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John Berthold ‘63 Named Distinguished Alumni for 2016

February 23, 2016

The Susquehannock High School Alumni Association Steering Committee named John Berthold as its “Distinguished Alumni” for 2016. John will address the graduating class at commencement services and will be honored with a plaque in the High School’s auditorium lobby.

“When I received a call from Dr. Wayne McCullough that I was chosen as the Distinguished Alum for 2016, I was surprised and excited, but most of all I felt honored and grateful to be chosen,” Berthold said.

While at Susquehannock, he was a member of the National Honor Society, Calumet Staff, Concert Band, Marching Band, Dance Band, Orchestra, District and Regional Band on trombone, and District Orchestra on string bass.  John was also a Class Officer and the graduating Class Valedictorian.

“It was an invention without an application.” That’s how John Berthold describes the laser in the 1960’s. John first saw a laser at Gettysburg College in 1964, where he was a physics major. Intrigued with the possibilities, he decided that he wanted to be among those who determined how it could be used.

Following his graduation in 1967, he successfully devoted his professional career to that end. Now (semi) retired, he has authored or co-authored more than 75 journal and conference publications on the subject and is listed as an inventor or co-inventor on 51 U.S. patents. To his credit are 47 years in optics research, including extensive work in thin film coatings and fiber optic sensors. He is recognized internationally as a pioneer and expert in the field.

As one would expect, John was an outstanding science student at Susquehannock High School. But in addition to physics and chemistry instructor Melvin Wagner, he lists a diversity of teachers who had a profound influence on his success: Doris Miller (English); Phyllis Krumrine (foreign language); Robert Windisch (history); and William Wolf (mathematics). He remembers the special influences of his guidance counselor, Sid Ehrhart, and his music teacher, Prowell Seitzinger. “I enjoyed a friendly and informal relationship with all my teachers,” he recalls. “I was comfortable talking about anything with them. They always encouraged me.”

He credits Mr. Seitzinger with instilling in him a passion for the joy and self-discipline of music. John still plays the trombone in two community bands around his home in Ohio.

At Susquehannock, music was at the center of his student life. He was in the Marching Band, Concert Band, and Orchestra. Out of school, he played in the Glen Rock Band and the Spring Garden Band. He also found time to provide a service to the school district.  At age 13, John earned an amateur radio license, and four years later while a senior, he built and installed a radio link between Susquehannock and Friendship Elementary.  The purpose was to provide communications in the event that telephone service was lost during an emergency.

His first job out of college was at Bell Laboratories, where he helped develop a tunable laser, an important step in making the infant technology practical. Realizing that he needed additional training in optics, he left Bell for a post as a graduate assistant at the University of Arizona, where he earned a master’s degree in 1974 and a doctorate in 1976.

He then returned to the area, accepting a position with the National Security Agency, splitting time between its research facilities at the University of Maryland and Fort Meade. From there he went to Babcock and Wilcox – a manufacturer of electric power generation equipment – where he spent much of his time developing laser optic applications for nuclear and fossil-fired power plants. He was also the lead investigator on several U.S. government contracts including work for NASA, Department of Defense, and Department of Energy.

After his “official” retirement in 2001, he became involved in a start-up firm – Davidson Instruments, Inc., where he still serves as Chief Technology Officer and is a member of its board of directors.

Looking back on his time at SHS, he says, “Practically all my memories center on fellow students, what we did together, how we helped each other, and the lifelong friendships that resulted from these interactions.”

His son, John and sister, Mary Nora ‘52 live in the area and he returns often.  One trip he remembers well was in 1983 when he was invited to speak to the SHS graduating class, a proud moment for him. He still has his notes from that speech. His advice – “Do what needs to be done.”

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