Cecil E. "Chuck" Leith

Location of Interview
Collection Name

UCAR/NCAR Oral History Collection

Description

The NCAR/UCAR Oral History Project documents the history of NCAR/UCAR through interviews, recorded discussions, and lectures by staff and others.  The project initially had a strong focus on the creation and   development of NCAR, including the design and construction of the Mesa Laboratory headquarters by I.M. Pei. Over the years, the project has expanded to include a wider range of topics and experiences within NCAR/UCAR history.

For more information, visit archives.ucar.edu or email archives@ucar.edu.

Interviewer
Date of Interview
07-02-1997
Transcript
Biographical Sketch

Cecil E. "Chuck" Leith was a renowned physicist, mathematician, and climate modeler, born in 1923 in Boston, Massachusetts. He spent his early life in Massachusetts, attending high school in Scituate, a town south of Boston. Leith's career took a significant turn during World War II when he was drafted into the Army at the age of twenty-one. Despite his young age, he was involved in a highly classified project, the details of which he was not allowed to disclose. This early experience in a high-stakes, secretive environment may have shaped his later career in scientific research and modeling. Leith's work extended beyond the United States, as he maintained professional relationships with international colleagues, such as the head of the Academy of Sciences in the Soviet Union.

Scope and Content Note
The interview with Cecil E. "Chuck" Leith conducted by Paul Edwards on July 2, 1997, provides a comprehensive overview of Leith's life and career. The discussion begins with Leith's early life and education in Massachusetts, followed by his experiences during World War II, including his involvement in a classified project. The interview also delves into Leith's professional relationships and collaborations, particularly with the head of the Academy of Sciences in the Soviet Union. Additionally, the conversation touches on Leith's contributions to climate modeling, including his role in the development of the Washington-Kasahara model. The interview provides valuable insights into Leith's career trajectory, his contributions to science, and the historical and political contexts in which he worked.

Copyright Information: Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.


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