Martin D. Kruskal

Biography

Abstract

Martin David Kruskal was David Hilbert Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers University (1989-2006). Other institutional affiliations included Princeton University. His research interests included solitons and plasma physics.

Important Dates

September 28, 1925Birth, New York (N.Y.).

1945Obtained BS, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1948Obtained MS, New York University, New York (N.Y.).

1951 – 2006Research Scientist, Project Matterhorn (1951-1959); Associate Head, Theoretical Division (1956-1964); Senior Research Associate and Lecturer in Astronomy (1959-1961); Professor of Astrophysical Science (1961-1989), Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory; Director (1968-1986); Professor of Mathematics (1979-1989); Emeritus Professor of Mathematics (1989-2006), Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics, Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).

1952Obtained PhD in Mathematics, New York University, New York (N.Y.).

1953 – 1959Consultant, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory.

1959 – 1960National Science Foundation (NSF) Senior Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Physics and Astrophysics.

1973 – 1974Visiting Professor, Weizmann Institute of Science.

1979 – 1980Fellow, Nagoya University (Nagoya Daigaku).

1980Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1981 – 1984Member, Advisory Board, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara.

1983Awarded Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics, American Physical Society.

1989 – 2006David Hilbert Professor of Mathematics, Rutgers University, New Brunswick (N.J.).

1993Awarded National Medal of Science.

December 26, 2006Death, Princeton (N.J.).

Occupation

Mathematical physicist.

Places

Birth

New York (N.Y.)

Undergraduate Education

Chicago (Ill.)

Graduate Education

New York (N.Y.)

Employment

Princeton (N.J.)

New Brunswick (N.J.)

Death

Princeton (N.J.)

Subjects

Applied mathematics.

Mathematical physics.

Plasma physics.

Relativity (Physics).

Solitons.

Relationships

People

Family

Kruskal, Clyde

Son.

Kruskal, Joseph B., 1928-

Brother.

Kruskal, Joseph, Sr.

Father.

Kruskal, Karen

Daughter.

Kruskal, Kerry

Daughter.

Kruskal, Laura Lashinsky

Wife. Married 1950.

Kruskal, William H., 1919-2005

Brother.

Oppenheimer, Lillian Vorhaus Kruskal

Mother.

Advisors & Collaborators

Bussard, Robert W.

Advised by Kruskal at Princeton University, "Energy principle for the stability of hydromagnetic plasmas in equilibrium motion."

Courant, Richard, 1888-1972

PhD advisor at New York University, "The bridge theorem for minimal surfaces."

Orszag, Steven A.

Advised by Kruskal at Princeton University, "Theory of turbulence."

Colleagues

Aizenman, Michael

Both employed at Princeton University.

Bernstein, Ira B.

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Chen, Francis F., 1929-

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Coppi, B.

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

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

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Fisch, N. J.

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Frieman, E. A.

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Furth, H. P.

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Greene, J. M. (John M.), 1928-

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Hulse, R. A.

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Kruer, William L.

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Kulsrud, R. M.

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Lebowitz, Joel Louis, 1930-

Both employed at Rutgers University.

Lieb, Elliott H.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Porkolab, Miklos

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Sinai, Yakov G.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Stix, Thomas Howard

Both employed at Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Additional

Witten, Louis

Institutions

Major Positions

Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

Consultant.

Princeton University. Department of Mathematics

Director, Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics; Professor of Mathematics, Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics; and Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics.

Princeton University. Plasma Physics Laboratory

Research Scientist; Associate Head, Theoretical Division; Senior Research Associate and Lecturer in Astronomy; and Professor of Astrophysical Science.

Rutgers University. Department of Mathematics

David Hilbert Professor of Mathematics.

Weizmann Institute of Science

Visiting Professor.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Physical Society

Received 1983 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics.

Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences

Obtained MS (1948) and PhD in Mathematics (1952).

Max-Planck-Institut fur Physik

National Science Foundation Senior Fellow.

Nagoya Daigaku

Fellow.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

University of California, Santa Barbara. Institute for Theoretical Physics

Member, Advisory Board.

University of Chicago. Department of Mathematics

Obtained BS (1945).

Resources

Archival Resources

Subject

Oral history interview with David Finkelstein, 2013 February 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Louis Witten, 2011 March 17.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Subject

Martin David Kruskal Physics Today obituary.

Martin Kruskal New York Times obituary.

Martin Kruskal Rutgers obituary.

Martin Kruskal Washington Post obituary.