Interview with Richard Goodwin, March 11, 1985

Segment Synopsis: This is an interview with Dr. Richard Goodwin of Connecticut College and the Conservation and Research Foundation. It takes place on March 11, 1985.

Partial Transcript: In the late 1960's, the Ecological Society of America was conducting a study

Segment Synopsis: Goodwin talks about the ESA's support of the Institute of Ecology. He also recalls that there were members of society that viewed the Institute as a threat in terms of competition for research grants.

Keywords: ESA; Ecological Society of America; TIE; The Institute of Ecology; competition; funding; research interests

Partial Transcript: Recall TIE's original objectives

Segment Synopsis: Goodwin comments on TIE's original objectives. He later illustrates the problems with the membership model in conjunction with the lack of funding, structure, and inequality between the founders and assembly.

Keywords: assembly; broad base of disciplines; costs; founders; funding; language; membership; non-scientific public; objectives; sociological basis; sponsors; step-child

Partial Transcript: These comments then lead to the next question.

Segment Synopsis: Goodwin expresses the poor decisions that incurred TIE's debt and lack of financial support. Thereafter, Goodwin discusses TIE's research projects.

Keywords: 6/10 of a million dollars; Board of Trustees; PMM; Pete, Marwick, & Mitchell; TIE; The Institute of Ecology; coastal zone problems; debt; director; financial implications; financial support; large bill; man-in-the-living-environment; policy research; research; source of funds; tropical ecology; urban ecosystems; workshops

Partial Transcript: At one point, assembly members from non-scientific environmentally active groups

Segment Synopsis: Goodwin talks about how the non-ecologists on the Board didn't have a negative impact on TIE. In fact, the Institute went into a job-shopping mode by itself and strayed from its original objectives, primarily due to a lack of funding.
Subsequently, Goodwin mentions that the mission behind TIE was misguided due to a combination of factors, mainly funding but also to a lack of structure and poor administration.

Keywords: Army; Arthur Hasler; Board of Trustees; Conservation and Research Foundation; Holcomb Institute; John Neuhold; Logan, Utah; PMM; Pete, Marwick, & Mitchell; TIE; The Institute of Ecology; Trustees; Washington office; assembly; combination; corp. of engineers; debt; founders; government projects; grants; job-shop; job-shopping; lack of funding; membership; non-ecologists; original objectives; personal contributions; sponsors; staffing; treasurer

Partial Transcript: think the problems might have been related to the fact that the leadership

Segment Synopsis: Goodwin talks about the challenges TIE faced with its geographically dispersed director and staff. He displays what the five year review committee found on TIE, including its financial problems, poor administration, and stray from objectives.
Lastly, Goodwin talks about similar organizations that picked up on some of the activities TIE left behind.

Keywords: Board of Trustees; Global Resources Institute; Logan, Utah; TIE; The Institute of Ecology; Washington office; debt; director; funding; geographic dispersion; grant support; improper disciplinary orientation of the staff; inadequate supervision of staff; leadership; organization; original objectives; poor administration; review; staffing