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Document Type
Video
Abstract
In this interview, Dr. Tom Bowman recounts his journey to the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) in 1969 and his subsequent career spanning several decades. With a Ph.D. from Northwestern and experience in the aerospace industry at Martin Marietta, Dr. Bowman was hired into the Space Technology department during the peak of the Apollo era. He describes the initial boom in student enrollment, followed by a sharp decline as the space program was scaled back. This led to the evolution of the Space Technology department into the Mechanical Engineering program, a transition he helped navigate. Dr. Bowman discusses his research, his extensive travel for NASA and professional organizations, and his eventual move into administration as Department Head. A key contribution he highlights is pioneering the university's international partnerships, beginning with a successful student exchange program with a school in France. He shares memorable anecdotes, including a nerve-wracking encounter with Dr. Edward Teller, and reflects on the university's immense growth from a small, familiar campus into a globally recognized institution.
Publication Date
2008
Recommended Citation
Bowman, Tom and Taylor, Robert, "Florida Tech Pioneer Interview: Dr. Tom Bowman" (2008). Oral History Videos. 11.
https://repository.fit.edu/oh_videos/11
Interview Transcipt: Bowman
Comments
Executive Summary and Transcript submitted by Dr. Gordon Patterson.