Fermi lecture focuses on 'Success and Failure

The Fermilab Art and Lecture Series continues with "Success & Failure in Engineering: A Paradoxical Relationship," with Dr. Henry Petroski of Duke University at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, in Ramsey Auditorium at Wilson Hall, off Pine Street in Batavia.

Pre-lecture dinner is at Chez Leon, with seating at 6 p.m. Guest chefs Grace and Gary Leonard prepare mushroom and wild rice soup, Tunisian fish cakes with aioli, couscous grilled asparagus, carottes rappes, and praline pumpkin pie. Call (630) 840-3524 for reservations

Engineering is about making and doing things that have not been done before. To be successful, it is essential that engineers properly anticipate how things can fail, and design accordingly. Case studies of past failures thus provide invaluable information for the design of future successes. Conversely, designs based on the extrapolation of successful experience alone can lead to failure. This paradox will be explored in the context of historical case studies, including the design of ocean liners and suspension bridges.

Petroski is the Aleksandar S. Vesic Professor of Civil Engineering and a professor of history at Duke University. He has written broadly on the topics of design, success and failure, and the history of engineering and technology. His latest book, "The House with Sixteen Handmade Doors: A Tale of Architectural Choice and Craftsmanship," looks critically at one man's approach to design and construction and celebrates his unique achievement.

In addition to his books which have been translated into more than a dozen languages, Petroski has written many general-interest articles and essays for magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal, and he writes regular columns for the magazines American Scientist and ASEE Prism. Henry Petroski is registered as a professional engineer in Texas and as a chartered engineer in Ireland. He is a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Institution of Engineers of Ireland. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the U.S. National Academy of Engineering.

Tickets are $7. Call the box office at (630) 840-ARTS, visit the Wilson Hall Atrium desk from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays or order online at fnal.gov/culture/.