorod University was intense and interesting.
Key to task 3.3.3.
Mykhailo Kravchuk is the author of over 180 works, among them 10 books are dedicated to different branches of mathematics. These research works enriched the world science and promoted the development of the first computer. The name of M.Kravchuk is well-known and world-famous in scientific community but nobody knew he was a Ukrainian. Full of energy, creative projects and intentions M. Kravchuk was exiled to Kolyma (Siberia) and he died before he was 50. His name was hushed up in Ukraine.
M. Kravchuk was born in Volyn’, in 1892. Being a man of extraordinary intelligence and culture, he became an associate professor at the age of 25; at 33 a member of the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. M. Kravchuk worked in Kyiv University and maintained scientific and personal contacts with prominent mathematicians of the world.
Key to task 3.3.4.
The founder of mathematical culture in Ukraine, Volodymyr Levytsky was the first to write his scientific papers in his native language. He was the first to unite mathematicians of Ukrainian origin for carrying out research.
V. Levytsky collected and compiled a Ukrainian terminology dictionary in mathematics and physics, which was published in 1903. Scientific interests of V, Levytsky were wide and versatile: algebra, geometry, the history of mathematics, physics and astronomy. All his research and public activity was connected with the Scientific Society named after T.Shevchenko in Lviv, which he headed in 1932-1934. His articles were written in many languages: Ukrainian, Polish, German, French, Spanish and English.
Key to task 3.3.5.
Mykhailo Ostrohradsky deserves one of the most distinguished places in the history of the world mathematics. An outstanding talent, sharp intelligence, penetrating mind, high mathematical erudition, knowledge of modern natural sciences helped M. Ostrohradsky to make first-rate discoveries in many branches of mathematics and mechanics.
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M.Ostrohradsky was bom in Poltava region in 1801. His life was very interesting and difficult. As a young man M.Ostrohradsky wanted to become a military man. Yet, his uncle insisted on Mykhailo’s entering Kharkiv University. The University of Kharkiv, six years in Paris, where kOstrohradsky attended lectures of famous mathematicians, gave excellent results. The scientist wrote about 50 works devoted to different branches of mathematics and mechanics. He was acquainted with I. Kotliarevsky, T. Shevchenko, S. Hulak-Artemovsky, M. Lysenko and M. Maksymovych.
Key to task 3.17.
TSIOLKOVSKY AS A FOUNDER OF ASTRONAUTICS
Kostiantyn Eduardovych Tsiolkovsky was bom on September 5, 1857, in the village of Izhevsk, in Ryazan’ province. When he was ten he contracted scarlet fever; although he recovered he was left permanently deaf. This was to have a great influence on the subsequent course of his life. He educated himself; he read; he wrote verses; he constructed model-balloons, a winged flying machine, a carriage driven by a steam turbine etc.
When he was sixteen he began to think of applying centrifugal force to the ascent into space, but soon he realized his mistake. This experience made him aware of the gaps in his knowledge and he began to study higher mathematics. He actually became a mathematics and physics teacher.
Tsiolkovsky carried out experiments on steam engines for a time, but then he returned to the theoretical study of the metallic dirigible. In 1887, his first published communication on the dirigible appeared.
Tsiolkovsky was able to present a paper on his aeronautical work to the Imperial Russian Technical Society in 1890; he also submitted a model of a dirigible. The account of his work was eventually submitted to the Imperial Academy of Sciences.
Meanwhile he had not given up his ideas about space travel. A popular account of his views on this subject was first published in 1895.
During the next quarter of a century, Tsiolkovsky brought out various other designs for rocket propelled spaceships.
During the period 1903-1926 he published several articles and books dealing with the mathematical theory of rocket flights and space travel. His calculations showed that it would be perfectly possible to travel out into space in rockets and even to set up manned space stations around the Earth.
Tsiolkovsky died in 1935.
UNIT 4. STUDENTS’ RESEARCH WORK
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Task 4.1. Discuss the following questions in small groups and then report the conclusions of your discussion to a larger group.
What do you know about research work in general and students’ research work, in particular?
How important, do you think, is research work for higher educational institutions and for professional development of students - future specialists in different fields of science and engineering?
Do you personally have any experience of doing research (at school, university)? If so, in what field of science are you particularly interested in?
Have you heard of any discoveries or inventions associated with professors and researchers of Lviv Polytechnic National University?
Do you think that all students of universities are involved in research work in this or that way? Explain your answer.
What kind of research work, to your mind, can students do at the Department of Foreign Languages of a technical university?
How can proficiency in a foreign language help students, postgraduates and other people involved in research achieve better results in their specialist research?
SECTION I. AURAL COMPREHENSION i^
Pre-listening exercises
Task 4.2. The text you are going to listen to is about communication skills. How important, to your mind, are such skills for people in general and for technical professionals, in particular? Do you think they are of any value in research work?
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Task 4.3. Check whether you can pronounce the following international words and word combinations correctly. Translate them.
Engineer, primary, technical communication, technical person, technical project, professional, critical, client, ultimate product, interests, document, practicing, industry, organization, sponsor, perspective, real, to maximize chances, to progress, career.
Task 4.4. Check whether you can pronounce correctly and whether you remember the meaning of the following words and word combinations. They will help you in understanding the text.
To convince, coworkers, unnoticed, unappreciated, essential, success, successful, teamwork, tools, handy, promotion, hiring, to gain, entire, superfluous, survival, environment, worth.
Task 4.5. Study the following phrases. They will help you in understanding the text.
In a word - словом; from the perspective - з точки зору; to pursue subjects -займатися предметами; to land a good job - вщшукати добру роботу; this is not the case - але где не так; to progress through career - робити ycnixn у професшнш Kap'epi; to do well at - добиватися ycnixy в чомусь.
Task 4.6. Listen to the text and answer the following questions:
Why does it seem that writing and communication are superfluous to technical education?
What skills, according to the text, do scientists and engineers need to convince coworkers and clients of their worth?
What do communication skills mean for technical people?
How is good teamwork related to good communication?
In what form is the ultimate product of technical professionals’ work usually presented?
How important are communication skills as tools of success?
What should you do to maximize your chances for landing a good job and doing well at it?
Where can you apply your technical and professional communication skills?
Task 4.7. Listen to the text again and fill in the gaps with the missing words:
In fact, this is not the case. Scientists and may be technically brlliiant and
, but unless they can convince coworkers, clients, and ot therr
worth, their will be unnoticed, . and unused. In a word, if
technical people cannot what they are doing and why it is importan,, it is
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they and their technical skills that will be superfluous. From this perspective,
communication skills are not just handy; they are for success, even
survival, in “real world” .
Task 4.8. Listen to the text again and then select the most accurate statement in each case:
1. a) Writing and aural communication are superfluous to a technical education.
Writing is more important than aural communication to technical professionals.
Both writing and aural communication skills are essential in technical education.
2. a) Good teamwork is impossible without good communication.
Good teamwork is possible without good communication.
Good individual work is impossible without good communication.
3. For many technical professionals the ultimate product of their work is
an aural agreement.
a written document.
improved communication skills.
4. a) A badly written document means that the person has got good communicationskills.
A badly written document creates bad reputation to the entire organization.
A badly written document doesn’t affect the reputation of the organization at all.
5. a) They recommend you to work on your communication skills even if they arepretty good.
There is no need to work on your communication skills if they are good.
You should not try to improve your communication skills to land a good job.
Task 4.9. Listen to the text again and mark the following statements as “true” or “false”:
Communication skills are critical tools for success in real world environments.
A technical professional has no gains from improving his or her communication
skills.
3. Most scientists and engineers work in organizational settings where teamwork is
essential.
Good teamwork is possible without good communication.
Organizations never base their hiring and promotion decisions on the applicant’s
writing ability.
6. For many technical professionals, the ultimate product of their work is a written
document.
A badly written document hardly ever reflects badly on the entire organization.
The better your communication skills are, the more chances you have to be promoted.
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