Throughout the development of The Mechanical Universe,
the National Advisory Committee has given its sage advice concerning policy and
direction for the project. Its membership includes distinguished professionals
in television, film, physics, general education, and national affairs.
Frank Capra (deceased), well-known producer and director of motion
pictures (It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington). Mr.
Capra made a superb series of science films in the 1950s and has been interested
in and enthusiastic about this project since its inception.
John Dowling, Professor of Physics, Mansfield State College, and
coordinator of the Instructional Media Committee of the American Association of
Physics Teachers. He has reviewed physics films for The American Journal of
Physics and was largely responsible for research and compilation of A
Cinescope of Physics, an AAPT film resource book that lists and evaluates
several hundred physics films.
Charles Holbrow, Professor of Physics, Colgate University. Dr. Holbrow
is former chairman of the physics department at Colgate and former editor of
Physics Today. He is involved with studies of space colonization, and
has written about the history of nuclear physics.
Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics and the History of
Science at Harvard University, and, concurrently, James R. Killian Professor at
the MIT. He was one of the key people in the Harvard Project Physics, a course
taught in many high schools. He won the Oersted Medal, a national award for
physics teaching; was the first natural scientist named the National Endowment
for the Humanities Jefferson Lecturer; and as co-producer has won two CINE Gold
Eagle Awards for documentary film.
Shirley Hufstedler, former Secretary of the Department of Education.
Robert Karplus, University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Karplus has
served as Director of the Science Curriculum Improvement Study and as Associate
Director of the Lawrence Hall of Science. He is also a winner of the Oersted
Medal.
Joseph Krieger, Brooklyn College of CUNY. Dr. Krieger is former
chairman of the physics department.
William Layton, Advanced Placement Physics teacher at Palisades High
School, a school that has one of the largest AP programs in the country.
Frank Oppenheimer (deceased), Director of the Palace of Arts and
Science Exploratorium in San Francisco. Dr. Oppenheimer was a nationally known
figure in science communication, with interests in the history of contemporary
physics and physics pedagogy.
David Ridgway, Executive Director of Chemical Education Material
Study, Lawrence Hall of Science. Mr. Ridgeway has produced hundreds of
educational films, including the highly successful CHEM Study films.