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Professor Patrick Henry Winston ’65, SM ’67, PhD ’70

Certainly not his last lecture and not his last toast, but it was his last lecture and last toast to students in 3.091, Introduction to Solid State Chemistry, and with it, the end of a sixteen-year run of what was in my opinion the best-lectured subject at MIT.

The center of the universe, 10-250, seats 450, but it wasn't big enough for the last 3.091 lecture and toast of Donald Sadoway, John F. Elliott Professor of Materials Chemistry. Many stood in the back. And it wasn't just students in the audience; it was people like me, knowing we were witnessing an historic event.

Sadoway always wears a tuxedo to his last lecture and many in the audience were likewise dressed to the teeth. I spotted one of my own TAs, Kendra Pugh, normally decked out in MIT grunge, but now in a very flattering black evening dress. David Broderick, a senior audio visual specialist, looked very smart in his red tuxedo dinner jacket. Many students wore suits and ties. One came in wearing a top hat.

Of course, I could have watched the recorded video, of Sadoway's last 3.091 lecture and toast later the same day, and so could have all 450+ 3.091 students, former 3.091 students, and admirers of fine teaching. But that would have been like sleeping through the first moon landing.

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Bob Goodof

Tue, 01/01/2013 12:30am

I took 3.091 from Prof Wulff, with Prof Witt as his partner/backup. I thnk Witt had an Olympic resume (fencer) ? Anyway, just a wonderful course, and I later punted Course 16 (all the Boeing engineers were driving cabs) for Course 3, Includng Don Uhlmann, Profs Backofen, Wuensch, Pelloux, Bever, and Uhlig. Loved it all.

Not technical anymore, but have watched a couple Sadoway lectures and would love to spend a retirement learning it all again.....

Jim Schutz

Wed, 12/22/2010 9:17pm

Prof. Sadoway taught my 3.21 course, back in about 1986. I was always impressed with how well he knew the material, and prepared the lecture. Very tough course. Probably intended to weed out the Graduate Program. I'll always remember his admonition before the first exam, something like this: "Now don't worry too much about this exam. This isn't life or death, it is just an exam. I didn't go to MIT for Graduate School, and I did just fine. If you don't belong at MIT, it is better to find that out now, rather than after you've spent a few years here. Begin."
By the way, I took 3.091 from Prof. August Witt and Lisolette Schioller, back in 1977. They are probably the reason I stayed in Course III.
Thanks Don! and best of luck!

Ken Rosato

Wed, 12/22/2010 2:18pm

I took 3.091 my first term at MIT, in 1969. Prof. John Wulff lectured. An inattentive or disruptive student halfway up 10-250 was inerringly targeted with a piece of chalk. One day when the entire lecture hall was uncharacteristically restive, Prof. Wulff seemingly exploded, hurling an eraser skyward. He moved forward and, without looking, caught it behind his back, to huge applause. No more problems from then on.

Justin

Tue, 12/21/2010 9:01pm

Hrm... I tool it back in '96 or '97 and I don't remember a tux on the last day.

I won't say best lecturer, but consistently very good, and a lot of material presented clearly.

Barbara Crane

Mon, 12/13/2010 6:51pm

It's always been a great course!
Barbara Crane, III, '77

Stephanie

Sun, 12/12/2010 6:26pm

So what's happening now? New professor? New class? That class was great!

I should know, I'm a course 3 alum :)

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