Brueckner, Keith A.

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Keith A. Brueckner, a professor of physics, held several university administration positions during his career at UCSD: Chair of the Physics Dept. 1959-1961, Dean of the School of Science and Engineering (later called Revelle College), Dean of Letters and Sciences 1963-1965, first Dean of Graduate Studies 1965, and Director of the Institute for Radiation Physics and Aerodynamics 1965-1970.

From the description of Administrative records of Keith A. Brueckner, 1959-1970. (University of California, San Diego). WorldCat record id: 31910385

Theoretical nuclear physicist, consultant for industry and government, and founding member and first chairman of University of California, San Diego's Physics Department.

From the description of Keith A. Brueckner papers, 1949-1983. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 154305914

From the description of Keith A. Brueckner administrative records, 1959-1970. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 154305920

From the description of Keith A. Brueckner typescript of "First years at UCSD", 1994. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 154305918

From the description of Papers, 1959-1983. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 84429901

Professor of physics and administrator at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Brueckner came to UCSD in 1959. He served as the first chairman of the Dept. of Physics (1959-1961), Dean of the School of Science and Engineering (later called First College and Revelle College), Dean of Letters and Sciences (1963-1965), first Dean of Graduate Studies (1965), and director of the Institute for Radiation Physics and Aerodynamics, later called the Institute for Pure and Applied Physical Sciences (1965-1970).

From the description of Records, 1959-1970. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78642337

A theoretical physicist and member of the National Academy of Science whose research has primarily focused on many-body physics and laser fusion. Brueckner has occupied several administrative positions at UC, San Diego, (see his administrative files, RSS 1009) and was responsible for recruiting a significant number of the university's original faculty. Brueckner has been a consultant to the Atomic Energy Commission, the Institute for Defense Analysis, RAND, Convair, and other DOD affiliates.

From the description of Papers, 1949-1983. (University of California, San Diego). WorldCat record id: 20287717

Theoretical physicist and former UCSD administrator, having served as Chair of the Physics Dept., Dean of the School of Science and Engineering, Dean of Letters and Sciences, and Dean of Graduate Studies.

From the description of First years at the University of California at San Diego, 1959 to 1965, 1994 / Keith A. Brueckner. (University of California, San Diego). WorldCat record id: 32105351

Administrative History

In 1959, Roger Revelle appointed Keith Brueckner as a professor of physics for the new campus of the University of California, San Diego. As the founding chairman of the Physics Department, Brueckner played a key role in recruiting science faculty for the new School of Science and Engineering, originally planned as a graduate school.

In July 1961, Brueckner took a leave of absence to serve as vice president and director for the Institute for Defense Analyses in Washington, D.C. Upon his return in January 1963, he was appointed Dean of the School of Science and Engineering and spent much of the summer of 1963 recruiting faculty and establishing academic departments. In October 1963, his position title changed to Dean of Letters and Sciences in order to reflect the addition of humanities and social sciences departments.

In February 1965, Brueckner accepted the position of Dean of Graduate Studies, which he held for five months. Citing a desire to return to teaching and research, he became director of the new Institute for Radiation Physics and Aerodynamics (IRPA) which later combined with the Institute for the Study of Matter (ISM) to form the Institute for Pure and Applied Physical Sciences (IPAPS). Brueckner remained director of IPAPS until 1970.

Brueckner participated in campus development as a member of many committees. He served as chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Humanities and Social Sciences (1964), the Undergraduate Planning Committee (1964), the Planning Committee for the Second College (1964), the Space Committee (1963-1964), as well as an ex officio member of all Building Advisory Committees for First and Second Colleges. As a member of the Academic Senate, he served on the Campus Planning Committee (1963-1964), the Chancellor's Advisory Council (1963-1964), the Graduate Council (1964-1965), and the Research Committee (1964-1965). In addition, Brueckner participated at the University of California systemwide level as a member of the Council of Engineering Deans (1963-1965).

From the guide to the Administrative Records of Keith A. Brueckner, 1959 - 1970, (Mandeville Special Collections Library)

Biography

Keith Allen Brueckner was born in Minneapolis on March 19, 1924. He earned a B.A. and M.A. in mathematics from the University of Minnesota in 1945 and 1947 and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1950. Brueckner's career as a theoretical physicist has been divided between academia, industry, and service to the U.S. government, serving the roles of teacher, administrator, researcher, and consultant. His research has focused on many-body physics and laser fusion.

Brueckner was on the physics faculties at Indiana University (1951-1955) and the University of Pennsylvania (1956-1959) before coming to the University of California, San Diego, in 1959. At UCSD, he was responsible for recruiting faculty to the new campus and setting up the curriculum for the School of Science and Engineering. Among his other administrative responsibilities, Brueckner was Director of the Institute of Radiation Physics and Aerodynamics and, later, Director of the Institute for Pure and Applied Physical Sciences. (See the guide to the Administrative Records of Keith A. Brueckner, 1959-1970, RSS 1009, for more information on his administrative duties at UCSD.)

Outside the academy, Brueckner has been a consultant to the Atomic Energy Commission, the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), RAND, Convair, and the Scientific Advisory Boards of the U.S. Air Force, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other agencies related to national defense research. He was Vice President and Director of Research at IDA in 1961 and 1962. He was also active in industry through his offices at KMS (Keeve M. Siegel) from 1968 to 1974 and his own consulting business, Keith A. Brueckner and Associates (1974-1978).

Brueckner is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and was the 1963 recipient of the American Physical Society's Dannie Heinemann Prize. He is currently professor emeritus in the UCSD Physics Department.

From the guide to the Keith A. Brueckner Papers, 1949-1983, (University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Brueckner, Keith A. Keith A. Brueckner administrative records, 1959-1970. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Brueckner, Keith A. Oral history interview with Keith Allan Brueckner, 1986 July 2. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank). Oral history interview with Herbert F. York, 1986 February 7. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Löwdin, Per-Olov, 1916-2000. Oral history interview with Per Olov Löwdin, 1975 January 27. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Brueckner, Keith A. Keith A. Brueckner typescript of "First years at UCSD", 1994. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Brueckner, Keith A. Records, 1959-1970. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Brueckner, Keith A. Papers, 1959-1983. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Brueckner, Keith A. First years at the University of California at San Diego, 1959 to 1965, 1994 / Keith A. Brueckner. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn History of physics manuscript biography collection A-C, 1901-1989, [ca. 1960]-1989 (bulk). New York State Historical Documents Inventory
creatorOf Administrative Records of Keith A. Brueckner, 1959 - 1970 Mandeville Special Collections Library
referencedIn Wheeler, John Archibald, 1911-2008. Oral history interview with John Archibald Wheeler, 1988 May 4 to November 28. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Gell-Mann, Murray. Oral history interview with Murray Gell-Mann, 1982 July 23. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Brueckner, Keith A. Papers, 1949-1983. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf Keith A. Brueckner Papers, 1949-1983 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
creatorOf Brueckner, Keith A. Autobiography, 1986. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Brueckner, Keith A. Keith A. Brueckner papers, 1949-1983. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Hans Bethe papers, [ca. 1931]-1995 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
creatorOf Arnold, James R. (James Richard), 1923-. [Interview of James Arnold and Keith Brueckner, June 10, 1998 [sound recording] / interviewed by Stanley Chodorow]. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Bethe, Hans A. (Hans Albrecht), 1906-2005. Hans Bethe papers, [ca. 1931]-1992. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Brueckner, Keith A. Administrative records of Keith A. Brueckner, 1959-1970. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Aaserud, Finn, person
associatedWith Arnold, James R. (James Richard), 1923- person
associatedWith Bethe, Hans A. (Hans Albrecht), 1906-2005. person
associatedWith Brookhaven National Laboratory. corporateBody
associatedWith Gell-Mann, Murray. person
associatedWith Indiana University. corporateBody
associatedWith Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton, N.J.) corporateBody
associatedWith Institute for Defense Analyses. corporateBody
associatedWith Institute for Defense Analysis corporateBody
associatedWith Jason corporateBody
associatedWith JASON Defense Advisory Group. corporateBody
associatedWith Jason, Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Keith A. Brueckner and Associates. corporateBody
associatedWith Keith A. Brueckner and Associates. corporateBody
associatedWith KMS Fusion, Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Lawrence, Ernest Orlando, 1901-1958. person
associatedWith Lawrence Radiation Laboratory. corporateBody
associatedWith Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. corporateBody
associatedWith Löwdin, Per-Olov, 1916-2000. person
associatedWith McMillan, Edwin M. (Edwin Mattison), 1907- person
associatedWith Niels Bohr Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Panofsky, Wolfgang Kurt Hermann, 1919- person
associatedWith Segrè, Emilio. person
associatedWith Serber, R. (Robert) person
associatedWith Teller, Edward, 1908-2003. person
associatedWith United States. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Advanced Research Projects Agency. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Dept. of Defense. corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, Berkeley. corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. Dean of Letters and Sciences corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. Dean of Letters and Sciences corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. Dept. of Physics corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. Dept. of Physics corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. Dept. of Physics. corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. Dept. of Physics. corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. Dept. of Physics. Chair corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. Institute for Radiation Physics and Aerodynamics. corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. Institute for Radiation Physics and Aerodynamics. Director corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. Office of Graduate Studies and Research. Dean corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. School of Science and Engineering. corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. School of Science and Engineering. corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. School of Science and Engineering. Dean corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, San Diego. School of Science and Engineering. Dean corporateBody
associatedWith University of Minnesota. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Pennsyania. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Wisconsin. corporateBody
associatedWith U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith Von Neumann, John, 1903-1957. person
associatedWith Watson, Kenneth M. person
associatedWith Wheeler, John Archibald, 1911-2008. person
associatedWith York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank) person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Europe
California--San Diego
Soviet Union
Subject
Chemistry
Universities and colleges
Universities and colleges
Laser fusion
Lasers
Many body problem
Mathematics
Mesons
Meteorology
Nuclear structure
Philosophy and science
Physicists
Physicists
Physicists
Physicists
Physics
Physics
Radar
Science and state
Science consultants
Weapons industry
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Physicists
Science consultants
Activity

Person

Birth 1924

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