Elephants and mahouts—early days in semiconductor physics

I didn't really decide to become a physicist until I was about 23 years old, working as a research engineer at the RCA Laboratories in Princeton, New Jersey. To understand my decision, you will need some background. Ever since I was a boy I was fascinated by the operation of machines. I liked to take them apart, and often I was even able to put them back together again. I used to make model airplanes and construct mechanical toys. Originally, I wanted to become a civil engineer and design complex mechanisms.