Today is Dr. Paul A. Witherspoon‘s 90th birthday! Witherspoon, who is also a Professor Emeritus with the Department Of Material Sciences and Engineering, UC Berkeley, was the first Earth Sciences Division Director (1977-1982). Today’s occasion is marked by our birthday announcement shown here.
COMMENTS:
Andrea Cortis said…
Happy Birthday Prof. Witherspoon, It is a honor for me to work in
YOUR Department. If you allow me, in such a joyous day for you, I would
like to make a wish for the rest of us here, that is to age as sharp
and wise as you are. Congratulations, Andrea Cortis
February 9, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Roland said…
Congratulation Paul! You are an inspiration to us all. Happy birthday and best wishes for the future. Roland Gritto
February 9, 2009 at 5:57 PM
Dmitriy said…
С днём рождения, Paul I wish you a joyous jubilee! It is a great
privilege to be a part of the division you founded a few years back. I
am raising a glass to you! Dmitriy
February 9, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Tom Daley said…
Happy Birthday Paul! It has always been a pleasure to work and visit with you. Tom Daley
February 9, 2009 at 8:18 PM
Yvonne said…
Congratulations Paul, from rainy London.
Wish I was in Berkeley to wish you personally a Happy Birthday. Thank you for initiating me into your facinating world of fractured rock hydrology and coupled processes.
Yvonne Tsang
February 10, 2009 at 2:43 AM
Alain Gringarten said…
Paul,
very best wishes for your 90th birthday.
Alain
February 10, 2009 at 4:31 AM
Virginie Gringarten said…
Dear Paul, Very happy birthday to you – Aquariuses are the best! and as they say “loin des yeux prés du coeur” Take care, Virginie
February 10, 2009 at 5:04 AM
Yingying Kooyman said…
Happy Birthday, Prof. Witherspoon!
I didn’t get the chance to work with you but I got the chance to speak and get fascinated by your gift of language. I’ve never met anybody who spoke to me in different languages fluently on the same occasion.
More power to you!
Yingying
February 10, 2009 at 8:22 AM
Ray said…
Hi Paul,
I never forget when Sally Benson and I were working at the East Mesa Geothermal
Site many years ago and you came out for a visit. We went out one night and stopped by a pool hall and you beat everyone of those pool sharks.
Happy Memories and Happy Birthday.
Ray Solbau
February 10, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Peter Persoff said…
Dear Paul,
Happy Birthday! I remember you said you were a World War I baby.
Thank you for the confidence you showed in me in 1985 when you recruited me for the foam-flow project. That was an opportunity, that led to other opportunities, that has really made my entire career.
Peter Persoff
February 10, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Christine Doughty said…
Dear Paul,
I wish you a very happy 90th birthday. I remember my first scientific meeting, a 1981 symposium on the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, listening to you emphasize “La energia es en las rocas” to an audience composed equally of English and Spanish speakers. As usual, you made everyone understand. How lucky have I been to be part of your division all these years, wrestling with my favorite equations and coaxing insights out of pressure transients and temperature profiles! Thanks for inviting me in.
Chris
February 10, 2009 at 1:29 PM
Janet Jacobsen said…
Dear Paul,
I wish you a very happy birthday! I have very fond memories of my early days in the Earth Sciences Division (70’s-80’s) when you were the division director. You were an inspiration to me and to many others. It is a privilege to have been a co-author with you and Jane Long on a paper.
My best wishes,
Janet Jacobsen (aka Janet Remer)
February 11, 2009 at 9:59 AM
Kenzi said…
You are single handedly responsible for transplanting me from Japan to here in Berkeley. You guided me through PhD and work at LBL. I am still here and never regretted it. Thank you and happy 90th birthday!
-kenzi
February 11, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Kryshna Avina said…
Paul,
Feliz Cumpleaños! Wishing you only the best on this joyous occasion. Thank you for being a great patrón, mentor, and more importantly, faithful friend.
Cheers,
Krys
February 11, 2009 at 10:03 AM
Karsten said…
Dear Paul,
My very best wishes to you on your 90th birthday. You have been an inspiration to us. It was a lucky day when I first met you over 30 years ago.
Keep up the spirit.
With warm affection,
Karsten
February 11, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Anonymous said…
Thank you for all you’ve done, the legacy you left for those of us now working in the ESD, and for the example of great leadership.
Happy Birthday.
February 11, 2009 at 10:16 AM
Elton Cairns said…
Happy Birthday, Paul!
Best wishes on this special occasion. I hope that you are feeling well and enjoying yourself.
Congratulations!
Elton Cairns
February 11, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Lehua Pan said…
Happy 90th Birthday Prof. Witherspoon!
Wish you have a happy marching to 100th.
Lehua Pan
February 11, 2009 at 10:28 AM
John Apps said…
Paul,
It has been a privilege to have known you over the past 34 years, and to have celebrated your 60th, 70th and 80th birthdays, and now your 90th birthday. We are honored to salute you on this great occasion in recognition of the great influence you have had over so many of us in the development of our professional careers.
John Apps
February 11, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Linda Wuy said…
Dear Paul:
Happy 90th Birthday! Your life has been one big achievement after another! I’m so honored that I got to work with you for 7 years.
Let’s toast to good health, I know you have a bottle hidden somewhere!
February 11, 2009 at 10:41 AM
MVillavert said…
Happy 90th Birthday Paul! A toast to you with good Russian Vodka (but one that won’t grow hair on the chest).
February 11, 2009 at 10:49 AM
Glenn Waychunas said…
Congratulations Paul.
It is such a pleasure to see you often at ESD functions and lectures. Your many achievements gratify us all, and you must be proud of how the ESD you helped initiate has evolved and prospered.
Glenn Waychunas
February 11, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Sherry Seybold said…
Happy, happy B-day Paul!!! I just KNOW ya got a nice bottle stowed away for the occasion! Have a sip for me!
-Sherry
February 11, 2009 at 11:15 AM
LianGe Zheng said…
Happy 90th Birthday prof. Witherspoon!
When we heard you said “don’t grow old”, we laughed. We will grow old although you don’t like it, but if I grow old with half achievement and wisdom as you do, I will count myself the luckiest man in the world.
Congratulations.
LianGe Zheng
February 11, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Tianfu Xu said…
Happy Birthday, Paul,
I am deeply honored working in a Division started by you. You inspire us both academically and socially.
Congratulations !
Tianfu Xu
February 11, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Dai Watkins said…
Paul:
I knew you would stay kicking as long as you keep drinking four quarts of booze a day.
Working with you was one of the highlights of my professional career.
Dai Watkins
February 11, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Bill Lester said…
Paul,
Happy Birthday. It was always a pleasure to interact with you as a fellow Associate Director.
-Bill Lester
February 11, 2009 at 12:34 PM
KARL said…
Happy 90th Paul,
Thank you for your inspiring and energizing team-leadership; for creating some of the most memorable high points in my life; and for teaching us what esprit de corps meant in the real work-world.
For a “over-the-hill oil-patch geologist” you sure built a monumental legacy……..Karl Olson
February 11, 2009 at 2:12 PM
Andy Sessler said…
Dear Paul,
Congratulations on your birthday ! I just celebrated my 80 th, so I am right behind you (as usual).
I think back, most fondly, to the days when you got earth science going at LBL. Those were the days !!
Andy
February 12, 2009 at 9:21 AM
Pat Dobson said…
Happy birthday Paul!
I wish you all the best on this
special day for you.
Cheers,
Pat Dobson
February 12, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Ming said…
Dear Paul,
Congratulations to your Happy 90th from Yucca Mountain – a project that you cared about a great deal.
It was a privilege and a pleasure completing my thesis work with you, which helped me to develop perspectives that have proven so valuable. Thanks again for your support throughout the years.
Ming
February 16, 2009 at 10:17 PM