Bob came to work in the Department of Geological Sciences in 1975 as a Computer Systems Engineer. His primary responsibilities eventually centered around the maintenance of the VAX 11/780 computer that was installed in Derring Hall in 1979 for the processing of reflection seismic data (Tech was the first university in the country to install the DISCO --Digicon Interactive Seismic COmputer --processing software) that was being acquired by the Virginia Tech Vibroseis Crew for the Geothermal Program. The VAX 11/780 was later upgraded to a VAX 11/785 as additional equipment was added to the program. Bob also supervised the installation and maintenance of Sun Sparc workstations, which have now replaced most of the processing that was done on the VAX. His contributions were not only related to classroom instruction, but also to several major outside-funded research programs, including the DOE-sponsored Geothermal Program under the direction of Drs. John Costain, Lynn Glover, III, Cahit Coruh, and A. K. Sinha. These data are now being archived as a World Wide Web site, so that the data can be downloaded from anywhere in the world by accessing the Virginia Tech Geothermal Web Site. It is difficult to say if Bob's involvement with geophysics was more related to teaching or research; the Department of Geological Sciences has been fortunate in having such superb excellent State-funded employees such as Bob Montgomery to carry out its teaching and research obligations. The geophysics program would not have succeeded without him. Bob Montgomery retired from Virginia Tech in 1996.

In 1994 John Costain suggested to the U.S. Department of Energy that the basic data related to the geothermal program be archived for future investigators. This included well logs from the drilling program and reflection seismic data from the field acquisition by the Virginia Tech seismic crew and others seismic crews that were subcontracted later. At this time Cahit Çoruh suggested that the data be archived as a World Wide Web site, the request was approved by the Department of Energy, and the data can now be accessed from anywhere in the world by accessing the Virginia Tech Geothermal Web Site.

There have been countless graduate students who Bob Montgomery has helped with their data in the field and in the laboratory. On the occasion of his retirement in 1996, it is fitting to quote some expressions of appreciation taken directly from the acknowledgement pages of their Theses and Dissertations. Some of these students are referenced below, in chronological order of graduation, and include Mike Bahorich (1981), Eileen Bielanski (1981), Paul Dysart (1981), Tom Pratt (1982), Andy Marangakis (1983), Steven Belcher (1984), Berkan Ecevitoglu (1984), Rob Bryan (1985), Rick D'Angelo (1985), Steven Miller (1985), Tom Pratt (1986), Greg Schorr (1986), Ron Luongo (1987), Dan Needham (1987), Stephen Scott (1987), Ken Laughlin (1988), Emin Demirbag (1990), Susan Hubbard (1990), Ashok Sen (1991), Laura Lampshire (1992), Phil Pappano, Jr. (1992), Mu Guo (1994), Debbie Hopkins (1995), Sara Minnich (1996), Jennifer Cyrnak (1997), Leslie Moore (1997), and Sam Peavy (1997).

Epilogue. A geophysicist's life can be a lonely one, with countless days spent in the field collecting seismic data that can only be evaluated after leaving the field. You do not get a second chance to collect reflection seismology data in or even near the same area. It's too expensive. Bob Montgomery's readiness to offer assistance in the field and when we returned from the field assured us that, if we did our job in the field, then our data and our students would be secure and cared for during and after the extensive computer processing that follows data collection.