Gary W. Brougham

Gary Brougham is a '69 graduate in Mathematics. He began his career after graduation in the Coast and Geodetic Survey (now NOAA), and eventually made his way to the South Pole Station gathering geometric and seismic data. In 1972 he was in the South Pole alone, “a one man geophysical field team”, collecting data to update navigation maps for aircraft. Later on, from late 1972-1977, from he did geothermal field work throughout the Western U.S, and in 1977 transferred to the USGS Federal oil and gas evaluation offices in Anchorage.  Gary says "The isolated environment and climate (of Michigan Tech) taught me perseverance, self reliance and introduced me to different cultures that paid off later in life"

Why did you choose Michigan Tech?

Always wanted to go there, since first traveling there in 1957. Good reputation. Good area.

Tell us about a memorable experience you had with a class or about a favorite professor

Favorite professor was Ed Vandette. His sense of humor and way of presenting European history made his classes entertaining as well as informative

Now, how about a memorable experience outside of class?

The late 1965 or early 1966 snowball fight between Wadsworth and DHH which shut down US 41 and the Houghton and State Police had to break it up

How well did Michigan Tech prepare you for your career?

Very well. However much of what I learned was not necessarily learned in the classroom. Although academically I felt it did a very good job, the isolated environment & climate taught me perseverance, self reliance and introduced me to different cultures that paid off later in life.

What was your first job after graduation and how has your career progressed?

I worked for the Coast & Geodetic Survey (now NOAA). I stayed with the government my whole career and never got to use my math degree. I qualified as an entry level geophysicist and moved up from a field geophysicist to manager of a small Alaska Branch of the Dept. of Interior involved in the evaluation of federal lands for oil and gas.

Tell us about a few of your career highlights and notable achievements

1971-72 Wintered over at South Pole Station gathering geomagnetic & Seismic data for NOAA. 1972-77 served as a one man geophysical field team collecting data to update navigation maps for aircraft. Had special access to airbases to do magnetic surveys for military aircraft to calibrate their navigation systems. Did a 15 month geomagnetic field survey of bush Alaska, including a 9 month stay at Barrow, Alaska at what was then The Naval Arctic Research Lab. Through an organizational transfer, I also did geothermal field work throughout the western U.S, out of Denver with the U.S.G.S. Tired of field work, I transferred to the USGS federal oil and gas evaluation offices in Anchorage in 1977. Thru other organizational transfers I wound up working for the Bureau of Land Management where I ultimately became manager of the onshore oil and gas evaluation unit. As the project was winding down and because of budget cuts, I decided to take an early retirement in 1995. During my stay in Anchorage, in 1990 after running into some tech alumni over the years, more as a curiosity than anything else, my wife and I started an annual alumni gathering. We were stunned at the turnout and how far tech people would come for a get together.

Please tell us why you share your time, talent, and treasure to support Michigan Tech students and/or alumni or volunteer in your community.

Michigan Tech is just a very unique school. The profs were not in an academic tower. They were approachable and wanted you to graduate. It prepared me in so many ways for what I faced in my career

What advice on being successful would you give to Tech students and young alumni?

I do not consider myself financially successful. My wife will attest to that! I never went after the money. Without focusing on money, that left me open to pick jobs I wanted and liked. It left me open to picking where I wanted to live. Just so many other choices out there when you take money out of the equation