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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsCitationsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectPaul E. Klopsteg
Dates
May 30, 1889 – April 28, 1991
Authorized Form of Name
Klopsteg, Paul E. (Paul Ernest), 1889-
Additional Forms of Names
Klopsteg, Paul Ernest, 1889-
Biography
Abstract
Professor of physics, University of Minnesota, 1911-1917; Leeds & Northrup Co, 1918-1921; Central Scientific Co, 1921-1944; professor of physics and director of research, Northwestern University Technological Institute, 1944-1961. He was active in numerous professional organizations and founded the American Association of Physics Teachers, and was active in the American Institute of Physics. His avocation was archery about which he wrote two books and many articles.
Important Dates
May 30, 1889Birth, Henderson (Minn.).
1911 – 1916Obtained BS (1911), MA (1913), and PhD (1916), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (Minn.).
1913 – 1917Instructor to Assistant Professor of physics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (Minn.).
1917 – 1918Development engineer, U.S. Army Ordnance Department.
1918 – 1921Employed by Leeds & Northrup Co.
1921 – 1944Director of Research and Manufacturing (1921-1930) and President (1930-1944), Central Scientific Company, Chicago (Ill.).
1921 – 1955Member, Board of Directors, Central Scientific Company, Chicago (Ill.).
1931 – 1947Member and Chairman (1940-1947), Governing Board, American Institute of Physics (AIP).
1932 – 1954Treasurer (1932-1952), Vice President (1952-1953), and President (1953-1954), American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT).
1940 – 1941Member, Instruments Section, National Defense Research Committee.
1941 – 1945Chief, Division 17 (Physics and Special Devices), National Defense Research Committee.
1942Received Honorary ScD, Northwestern University.
1944 – 1945Assistant Chief, Office of Field Services, Office of Scientific Research and Development.
1944 – 1954Professor of applied science and Director of Research, Northwestern University Technological Institute, Evanston (Ill.).
1945 – 1955Chair, Committee on Artificial Limbs, National Research Council.
1948Awarded Presidential Medal for Merit.
1948Received Honorary ScD, Wesleyan University.
1948 – 1950Chairman, advisory board of governors, Argonne National Laboratory.
1951 – 1958Associate Director, National Science Foundation.
1953 – 1962Member, Personnel Security Review Board, United States Atomic Energy Commission.
1954 – 1991Professor Emeritus, Northwestern University, Evanston (Ill.).
1955 – 1958Member, Prosthetics Research Board, National Research Council.
1958 – 1960Chair, Committee on Atmospheric Sciences, National Research Council.
1958 – 1962Special consultant, National Science Foundation.
1959President, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
1961 – 1963Special consultant for science to J. Roscoe Miller, President of Northwestern University.
1964 – 1967Trustee and member, Executive Committee, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.
April 28, 1991Death, Laguna Hills (Calif.).
Occupation
Applied physicist.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Scientific apparatus and instruments.
Citations
Finding aid, Paul Klopsteg papers, Northwestern University.
Relationships
People
Family
Graffis, Marie
Daughter.
Klopsteg, Amanda Marie Toedt.
Wife, died in 1990.
Klopsteg, Irma Louise.
Daughter.
Klopsteg, Julius.
Father.
Klopsteg, Magdalen Kuesthardt
Mother.
Reed, Ruth Drake
Daughter.
Advisors & Collaborators
Barton, Henry Askew, 1898-1983
Collaborated in founding of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT).
Compton, K. T. (Karl Taylor), 1887-1954
Collaborated in founding of American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT).
Dodge, Homer L. (Homer Levi), 1887-1983
Collaborated in founding the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT).
Collaborated in founding the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT).
Pegram, George Braxton, 1876-1958
Collaborated in founding the American Institute of Physics (AIP).
Collaborated in founding of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). Worked together at Central Scientific Company.
Colleagues
Both employed at the National Defense Research Committee and the Office of Scientific Research and Development.
Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962
Both employed at University of Minnesota.
Miller, J. Roscoe (James Roscoe), 1905-1977
Klopsteg served as Miller's special consultant for science (1961-1963), Northwestern University.
Tate, John T. (John Torrence), 1889-1950
Both employed at the University of Minnesota.
Both employed at University of Minnesota.
Additional
Ballard, Stanley S.
Darrow, Karl K. (Karl Kelchner), 1891-
Gardner, Erle Stanley, 1889-1970
Loomis, Alfred L. (Alfred Lee), 1887-1975
Miner, Thomas D.
Richtmyer, F. K. (Floyd Karker), 1881-1939
Strassenburg, Arnold A.
Sutton, Richard Manliffe, 1900-1966
Waterfall, Wallace, 1900-1974
Webster, David Locke, 1888-1976
White, Marsh W. (Marsh William), 1896-1999
Wood, Robert Williams, 1868-1955
Institutions
Major Positions
Central Scientific Company
Director of Research and Manufacturing, President, and member, Board of Directors.
Leeds and Northrup Company.
Physicist.
National Science Foundation (U.S.)
Associate Director for Research.
Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). Technological Institute.
Professor of Applied Science, Director of Research, and Professor Emeritus.
United States. Army. Ordnance Department
Development engineer.
University of Minnesota. Department of Physics and Astronomy
Obtained BS, MA, and PhD, and Instructor to Assistant Professor of physics.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
American Association for the Advancement of Science
President.
American Association of Physics Teachers
President and founding member.
Member and Chairman, Governing Board.
Chairman, Board of Governors.
National Research Council (U.S.)
Member, Prosthetics Research Board and chair, Committee on Atmospheric Sciences.
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
United States. Office of Scientific Research and Development
Assistant Chief, office of field services.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.
Trustee and member, Executive Committee.
University of Chicago. Department of Physics
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
American Association of Physics Teachers records of Paul E. Klopsteg, 1930-1975.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Frank Edmondson History of AURA interviews and documentation, 1978-1991.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Paul E. Klopsteg, 1963 January 27.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Paul E. Klopsteg, 1970 March 31.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Paul E. Klopsteg papers, 1905-1991.
Library. University Archives.
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL 60201, USA
Reminiscences of Paul Ernest Klopsteg : oral history, 1963.
Oral History Research Office
Columbia University
Box 20, Room 801 Butler Library, New York, NY 10027, USA
The early days of the American Association of Physics Teachers [sound recording], 1962 June 27.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Subject
AAPT records of early history, 1929-1966.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
AIP Office of the Director records of Henry A. Barton, 1931-1964.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
American Association of Physics Teachers records of David Locke Webster, 1930-1958.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
American Association of Physics Teachers records of Richard M. Sutton, 1934-1949.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy records, 1953-1974.
Bentley Historical Library
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2113, USA
Homer L. Dodge papers, 1852-1994 (bulk 1910-1960).
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with David Locke Webster, 1963 January 26.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Frederic Palmer, Jr., 1963 January 26.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Homer Levi Dodge, 1963 January 23.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Marshall Ney States, 1963 January 27.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Wallace Waterfall, 1964 April 17.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA