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George Phillies was born July 23, 1947 in Buffalo, New York, first son of
Eustace G. Phillies, M.D. and Clara Phillies. Phillies grew up in Kenmore
and Williamsville, New York, finished as salutatorian at the Williamsville
Central High School [now Williamsville North], and went to M.I.T. in
Cambridge, Massachusetts. While at MIT, Phillies earned degrees of Bachelor
of Science in physics and in life sciences, as well as Master of Science and
(in 1973) Doctor of Science degrees in physics. Phillies then joined the
Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program as a researcher.
In 1975, Phillies moved to California, working as a postdoctoral fellow in
the U.C.L.A. Chemistry department. Phillies in 1978 moved to Ann Arbor,
Michigan, where he was employed as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at
the University of Michigan. In 1985, after declining alternatives at
nationally-known schools, Phillies moved to the Worcester Polytechnic
Institute, where he rose to the rank of Professor of Physics. Phillies has
attained international recognition for his scientific studies of light
scattering, soaps, and polymer solutions. [Phillies: A polymer is a long
thin molecule, shaped like a strand of spaghetti. A polymer solution pours
very slowly. An engineer uses the pouring to design machines. A physicist
asks 'Why do molecules shaped like spaghetti strands pour slowly?']
Almost all first-rate universities are run by elected faculty committees,
and WPI is no exception. Phillies has repeatedly been elected to the most
important WPI committees. Some years ago, at a meeting of the WPI Faculty,
WPI Provost Diran Apelian opened his remarks `George, you are the conscience
of the WPI Faculty'.
In 1971, Phillies joined the United States Army Reserves, eventually rising
to the rank of Specialist, 5th Class, a rank that no longer exists, in a
Boston unit, the 338th Medical Detachment. He received an honorable
discharge in 1977.
In 1994, the Libertarian Party gained major-party status in Massachusetts.
Phillies has since participated actively in Libertarian Party organizing
efforts in Central and Western Massachusetts. In 1996, he was elected
Executive Director of the Massachusetts Libertarian Association, and was the
party nominee for United States Senator from Massachusetts. In 1998, he ran
for Congress as a Libertarian against Democratic Party incumbent Jim
McGovern and Republican Matt Amorello. One of his three-way debates was
later carried coast to coast on CSPAN-II, @7PM EST, the Thursday before the
election. In 2004, Phillies was elected as one of the two Regular members of
the Libertarian Party of Massachusetts State Committee. In 2006, Phillies
was re-elected to the LPMA State Committee, where he was elected to be Vice
Chair of the State Party
Phillies on his political work:
* I'm a libertarian activist.
* I ran for Congress. The press said I won my debates with my Democratic and
Republican opponents.
* In 2004, I was national volunteer coordinator ('National Mobilization
Facilitator') for the Badnarik and Russo Libertarian Presidential Campaigns.
* I helped found the Pioneer Valley Libertarian Association, Massachusetts'
oldest and largest libertarian volunteer group.
* I'm Political Facilitator, a statewide office, for Liberty for
Massachusetts, Massachusetts' functional statewide libertarian activist
group.
* I'm chair of the Worcester County Chapter, ACLU of Massachusetts and
endorse their message 'Domestic Spying, Rendition, Torture, Secret Prisons -
Is This Your America?' If you're in Worcester County, please join us.
* I'm Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Massachusetts
* I've served as campaign treasurer for a half dozen libertarian campaigns.
* In 2003 I organized Freedom Ballot Access to raise money for ballot access
efforts.
* I publish Let Freedom Ring and Libertarian Strategy Gazette, read
nationally by thousands of libertarians, available free at http://cmlc.org/headerpublications.htm.
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