"He was Good Company"


I didn't know Dr. Peck well, although I'd spoken with him briefly on many occasions over the years. I recall an extended conversation during a reception at Geo-Support 2004 in Orlando, FL when he reminded me that he had graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (where I attended graduate school) - we tend to associate him with Terzaghi and Harvard - and he shared some stories about RPI. What always impressed me most about Dr. Peck was his accessibility. Here he was, a world-famous and highly-regarded engineer, the icon of geo-engineering, but he was more than willing to engage with anyone, never the least bit aloof. In a world impressed with complex analyses, Dr. Peck was the voice of pragmatism and practicality, a nice counterpoint to his academic genius. Plus, he had a sense of humor, with a keen wit. He was good company. We're all richer for having had him in our profession.

Jay Padgett, P.E., F.ASCE

Photo#122: Dr. Peck. Photo from the Geo-Strata Magazine Sep/Oct 2008.