The interview ranges from Inglis’ youth and family origins to his current (1977) activities. Topics include his student days (Amherst College 1924-28, Ann Arbor 1928-31), contact with European physicists and rising Nazism (1932-13), the physics departments at Ohio State, University of Pittsburgh, Princeton, and Johns Hopkins in the 1930’s, and the last of these in the 1940’s; atomic spectroscopy, ferromagnetism, uses of the vector model, shift from atomic to nuclear spectroscopy, the Thomas precession and spin-orbit coupling in nuclei, shell and droplet models for nuclei, intermediate coupling model for light nuclei, the earth’s magnetic field, wind-dynamos and nuclear reactors; Los Alamos during World War II, Argonne Laboratory in the 1950’s and 60’s; expression of social concern, especially in relation to the nuclear arms race, in the 1950’s through the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the political victimization of Donald Flanders, the Federation of American Scientists, congressional testimony concerning Lewis Strauss’ (nominee for Sec. of Commerce) experiences at Pugwash Conferences, obstacles to slowing or reversing the arms race.

 In the interview Akira Kasahara discusses the following topics: family background and childhood; the University of Tokyo; his interest in astronomy and meteorology; the Japanese Meteorological Society; his research in numerical weather prediction and later tropical cyclones; his work at Texas A & M University, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), with the Atomic Energy Commission at the Argonne National Laboratory, Courant Institute, National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), and the University of Stockholm; his use of computers as early as in the late 1 950s; and other physicists mentioned include Syono, Manabe, Jule Charney, George Platzman, Harry Wexler, Herbert Riehl, Robert Simpson, Joe Smagorinsky, Phil Thompson, Warren Washington, Chuck Leith, Yale Mintz, Arakawa, Takashi Sasamori, Bob Richtmyer, Vincent Lally, Will Kellogg, Dan Rex, Joe Tribbia,and John Freeman.

Role in establishment of American institute of Physics (AIP) in 1931; relation between American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and American Physical Society (APS); views of Floyd Richtmyer and Karl K. Darrow. Physics in the 1930s, effects of the Depression. The Oersted Medal, 1934. Secondary school teachers and AAPT; fear within AIP of industrial domination. World’s Fair of 1933. Robert W. Wood, chairman of governing board of the AIP, 1941-1948. War work: chief of Physics Special Devices Div. of National Defense Research Council (NDRC). War’s effect on status of teachers. Postwar planning in physics; National Science Foundation, AEC, Bush Report. Chairman of Board at Argonne National Laboratories (ANL); structure of ANL. AIP-AAPT and large-scale fellowship support. Also prominently mentioned are: Henry Askew Barton, W. W. Buffum, Winston Churchill, Karl Taylor Compton, Morris Leeds, Alfred Loomis, Floyd K. Richtmyer, Robert Williams Wood; American Association for the Advancement of Science, Bausch and Lomb Co., Central Scientific Company, Century of Progress international Exposition (1933-1934), Commission on College Teaching, National Research Council (U.S.), Optical Society of America, Research and Technological institute, Review of Scientific instruments, Scientific Apparatus Makers of America, United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research, United States Congress, United States Congress Dadario Committee, United States Congress House Sub-Committee on Appropriations, United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare, United States Office of Scientific Research and Development National Defense Research Committee, and University of Chicago.