Music and Mechanical
For Professor John Tichy, August marked his fiftieth anniversary of educating generations of engineers. He joined RPI back in 1976!
Before coming to RPI, Tichy was a guitarist in the band Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. Music and Mechanical Engineering have always been natural gifts of his. Math and science were just as big an interest as music. He started practicing both from a young age. Tichy was ahead of the game, playing the guitar when rock music was square. In his youth, jazz and folk were all the rage.
Tichy’s academic and musical careers grew simultaneously. While a student at the University of Michigan majoring in mechanical engineering, he played guitar in a band that garnered a following. Then, as he progressed into PhD studies at Michigan, his band progressed and grew in popularity.
The music brought him to San Francisco for a while, and then Tichy realized he wanted to teach. After applying to hundreds of teaching positions and concluding that he would end up at a junior college, Tichy received an offer from RPI. He was chosen by the former department head Dr. Frederick F. Ling, one of the MANE department’s most illustrious faculty members. Still to this day, Tichy does not know why he was directly chosen.
Memories
One of Tichy’s fondest memories was talking to RPI’s former famous president, George Low. Both started at RPI the same year. At the time, Tichy was an unknown assistant professor, while RPI President George Low was the renowned former NASA deputy administrator. Yet President Low sat down with him to chat while he was having lunch one day in the Union. He was impressed that Low took the time to speak with him intentionally.
What really stood out to Tichy was how President Low continued to remember his name. Whenever in passing, the university president would recognize and greet Tichy by name. He was the kind of president who walked around campus and interacted with people. Tichy still has warm memories of Low.
There is one occurrence that has stuck with Tichy until this day. He was the course coordinator of a large fluid mechanics course taken by hundreds of students from multiple engineering disciplines. As he was giving an exam, he found that he was not supplied with sufficient copies, which led to bedlam, him cancelling the exam, and students in an uproar. Now to this day, he counts all the copies before handing them out.
What Changed and What Remained
In the last fifty years, many things on the campus have changed; however, not surprisingly, some things never truly changed. In this reflection, Tichy believes the biggest change was RPI’s shift from being primarily a teaching institution to becoming a teaching- and research-driven university. Over time, there was a shift in emphasis, where securing grants, scholarly productivity, and publishing research became essential. This can be credited to George Low’s leadership and his modern vision for the university.
For the physical campus, Tichy watched new construction be completed, some from the ground up. When he first arrived at RPI, the J. Erik Jonsson Engineering Center was still being completed, which is now home to the MANE department. He also watched the George Low Center for Industrial Innovation and the Center of Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies be completely built, and he chaired the task force for the creation of EMPAC.
Though the campus infrastructure has evolved and the academics have shifted, what has remained is RPI’s character. Due to geographic limitations, Tichy believes the campus maintains its small, close-knit feel.
RPI’s welcoming atmosphere has remained throughout. For the last fifty years, the campus has stayed friendly and easygoing, which is one of Tichy’s favorite things about RPI.
The Reason Why
Tichy has always enjoyed coming to work, which is why he chose not to stop teaching even after retirement age. He truly feels that research continues to challenge and engage him. Tichy's dream is to keep teaching and playing music. He is truly fulfilled by the life and career he has built here at RPI.
Advice
When asked what advice he would give to younger faculty, Tichy is hesitant about giving advice because he ultimately believes that people usually know what is right for them. To him, the most successful individuals are the ones who pursue work they genuinely enjoy. “Follow your interests and your passions, and things will probably work out,” said Tichy. He also advises to not chase research trends, be persistent, and have a genuine passion for your work. In many ways, his advice mirrors his own path, which has worked out well for him.
Closing
After five decades at RPI, Professor John Tichy demonstrates how a career built on interest and passion can be successful and rewarding. While the university has changed, his commitment to education and discovery has remained consistent. Congratulations to Professor John Tichy on fifty years, and many more to come!
Categories: School of Engineering, Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering
Press Contact: Calleigh Pellitier, pellic@rpi.edu
