I would like to share my thoughts on an issue at the soul of Campbell Scientific. From the beginnings of the company, there has been a strong desire to serve customers engaged in science. Our mission statement is: "We at Campbell Scientific, Inc., are committed to satisfying the instrumentation needs of our customers, especially those who are working in areas with significant potential for long-term benefit to the causes of science…" What are the causes of science, and how do we contribute to those causes?
The first cause of science is to expand the frontier of human knowledge. I recall Eric Campbell, co-founder and President of Campbell Scientific until his death in 1992, was highly motivated by the following quotation "…when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind…" —Lord Kelvin (William Thomson, 1824-1907).
Eric's vision of field data acquisition using the latest technologies in electronics established a foundation for sensor and datalogger design that has provided significant advancement in the tools available for scientists, especially in areas related to environmental physics. When I hear of successful research involving a Campbell Scientific instrument, I feel a great deal of personal satisfaction that the company has helped advance a cause of science. It has been said that within every person beats the heart of an explorer, and at times, people within Campbell Scientific are rewarded with being part of an exciting scientific expedition.
The second cause of science is to use our scientific knowledge to improve mankind's quality of life. This cause often involves engineering to solve specific technical problems. Many Campbell Scientific customers apply scientific principles in engineering disciplines. For example:
- A mechanical engineer may characterize attributes of a vehicle under test by making measurements of strain, vibration, pressure, flow, temperature, etc., with the object in mind of assuring safety, function, and comfort
- A civil engineer may measure slope stability, rock deformation, or resonant structural frequencies
- An environmental engineer may assess containment of pollutants through measurements of soil moisture, conductivity, and rainfall
- The measurements from an automatic weather station may be used to conserve water with optimum irrigationof turf and landscapes in a municipality
With a sense of service to quality of life, support of these applications is no less motivating than the endeavor of discovery.
At Campbell Scientific, we are dedicated to understanding your work and strive to apply appropriate technology so that you have the tools you need. We take a personal measure of satisfaction when we hear of your success or pain if we hear of your frustration. We do our best to help you succeed, whether you are involved in expanding human knowledge, or applying that knowledge to improve the quality of life for mankind.
