Charles F. Kennel

Biography

Abstract

Charles F. Kennel is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (1998-present). Other institutional affiliations include the University of California, Los Angeles and Avco-Everett Research Laboratory. His research interests include plasma physics and magnetic reconnection.

Important Dates

August 20, 1939Birth, Cambridge (Mass.).

1959Obtained AB, Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

1964Obtained PhD in Astrophysical Science, Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).

1964 – 1965Staff Member, Avco-Everett Research Laboratory.

1965 – 1966Visiting Scientist and National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellow, International Center for Theoretical Physics, Trieste.

1966 – 1967Principle Research Scientist, Avco-Everett Research Laboratory.

1967 – 1998Associate Professor of Physics (1967-1971); Professor of Physics (1971-1998); Member, Institute for Geohysics and Planetary Physics (1972-1998); Chair, Department of Physics (1983-1986); Member, Institute for Plasma and Fusion (1987-1998); Associate Director, Institute for Plasma and Fusion (1991-1994); and Executive Vice Chancellor (1996-1998), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles (Calif.).

1970 – 1978Member, Physics Research Evaluation Group, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, United States Air Force.

1971 – 1972Member, Science Advisory Group, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

1977 – 1980Member, Space Science Board, National Academy of Sciences.

1987 – 1989Member, Space and Earth Science Advisory Committee, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

1987 – 1990Member, Advisory Board, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara.

1991Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1996 – 1998Associate Administrator and Director, Mission to Planet Earth, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

1997Awarded James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics, American Physical Society.

1998 – 2006Vice Chancellor of Marine Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego (Calif.).

1998 – 2006Member (1998-2006) and Chair (2001-2005), Advisory Council, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

1998 – presentDirector (1998-2006) and Distinguished Professor (2006-present), Scripps Institute of Oceanography, San Diego (Calif.).

1999 – 2002Member, Board of Trustees, San Diego Natural History Museum.

2000 – 2003Member, Pew Oceans Commission.

2001 – 2003Board Member, California Climate Action Registry.

2008 – presentMember, Space Studies Board, National Academy of Sciences.

2008 – presentMember, Advisory Council, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Occupation

Plasma physicist.

Places

Birth

Cambridge (Mass.)

Undergraduate Education

Cambridge (Mass.)

Graduate Education

Princeton (N.J.)

Employment

Los Angeles (Calif.)

San Diego (Calif.)

Subjects

Astrophysics.

Magnetic reconnection.

Plasma physics.

Relationships

People

Advisors & Collaborators

Frieman, E. A.

PhD advisor at Princeton University, "Low-frequency stability of spatially non-uniform plasmas."

Hudson, M. K. (Mary K.)

Advised by Kennel at University of California, Los Angeles.

Colleagues

Chaikin, Paul M.

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Chen, Francis F., 1929-

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Dawson, J. M. (John Myrick), 1930-

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Drake, James (James F.)

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Goldberger, Marvin L.

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Holstein, Theodore David, 1915-1985

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Joshi, Chandrashekhar

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Kaula, William M.

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Kivelson, Steven

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Patel, C. Kumar N.

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Rudnick, Isadore, 1917-

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Schwinger, Julian, 1918-1994

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Wheatley, John Charles

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Additional

Knopoff, Leon, 1925-

Maran, Stephen P.

Institutions

Major Positions

Avco-Everett Research Laboratory

Staff Member and Principle Research Scientist.

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Director and Distinguished Professor Emeritus.

United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Member, Science Advisory Group; Member, Space and Earth Science Advisory Committee; Associate Administrator and Director, Mission to Planet Earth; Member, Advisory Council; and Chair, Advisory Council.

University of California, Los Angeles

Executive Vice Chancellor.

University of California, Los Angeles. Department of Physics

Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; and Chair, Department of Physics.

University of California, Los Angeles. Institute for Plasma and Fusion Research

Member and Associate Director.

University of California, Los Angeles. Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics.

Member.

University of California, San Diego

Vice Chancellor of Marine Sciences.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Physical Society

Received 1997 James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics.

California Climate Action Registry

Board Member.

Harvard University. Department of Physics

Obtained AB (1959).

International Centre for Theoretical Physics

Visiting Scientist and National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellow.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member and Member, Space Science Board.

Pew Oceans Commission

Member.

Princeton University. Department of Astrophysical Sciences

Obtained PhD in Astrophysical Science (1964).

San Diego Natural History Museum

Member, Board of Trustees.

United States. Air Force. Office of Scientific Research

Member, Physics Research Evaluation Group.

University of California, Santa Barbara. Institute for Theoretical Physics

Member, Advisory Board.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Charles F. Kennel papers, 1970-2006.

Mandeville Special Collections Library

University of California, San Diego

9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA

Responses to History of Geophysics Survey, 1997.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Scripps Institution of Oceanography Communications Office records, 1927-2010.

Mandeville Special Collections Library

University of California, San Diego

9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Office of the Director, Charles F. Kennel records, 1963-2006 (bulk 1987-2006).

Mandeville Special Collections Library

University of California, San Diego

9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA

Subject

Oral history interview with Leon Knopoff, 1990 April 27.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Stephen P. Maran, 2005 August 5.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

Matter in motion : the spirit and evolution of physics / Ernest S. Abers, Charles F. Kennel.