Richard Crane:
CLASS OF 1964
Northview High SchoolClass of 1964
Covina, CA
University of CaliforniaClass of 1971
Santa cruz, CA
California State Polytechnic UniversityClass of 1968
Pomona, CA
Richard's Story
Brief bio:
Went to CalPoly to study physics and engineering for 1 1/2 yrs. Spend a few yrs in the navy (nuclear reactors). Became an operator of the Stanford Linear Accelerator (a new atom smasher in Palo Alto). After two years left to complete a physics degree at UC Santa Cruz. Back to Stanford U. as an R&D engineer/researcher working on various projects like cold fusion, Li Polymer batteries, free electron lasers and ended up in photovoltaics (solar cells) my life's calling. Wanted to change the world and make it a better place. Made several world records for solar performance. Left with my professor and started SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ SPWR) in 1990. Built a solar powered home in the Santa Cruz mts on some untamed acreage. Married an adventuresome Stanford admin and had two kids. Built the solar cell for Honda to ...Expand for more
win the trans-Australian solar car race (1900 mi in 36 hrs). Also built the cells for a solar powered aircraft which flew to an altitude of 95,600 ft, all on the power of sunshine. After 15 yrs of being broke in trying to keep the company alive I returned to Stanford U to be technical/operations manger of the Stanford Nanofabrication Facility. Built an airplane (an RV6A) and kept involved in solar. Retired from Stanford, sold the ranch, and am currently living in Cloverdale (northern Sonoma County) on a few acres doing county things like tractoring, gardening, woodworking, and flying drones. Son is an electrical eng., married and has two kids. Daughter is a bio-chemist living with her girlfriend on a miniranch in San Jose.
Life is good and, science has serve me well and I'm still very curious about how things work.
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