THE OVERTON BROOKS YEARS, 1959-61 



55 



the March 21 meeting and Dr. Harrison S. Brown, professor of geology 

 at the University of California, for the March 22 meeting. Also taking 

 part as a guest participant was Sir Bernard Lovell, director of the 

 Jodrell Experimental Station in England. 



Chairman Miller introduced a new organizational idea for the 

 panel, starting in 1965, by devoting the panel discussions to a central 

 theme. The topic of the 1965 meeting was "Aeronautics." At the same 

 time, Chairman Miller persuaded Prof. Luigi Broglio, chairman of the 

 Italian Space Commission for the National Council of Research, to 

 serve as guest panelist. The guest moderators for the January 26-27, 

 1965 panel meeting were Prof. Rene H. Miller, Slater professor of 

 flight transportation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 

 and Dr. Edward C. Welsh, executive secretary of the National Aero- 

 nautics and Space Council. 



Most participants favored the "central theme" concept introduced 

 by Chairman Miller in 1965- The multiple-subject agendas used for the 

 earlier panel meetings provided a fascinating and free-wheeling 

 opportunity for everybody to pitch in and sound off on any subject, 

 resulting in great freedom but little continuity. The new structure 

 allowed more time for discussions in depth, and the subject of the 

 discussions unfolded more logically with the skillful guidance of the 

 panel moderators. 



Another interesting twist was introduced by Chairman Miller at 

 the 1965 panel meeting: over 150 prominent persons representing 

 Government, industry, and the scientific and academic communities 

 attended at Miller's special invitation. For the first time, audience 

 participation was encouraged. This served to broaden the discussion, 

 but of course made the interchanges between committee and panel 

 members somewhat less intimate in nature. However, the social 

 opportunities for panel and congressional personnel to get together in 

 between these formal sessions obviated this difficulty. 



As noted in chapter V, Representative Daddario, as chairman of 

 the Subcommittee on Science, Research and Development, helped or- 

 ganize and shared top billing at several of the panel meetings, starting 

 with the 1965 session. The 1965 panel meeting was also unique in that 

 it was the first use of the new committee quarters in the spacious room 

 2318 of the Rayburn Building. 



Under Chairman Miller's leadership the keynote speakers, guest 

 moderators, and guest panelists constituted a stellar array of talent, 

 including: 



Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey. 



Lord Snow, British Ministry of Technology. 



Gerard Piel, publisher, Scientific American. 



