Potter, A. A. (Andrey Abraham), 1882-

Andrey Abraham Potter, a nationally known figure in engineering and scientific education, was born in Vilna, Russia, on August 5, 1882. His parents were Gregor and Rivza Potter. In 1897, Potter moved to the United States, and in 1903 he graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree in mechanical engineering from MIT. Potter's early career was devoted to the development of steam turbines for General Electric. He later worked as a professor of mechanical engineering for Kansas State Agricultural College. In 1906, he became a U.S. citizen. Potter married Eva Burtner, and the couple had two children, Helen and James. In 1913, Potter was named Dean of Engineering and Director of the Engineering Experiment Station at Kansas State. In 1920, Potter joined Purdue University as Dean of the School of Engineering. During his tenure, Potter built Purdue into the largest and one of the most respected engineering colleges in the country. From 1945 to 1946, Potter served as Acting President for Purdue University. Potter was often referred to as "The Dean of Deans" because of the large role he played in the direction of engineering education in the United States during the twentieth century. He was president at various times of all the major engineering professional organizations, and he served as a consultant in matters of engineering training and education for the U.S. government. During the two world wars, he directed programs for training men in war industries. He also strove to protect the rights of inventors, serving as executive director of the National Patent Planning Commission from 1942 to 1945. Potter was awarded 10 honorary doctoral degrees and numerous honors, awards, and citations during his career. He wrote several books on engineering and more than 300 scientific papers and articles. He was a recognized authority on steam power and heat transfer.