Homepage
Edgerton's Self-Portrait with Balloon and Bullet, 1959
©1992 The Harold E. Edgerton Trust
The Legacy of MIT Institute Professor Harold "Doc" Edgerton
Harold "Doc" Edgerton (1903-1990) worked at MIT for 63 years as teacher, researcher, and head of the Stroboscopic Light Lab. He taught, mentored, and inspired many generations of MIT students, encouraging them to explore technology through hands-on projects and subjects.
Edgerton developed photographic techniques that allowed very rapid events to be observed and captured on film, as well as techniques for underwater exploration based on sonar devices and flash photography. In 1947, with students Kenneth J. Germeshausen and Herbert E. Grier, he formed EG&G, Inc., a company specializing in electronic technology and high-speed strobe photography. In 1953, Edgerton began a long association with French underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, accompanying him on numerous expeditions and designing devices for underwater photography.
National Geographic used many of Edgerton's photographs as illustrations for its articles, and published a number of articles by Edgerton himself. Edgerton's photographs are exhibited in museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Exhibitions presenting Edgerton's work and history are ongoing at the MIT Museum and the MIT Edgerton Center (located in Building 4's Strobe Alley).
Archived Video of Doc and the Milk Drop
Video footage of Edgerton and his famous milk drop experiment can be viewed online. You can download the Quicktime player necessary to view the file if you do not have it already.
Edgerton's milk drop coronet - a simple, yet beautiful phenomenon.
About the Edgerton Center
The Edgerton Center offers hands-on subjects for MIT students, from freshman to graduate students. Carrying on the legacy of Institute Professor Harold E. Edgerton, the Center creates opportunities for students to engage in challenging activities and projects in engineering and science. Through invention and discovery, they are better able to master concepts too often presented only in theory by lectures and problem sets.
Throughout the year, students may come to the Edgerton Center to pursue independent projects for which they may need a workplace, test equipment, access to a shop, or simply advice and encouragement. The Edgerton Center also supports a number of MIT student groups.