Interview with Klaus Wyrtki
223
But there are also research institutes like Max-Planck-Institutes.
They are taking a middle position between the two. Depending on the country, some
of these research institutes are tending more to be like university institutes, others
more like government institutes. So, there is a real spectrum between a concerted
government effort by the Navy and a small university with individuals. The whole
spectrum exists, and any part of the spectrum is useful.
When you came to Hawaii in 1964, the Department of Oceanography had just been
established. You were among the first professors of that department. The department
grew relatively quickly over, say, 25 years and then we made this new school.
28 So the
number of colleagues grew tremendously. How has this growth influenced your work
as a professor, as a teacher?
I personally prefer to be in a small university, in a small institute that is relatively
independent. I do see the need for bigger organizations, but there is enough good
science coming out of small institutions and individual efforts as there is out of big
institutions. The growth did not at all affect myself—I was in a position to remain
sufficiently independent from the big institution to do what I wanted to do. This may
not be the case for all scientists in that institute.
How efficient is the steering through soft money projects? When the government is
saying they want to support a certain type of research and they offer soft money.
They have said that many times to me and I had to say, “No, thank you”. One day
the Office of Naval Research representative told me “climate is out. Forget climate
funding, anything climate related.” I said “Fine. What can I do, I go to the next
agency”.
Is it not a very efficient type of control, which is exerted by the government?
No, the agencies have their own priorities and there is a good reason for that. The
Navy has certain priorities, they can’t just support the Honolulu symphony.
You had sufficient sponsoring organizations to get money for any idea you would like
to realize?
Yes, you are right. We have been in the U.S. in the fortunate situation that we had
over decades surplus funding—my opinion. We have enough funding to keep all the
good scientists busy. There will always be people who say “I should get funded.” No
doubt about that. There are always people who say funding is not enough.
Big projects. There are certain things for which the big projects are necessary.
The weather service can’t live without big projects. And the fishery service also
cannot. But this is applied science, this is in some way even technology, but when it
goes beyond that and it comes on the National Science Foundation level, then the peer
28 School of Ocean, Earth Science and Technology (SOEST).
223
But there are also research institutes like Max-Planck-Institutes.
They are taking a middle position between the two. Depending on the country, some
of these research institutes are tending more to be like university institutes, others
more like government institutes. So, there is a real spectrum between a concerted
government effort by the Navy and a small university with individuals. The whole
spectrum exists, and any part of the spectrum is useful.
When you came to Hawaii in 1964, the Department of Oceanography had just been
established. You were among the first professors of that department. The department
grew relatively quickly over, say, 25 years and then we made this new school.
28 So the
number of colleagues grew tremendously. How has this growth influenced your work
as a professor, as a teacher?
I personally prefer to be in a small university, in a small institute that is relatively
independent. I do see the need for bigger organizations, but there is enough good
science coming out of small institutions and individual efforts as there is out of big
institutions. The growth did not at all affect myself—I was in a position to remain
sufficiently independent from the big institution to do what I wanted to do. This may
not be the case for all scientists in that institute.
How efficient is the steering through soft money projects? When the government is
saying they want to support a certain type of research and they offer soft money.
They have said that many times to me and I had to say, “No, thank you”. One day
the Office of Naval Research representative told me “climate is out. Forget climate
funding, anything climate related.” I said “Fine. What can I do, I go to the next
agency”.
Is it not a very efficient type of control, which is exerted by the government?
No, the agencies have their own priorities and there is a good reason for that. The
Navy has certain priorities, they can’t just support the Honolulu symphony.
You had sufficient sponsoring organizations to get money for any idea you would like
to realize?
Yes, you are right. We have been in the U.S. in the fortunate situation that we had
over decades surplus funding—my opinion. We have enough funding to keep all the
good scientists busy. There will always be people who say “I should get funded.” No
doubt about that. There are always people who say funding is not enough.
Big projects. There are certain things for which the big projects are necessary.
The weather service can’t live without big projects. And the fishery service also
cannot. But this is applied science, this is in some way even technology, but when it
goes beyond that and it comes on the National Science Foundation level, then the peer
28 School of Ocean, Earth Science and Technology (SOEST).