Interview of John Weihaupt by Brian Shoemaker

Abstract

Dr. Weihaupt was born in Wisconsin and enjoyed the river valley and bluffs around home. His ancestors were also explorers, including George Roger Clark. Dr. Weihaupt majored in geology at the University of Wisconsin. After college, he was sent to Korea with the 24th Infantry Division, and advanced to Assistant Division Engineer. Upon returning, he accepted a position as exploration geologist and mining geologist in Chile. Returning to the United States, he did seismic and gravity for the United Geophysical Corporation. In 1958, Dr. Weihaupt joined the University of Wisconsin Geophysical and Polar Research Center. He went to Antarctica as a geophysicist. He was a member of the Albert Crary team to make a traverse from the Pole down the Ross Ice Shelf, up the Skelton Glacier, cross the Victoria Land Plateau to the station of the French Traverse. The Sno-Cats had specialized equipment. The ordeals, including resupplying, are described in some detail. Ice samples included dust from Australia and radio active dust from atomic bomb tests. A psychologist was a member of the team and observed the other members. The gravity data provided a good profile of the entire traverse. Returning to the U.S., he became Chair of the Science Department of the U.S. Armed Forces Institute in Madison. He completed the work for the PH.D degree at the University of Wisconsin. He accepted a position as Assistant Dean of Science at I.U-P.U. University in Indianapolis. He advanced to being Dean of Graduate School at Purdue University. More administrative positions were in his future; Dean of the Graduate School at San José State University in California, Associate Vice Chancellor of the University of Colorado Denver, and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. In 1986, he returned to teaching oceanography, astrology, and geophysics. His experiences in the military and leading a research group in the Antarctic provided background to be an outstanding administrator.

Major Topics • Dr. Weihaupt was born in Wisconsin and obtained most of his education in Wisconsin. • After service in the Korean War, became an exploration geologist and a mining geologist in Chile • 1957-58, joined the University of Wisconsin Geophysical an Polar Research Center • After training in the U.S. and New Zealand, flew to Antarctica • Data collected on a traverse across the Ross Ice Shelf to Skelton Glacier was integrated to the French data of the previous year • Made seismic reflection shots across the Victoria Land Plateau • He made the first successful seismic reflection to measure the thickness of the ice at the South Pole • Military experience and conducting research in the Antarctic prepared him for university administration • He studied maps of the Antarctic, dated from 1538 to present • His description of the traverse focused on people and not on the traverse