Compton and Ferguson Lectures

For many decades, Michael served on the selection committee (based in the Physics Department) for the Compton and Ferguson lectures, which were annual campus-wide events. That is, the lectures were usually given as part of the University's Assembly Series (Wednesday mornings at 11am at Graham Chapel, the time designated that no classes would conflict with this timeslot.) Thus, these talks would generate a large audience, both due to the time offered and the high profile of the speakers, drawn by the cachet of the Compton name.

Michael served as chair of this committee for a very long time, too (but I am not sure how long).

In addition to the committee arranging transportation, hotels, meetings with faculty and students, it was not uncommon for these distinguished visitors to be invited to Jessica & Michael's home for a dinner party.

Background

In 1959, St. Louis inventor William Ferguson left $50,000 to Washington University in his will:

... for the purpose of providing an annual lecture on the subject of non-military uses of atomic energy or a kindred scientific subject. It is my desire that Washington University select each year a scientist who has distinguished himslef on this this field of science.... These lectures shall be designated and known as "The William C. Ferguson Lectures" and shall be delivered at such times and places as may be determined by Washington University.

Multiple articles in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in late 1959 noted his death and his generosity in his will in many directions. The first such lecture was given in the 1961-62 academic year.

The Compton Lecures were started with initial funding through a donation from James S. McDonnell, with no apparent restrictions regarding selection of lecturers or topics (as per Michael notes in October 2014). In addition, Ferguson was a friend of Compton's. Indeed some years later, the Ferguson endowment was broadened to cover the Compton lectures as well.

Listing of speakers from 1961-2000

Here's another view of the speakers from a pair of documents (single two page PDF) showing Compton and Ferguson speakers from 1961 through 1976 with their affiliations and the topics on which they spoke. This gives a more complete view (for the given years) as to how illustrious the speakers were.

In February 2007, Student Life published an article about that year's Ferguson Lecture honoree, Lisa Randall, and quotes Michael.