Still going

UCI professor Howard Tucker just turned 80, but the university's oldest full-time faculty member still loves what he does.

By Deirdre Newman Daily Pilot

October 10, 2002

In a classroom at UC Irvine, professor Howard Tucker draws a complex equation on the board for students in his linear programming class.

The soft-spoken professor with the white hair asks his students how they would solve the problem.

"We will simplify it by complicating it," Tucker says, adding that that will be achieved by introducing two more variables, known as "slack" variables because they pick up the slack of the other variables in the equation.

While Tucker is well-versed in slack, mathematically speaking, the term has no place in his personal vocabulary.

The 80-year old is UCI's oldest full-time faculty member and continues to teach above and beyond the average number of classes, advises students and peers and conducts research. He is also a fitness buff who runs every morning, swims every afternoon and can do 30 consecutive push-ups.

"He works much harder than many people half his age," colleague Mark Finkelstein said. [In addition to teaching and consulting], he continues to maintain a research program in which he and I are partners, which has resulted in over 15 research papers together in the past 15 years."

Tucker started teaching math at UCI in 1968. He was drawn to the campus because of the myriad opportunities it offered.

"It has a college of medicine so I could do a lot of consulting for people doing basic research in medicine right here on campus, and I've done a lot of work in connection with these people," Tucker said.

In the early days, he mainly focused on probability theory, but more recently has "been corrupted" by the field of statistical inference.

Tucker stays stimulated in the classroom by keeping up to date with advancements in mathematics. He was honored with an award for outstanding teaching in the School of Physical Sciences in 1980.

"I like to teach new courses, especially those that I didn't know, so I can learn them," Tucker said. "It's me just being barely ahead of the students."

Tucker attributes his longevity to his attitude about teaching.

"I've never regarded this as a job or as work," he said. "It's something that I like to do...I like the struggle involved with it because all of life is struggle. So I chose my own struggles rather than let any struggles choose me."

He says his teaching has changed a lot over the years, making him more sensitive to difficulties his students encounter. And some of his students say they appreciate Tucker's expertise and positive outlook on life.

"At first, I was a little skeptical because I didn't really know what to expect," said senior Paul Luu, 21. "So far, so good. He tells us a lot of inspiring things. It's better than I expected."

Tucker began his strenuous athletic regimen 37 years ago when he started swimming every day at lunchtime.

"The row of lockers where I have my locker are occupied by some other faculty members --intellectuals--and we discuss politics," Tucker said.

And Tucker is not shy about expressing his political views, especially about a potential war with Iraq.

"Whether one agrees with me or not, I don't think we should be contemplating a war with anyone, especially unilaterally," Tucker opined. "That's my most important message."

Tucker is married to wife Marcia and has two daughters and four grandchildren.