That attitude does not exist so much today, but in those days there was a very sharp distinction between basic physics and applied physics. Columbia did not deal with applied physics.

There was a second problem that was still not a technical problem... the project became classified. I couldn't work on it after having gone to all that trouble. I was considered a security risk, so I could not get a clearance.

The real technical problems came because people working on the project didn't really follow my proposal at all, but set out to do other things instead of making a laser.

Gordon Gould Quotes