WILLIAM MONROE RUST, JR.
(1907-1987)
Dr. William ("Will") Monroe Rust, Jr. was born January 17, 1907, in Liberty,
Texas. He received a BA in 1928, MA degree in 1929, and a PhD in mathematics in
1931 from Rice Institute (now University), Houston, Texas. Rust was awarded a
Fellowship at Rice for the interim 1928-1931, and he went on to become an
Instructor in Mathematics at Rice, 1931-1932. He was an International Exchange
Fellow at the Charlottenburg Polytechnic Institute, Berlin, Germany, 1932-1933,
and an Instructor and Tutor in Mathematics, Harvard University, 1933-1934. He
returned to Harvard in 1960 while attending the Business School's Advanced
Management Program.
Dr. Rust joined Humble Oil & Refining Company in 1934 as a Research Geophysicist
and was made Head of Geophysics Research in 1937, which included a special
assignment in 1949 as an observer in the Research and Technical Services
Departments of the Baytown Refinery. In 1955 he became Assistant Chief
Geophysicist and in 1961 became Exploration Administrative Manager. This
culminated in his becoming Manager of the Exploration Data Processing Center for
Humble Oil & Refining Company. His retirement date from the Humble Company was
August 31, 1969.
He was married to Margaret Sue, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John O. Sue of Houston,
in 1936.
During the time of his Humble Oil & Refining Company work Will Rust managed to
be involved in many other activities. He was consultant to Division II of the
National Defense Research Committee that dealt with subterranean explosions. He
was Humble's representative under contracts to the Radiation Laboratory at MIT,
with the Committee on Radiowave Propagations for the Office of Scientific
Research and Development, and with UT-Austin. On these projects he was
responsible for work ranging from the study of radar components to
plane-to-plane fire control. He was sent to the American Steel & Wire, a United
States Steel Company organization, to develop a stronger steel rope. He
suggested that alternate strands of the rope be wound in alternate directions
for greater strength. It worked and is still working today.
During his Humble Company years he developed 12 patents involved electric
logging, radio navigation surveying, interpretation of seismic signals, and
measurements of electrical impedence of the earth.
Dr. Rust was active in a number of geoscience organizations and he served as
Secretary-Treasurer 1942-1943, Vice President 1943-1944 and President 1944-1945
of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists.
During the time he was President of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists he
was involved with the Federal Communications Commission and he helped establish
a Petroleum Radio Service that eventually was merged with the American Petroleum
Institute Central Committee on the use of Radio and Radar.
After retirement from Humble Oil & Refining Company in 1969 Will and Margaret
Rust moved to Austin, and Dr. Rust became a Lecturer in the Department of
Geological Sciences. As both a Lecturer and as a consultant he helped the
University establish a growing geophysical program. He was made Adjunct
Professor of Geological Sciences in 1972 and held this title until his death.
Significant to Dr. Rust’s tenure at UT-Austin is that, at his request, he never
was paid a salary.
Will Rust was a leader in the development of the undergraduate geophysics option
in the Department of Geological Sciences and in the initiation of a visible
graduate program in geophysics. The undergraduate geophysics curriculum
emphasized fundamentals in physics, chemistry, mathematics and geology with
exposure to the blending of these disciplines in exploration geophysics and
whole earth geophysics. He promoted a close liaison with industry and introduced
the popular course in geophysical interpretation in which the leading
exploration geophysicists from industry were invited to provide a diverse and
current view of the science and technology of applied geophysics.
Will Rust died in Austin, Texas, Thursday, September 24, 1987 at the age of 80.
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