Kaplan, Joseph A., 1902-1991

Kaplan was born in Tapolcza, Hungary on Sept. 8, 1902; arrived in Baltimore, MD in 1910; BS in chemistry (1924) and MA (1926) and Ph. D (1927) in physics, Johns Hopkins Univ.; National Research Council fellow at Princeton Univ. (1927-28); asst. professor (1928-35), assoc. professor (1935-40), then professor, UCLA; chairman, Dept. of Physics (1938-44); director, Institute of Geophysics (1946-47); research centered on diatomic molecule spectra; nitrogen, oxygen, and mixture afterglows; upper atmosphere chemical processes; member, National Academy of Science; served as chairman of the US National Committee for the International Geophysical Year, 1957-58; wrote Methods and results of upper atmosphere research (1954).

Biography

Kaplan was born in Tapolcza, Hungary on September 8, 1902; arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1910; BS in chemistry (1924) and MA (1926) and Ph.D (1927) in physics, Johns Hopkins University; National Research Council fellow at Princeton University (1927-28); assistant professor (1928-35), associate professor (1935-40), then professor, UCLA; chairman, Department of Physics (1938-44); director, Institute of Geophysics (1946-47); research centered on diatomic molecule spectra; nitrogen, oxygen, and mixture afterglows; upper atmosphere chemical processes; member, National Academy of Science; served as chairman of the U.S. National Committee for the International Geophysical Year, 1957-58; wrote Methods and Results of Upper Atmosphere Research (1954).