THE OVERTON BROOKS YEARS, 1959-61 5I 



committee. After a number of exploratory talks. Chairman Brooks 

 wrote to the heads of the three key agencies over which the committee 

 had jurisdiction — NASA, the National Bureau of Standards, and the 

 National Science Foundation. Identical letters went out on Septem- 

 ber 25, 1959, to Dr. T. Keith Glcnnan, Dr. Allen V. Astin, and Dr. 

 Alan T. Waterman. In the letters, Brooks mentioned that 1959 had 

 been spent on the regular authorization bills and oversight, spot 

 investigations plus "special attention to the problems of clarifying 

 the jurisdiction of the committee within the congressional structure." 

 He added : 



Now I would like to move into our second year with more attention to an orderly 

 program of work, keyed to the most urgent scientific needs of the country where 

 public policy questions are involved. 



Brooks asked the three agency heads to nominate about a dozen 

 outstanding scientists and engineers with some attention both to 

 specialties and experience, as well as geographic and institutional 

 distribution. 



The objective and mode of operation were stated in this way: 



Such a panel might meet once or twice a year to offer its suggestions on programs 

 particularly in need of congressional study, and might also serve on an ad hoc basis 

 to give other recommendations if this commitcee has questions for them. 



I would like to see a closer tie develop between the Congress and the scientific 

 community, and it seems to me that this might be a good starting place. 



Based upon the list of names submitted, the first batch of letters 

 inviting these distinguished individuals went out on December 15, 

 1959. On January 12, I960, Chairman Brooks aired the concept more 

 formally in an executive session of the committee, soliciting additional 

 suggestions from the members. The committee was enthusiastic in its 

 support of the idea, and made a number of recommendations on those 

 to be invited. 



On January 17, Chairman Brooks publicly announced the members 

 of the panel: 



Dr. Edward J. Baldes — biophysics — senior consultant in biophysics, Mayo Clinic, 



Rochester, Minn. 

 Dr. Clifford C. Furnas — chemical engineering — chancellor, University of Buffalo, 



Buffalo, N.Y. 

 Martin Goland — applied mechanics — -Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, 



Tex. 

 Prof. \V. Albert Noycs, Jr. -general chemistry — University of Rochester, Rochester, 



N.Y. 

 Dr. Clarence P. Oliver — genetics and zoology University of l'cxas, Austin, Tex. 

 Dr. Sverre Petterssen — meteorology — professor of meteorology, University of Chicago, 



Chicago, 111. 

 Dr. Roger Revelle -geophysics and oceanography director, Scripps Institution of 



Oceanography, University of California, La Jolla, Calif. 



