In Memoriam
James McMurry Anderson
Professor of Civil Engineering, Emeritus
UC Berkeley
1926-2018
James (Jim) McMurry Anderson, professor of civil engineering, emeritus, died on August 23, 2018, in Kensington, California, at age 92.
Born on February 14, 1926, in Summerville, Pennsylvania, Jim grew up in Templeton, a small town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1944 to 1946 as a radio operator and telephone lineman in the Philippines and Japan. When discharged from the Army, he attended the University of Pittsburgh earning a B.S. degree in civil engineering in 1949. He worked as a professional engineer (licensed) and a professional land surveyor (licensed) in the Pittsburgh area for nearly 10 years. In July 1958, he was admitted to graduate study in civil engineering at Cornell University for advanced study in geodesy and photogrammetry. He received his M.S. degree in September 1959 and his Ph.D. degree in June 1964. He remained at Cornell as a research associate in charge of analytic aerotriangulation until September 1965 when he accepted an appointment at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, as assistant professor in charge of the area of surveying and photogrammetry. Jim accepted an appointment as assistant professor in civil engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, in July 1966. In 1968 he married Ruth Sherlock whom he had met while still at Cornell. Jim was promoted to the rank of professor in July 1974. He retired in June 1991, but was recalled in July 1991 and continued teaching for 10 more years.
Jim loved teaching and was a mentor for many graduate students, who often remained in touch with him after leaving the university. Jim’s early experience as a practicing professional surveyor and engineer provided him with real-world experiences that he enthusiastically shared with his students. His surveying field classes were a familiar sight around campus. As one annual assignment, he had the undergraduate surveying students measure the movement of the Hayward Fault on which UC Berkeley’s California Memorial Stadium is located. Jim knew his undergraduate students by name and trained several generations in surveying. One of Jim’s major contributions as a university professor was to provide his students with fundamentals in surveying and photogrammetry through several methods: a) his instruction; b) two surveying textbooks, Introduction to Surveying, coauthored with Professor Ed Mikhail (Purdue University, 1985), and Surveying: Theory and Practice, coauthored with R. E. Davis, F. S. Foote and E. Mikhail (last published 1981 [6th ed.]); and c) numerous papers in professional publications. His expertise and research interest also provided his students with current methods and procedures and innovative approaches.
Over his 36 years of teaching and research at Berkeley, Jim spent three sabbatical leaves at universities in Scandinavia. These included the following: Helsinki University of Technology in Otaniemi, Finland, Surveying Department (January-June 1974); Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, Department of Photogrammetry (January-June 1982); and, University of Helsinki, Espoo, Finland, Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (January-June 1990).
Jim’s early research was at the forefront of analytical photogrammetry, data analysis, and adjustment of data. Several of the developments became viable commercial products. His later research in camera calibration contributed to in-flight calibration, the use of small-format cameras for photogrammetric applications and the application of photogrammetric methods in processing digital X-ray images in dentistry. In 1980 he received the Turner, Collie and Braden award from the American Congress of Surveying for his paper “Simplified Explanation of Doppler Positioning.”
Jim was a member of the major professional organizations in his field including the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM), the American Society of Photogrammetry (changed later to the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing [ASPRS]), and the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS). He was active in both the regional and national ASPRS and ACSM and the ISPRS. Early in his career he was president of the New York Central Region of ASPRS (1964-1965), president of the Northern California Region of ASPRS (1967-1968), and president of the Northern California Region of the ACSM (1972-1973). He served as ASPRS National Director representing the Northern California Region and he actively participated actively in regional activities. He also served as the Official Reporter for ASPRS to ISPRS to Commission III, Mathematical Analysis of Data, from 1972 to 1992; this commission was critical to all those working in research and development of analytical photogrammetry. His 20-year effort provided the general ASPRS membership with thorough summaries of the ISPRS congresses and symposia that they could not personally attend. Jim also participated in the society’s award program by serving on the Robert E. Altenhofen Scholarship selection committee for over 20 years. He received the society’s Presidential Citation for his meritorious service twice in 1969 and in 1972. In 2000-01, fellow colleagues elected him as an Honorary Member, the society’s highest honor, in recognition of his lifetime contributions to the society.
Jim was a kind, self-effacing man with a radiant smile and deep, rich laugh. Though quiet he was a great storyteller, and also a wonderful listener. He enjoyed hiking and cross-country skiing, especially in the mountains (particularly Yosemite and the Lake Tahoe area). Jim shared his love of classical music and opera with his family. He was an avid reader of history, biographies, and mysteries. A dedicated runner for over 30 years, he routinely ran three miles three days a week in addition to walking three miles from his home in Kensington to the campus (and sometimes back). Jim was an active member of the Newman Hall-Holy Spirit Parish in Berkeley. He and Ruth also participated in the Oakland Diocese’s annual gathering of Berkeley and Graduate Theological Union faculty held at Newman Center and later at the Cathedral of Light in Oakland.
Jim is survived by his wife, Ruth and their daughter, Connie. His sister, Emily Schock, who was two years older and whose birthday fell two days earlier than Jim’s, predeceased him by two days. Jim is also survived by his brother-in-law, Arthur Schock of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the three Schock children and their families.
George Lee
Robert L. Taylor
Carl L. Monismith
2018
Born on February 14, 1926, in Summerville, Pennsylvania, Jim grew up in Templeton, a small town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1944 to 1946 as a radio operator and telephone lineman in the Philippines and Japan. When discharged from the Army, he attended the University of Pittsburgh earning a B.S. degree in civil engineering in 1949. He worked as a professional engineer (licensed) and a professional land surveyor (licensed) in the Pittsburgh area for nearly 10 years. In July 1958, he was admitted to graduate study in civil engineering at Cornell University for advanced study in geodesy and photogrammetry. He received his M.S. degree in September 1959 and his Ph.D. degree in June 1964. He remained at Cornell as a research associate in charge of analytic aerotriangulation until September 1965 when he accepted an appointment at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, as assistant professor in charge of the area of surveying and photogrammetry. Jim accepted an appointment as assistant professor in civil engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, in July 1966. In 1968 he married Ruth Sherlock whom he had met while still at Cornell. Jim was promoted to the rank of professor in July 1974. He retired in June 1991, but was recalled in July 1991 and continued teaching for 10 more years.
Jim loved teaching and was a mentor for many graduate students, who often remained in touch with him after leaving the university. Jim’s early experience as a practicing professional surveyor and engineer provided him with real-world experiences that he enthusiastically shared with his students. His surveying field classes were a familiar sight around campus. As one annual assignment, he had the undergraduate surveying students measure the movement of the Hayward Fault on which UC Berkeley’s California Memorial Stadium is located. Jim knew his undergraduate students by name and trained several generations in surveying. One of Jim’s major contributions as a university professor was to provide his students with fundamentals in surveying and photogrammetry through several methods: a) his instruction; b) two surveying textbooks, Introduction to Surveying, coauthored with Professor Ed Mikhail (Purdue University, 1985), and Surveying: Theory and Practice, coauthored with R. E. Davis, F. S. Foote and E. Mikhail (last published 1981 [6th ed.]); and c) numerous papers in professional publications. His expertise and research interest also provided his students with current methods and procedures and innovative approaches.
Over his 36 years of teaching and research at Berkeley, Jim spent three sabbatical leaves at universities in Scandinavia. These included the following: Helsinki University of Technology in Otaniemi, Finland, Surveying Department (January-June 1974); Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, Department of Photogrammetry (January-June 1982); and, University of Helsinki, Espoo, Finland, Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (January-June 1990).
Jim’s early research was at the forefront of analytical photogrammetry, data analysis, and adjustment of data. Several of the developments became viable commercial products. His later research in camera calibration contributed to in-flight calibration, the use of small-format cameras for photogrammetric applications and the application of photogrammetric methods in processing digital X-ray images in dentistry. In 1980 he received the Turner, Collie and Braden award from the American Congress of Surveying for his paper “Simplified Explanation of Doppler Positioning.”
Jim was a member of the major professional organizations in his field including the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM), the American Society of Photogrammetry (changed later to the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing [ASPRS]), and the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS). He was active in both the regional and national ASPRS and ACSM and the ISPRS. Early in his career he was president of the New York Central Region of ASPRS (1964-1965), president of the Northern California Region of ASPRS (1967-1968), and president of the Northern California Region of the ACSM (1972-1973). He served as ASPRS National Director representing the Northern California Region and he actively participated actively in regional activities. He also served as the Official Reporter for ASPRS to ISPRS to Commission III, Mathematical Analysis of Data, from 1972 to 1992; this commission was critical to all those working in research and development of analytical photogrammetry. His 20-year effort provided the general ASPRS membership with thorough summaries of the ISPRS congresses and symposia that they could not personally attend. Jim also participated in the society’s award program by serving on the Robert E. Altenhofen Scholarship selection committee for over 20 years. He received the society’s Presidential Citation for his meritorious service twice in 1969 and in 1972. In 2000-01, fellow colleagues elected him as an Honorary Member, the society’s highest honor, in recognition of his lifetime contributions to the society.
Jim was a kind, self-effacing man with a radiant smile and deep, rich laugh. Though quiet he was a great storyteller, and also a wonderful listener. He enjoyed hiking and cross-country skiing, especially in the mountains (particularly Yosemite and the Lake Tahoe area). Jim shared his love of classical music and opera with his family. He was an avid reader of history, biographies, and mysteries. A dedicated runner for over 30 years, he routinely ran three miles three days a week in addition to walking three miles from his home in Kensington to the campus (and sometimes back). Jim was an active member of the Newman Hall-Holy Spirit Parish in Berkeley. He and Ruth also participated in the Oakland Diocese’s annual gathering of Berkeley and Graduate Theological Union faculty held at Newman Center and later at the Cathedral of Light in Oakland.
Jim is survived by his wife, Ruth and their daughter, Connie. His sister, Emily Schock, who was two years older and whose birthday fell two days earlier than Jim’s, predeceased him by two days. Jim is also survived by his brother-in-law, Arthur Schock of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the three Schock children and their families.
George Lee
Robert L. Taylor
Carl L. Monismith
2018
