Ralph A. Alpher. Astrophysicist (B.Sc. 1943 and Ph.D. 1938, George Washington University) whose work with George Gamow on nucleosynthesis in the early universe and with Robert Herman on the existence of primordial background radiation are landmarks in the development of the Big Bang theory. Alpher worked at the Applied Physics Laboratory of the Johns Hopkins University (1945-1955); General Electric Research and Development Laboratory (1955-1986), and since 1986 has been a research professor at Union College and administrator of the Dudley Observatory.