Education
Simmons attended the California Institute of Technology, where he received a Bachelor of Surgery in 1934 and an Master of Surgery in 1936.
Simmons attended the California Institute of Technology, where he received a Bachelor of Surgery in 1934 and an Master of Surgery in 1936.
He continued to work for the Institute under Assistant Professor Donald Clark. In 1938, Simmons invented the strain gauge. The Franklin Institute awarded Simmons the Edward Longstreth Medal in 1944.
Simmons became notably eccentric later in life, dressing in idiosyncratic attire, including tights, a tutu, a turban, and white satin ballet slippers.
He was commonly known among Caltech students as the "Millikan Manitoba," due to his habit of wandering the campus late at night, particularly in the vicinity of Millikan Library. He was known among staff of Caltech as "Renaissance Ralph", and was generally shunned by staff, who were uncertain of his status relative to the institute.
One other nickname on campus was "Doctor Strange Gauge". Simmons was repeatedly picked up by Pasadena police who found him wandering nude in the vicinity of Caltech.
He died of cancer in 2004.