Wiener's Colleague Dr. Amar Bose (1929–2013)

Ken Jacob, a Research Engineer at Bose Corporation, offered an intimate portrait of the relationship between Norbert Wiener and Dr. Amar Bose. He recounted Bose's vivid description of collaborating on Wiener's final book, during which Wiener would write equations on a blackboard with his right hand while simultaneously erasing them with his left, a characteristically eccentric working method that Bose found both maddening and endearing.

Jacob shared Bose's deep admiration for Wiener's intellectual gifts, particularly his ability to "see over the fence" to fundamental truths that eluded other researchers. A highlight of the presentation was the revelation that original 1958 tape recordings of Wiener's lectures had been discovered, providing a rare and invaluable direct record of Wiener's voice and thought. The talk offered a personal and affectionate window into Wiener's working life at MIT.