Article archive / April 1, 2012
Originally published: . Volume 3, No. 8. Source pages: 2.
“A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.” – Nelson Mandela In a lucky turn of events my major professor at LSU, Don Glad, sent me to Art Riopelle to discuss options for my thesis research. Dr. Riopelle talked with me a while and we discovered together that I wanted to live in Pensacola for the summer (so I could be near my future husband), but also to complete a thesis research project and hopefully develop some solid research skills.
From the perspective of a new, green doctoral student, Dr. Art Riopelle seemed to know just about everyone and everything, knowledge he was readily willing to apply to my problem. To help me with my two conditions, Art immediately conjured a perfect solution and sent me off to speak with his friend and colleague, Dr. Fred Guidry.
Dr. Guidry headed up a section of aerospace research at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola and had made a career of investigating spatial orientation, vestibular function, and the effects of motion on the inner ear. In other words, he spun all sorts of people and animals around until they were dizzy and then tried to make sure pilots didn’t overcorrect and hurt themselves.
Dr. Guidry had one of the coolest laboratories, something right out of Star Wars. The lab had been put together during the ramp-up to space exploration, and so for me it was perfect. Art had spun monkeys around, Fred spun astronauts, and I had the honor of spinning Naval Air Cadets. It was a wonderful project on the “Anti- somatogyral illusion.” And as in all things, I didn’t know exactly how lucky I had been until much later. (The only drawback was that Fred discovered I had “… the nystagmus of a rhesus monkey,” which Art found quite funny, and which meant that whenever there was a new pilot study I was first in line.)
In this April issue of the Times I have had the great honor of chronicling aspects of Dr. Arthur Riopelle’s career. In this process I have found myself wondering about what characteristics made it possible for him to become a truly great psychologist, to contribute so much and for so long, and helping so many, including orphaned baby gorillas, and gaining the lasting respect of students, friends, and colleagues.
Dr. Art Riopelle was magical at putting ideas and people and goals together so that everyone benefitted, applying his intelligence and creativity and wisdom. He held fast to what psychology means, both the science and the integrity in its application, reflected in Tom Stigall’s comment, “He had the perspective of psychology as a discipline, in the broadest sense.”
Art seemed to have a true understanding of the relative importance of things, in our discipline and also in life. Maybe more simply, Dr. Arthur Riopelle had a good head and a good heart.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.