Physics History Network
Over 1000 biographies of physicists and histories of institutions with information pertaining to their lives, careers, and research.
Tip: Search within this page by using Ctrl + F or ⌘ + F
Search Our Catalogs
Archives BooksCollections
Emilio Segré Visual Archives Digital Collections Oral Histories Archival Finding Aids Physics History Network Member Society Portals Ethical Cataloging StatementPreservation and Support
Donating Materials Suggest a Book Purchase Saving Archival Collections Grants to Archives Documentation Projects History NewslettersCenter for History of Physics
Scholarship & OutreachMain Navigation
HomeAboutTopic GuidesFeedbackTable of Contents
Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectDonald William Kerst
Dates
November 1, 1911 – August 19, 1993
Authorized Form of Name
Kerst, Donald William, 1911-1993
Additional Forms of Names
Kerst, Donald W.
Kerst, Donald W. (Donald William), 1911-1993
Biography
Abstract
Donald William Kerst was Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison (1962-1993). Other institutional affiliations included General Atomics and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. His research interests included particle accelerators and betatrons.
Important Dates
November 1, 1911Birth, Galena (Ill.).
1934Obtained BA, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison (Wis.).
1937Obtained PhD in Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison (Wis.).
1937 – 1938X-ray tube developer, General Electric X-Ray Corporation.
1938 – 1957Instructor to Professor of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana (Ill.).
1940 – 1941Physicist, Research Laboratory, General Electric Company.
1943 – 1945Physicist and Group Leader, Manhattan Project, Los Alamos Laboratory.
1951Member, National Academy of Sciences.
1953 – 1957Technical Director, Midwestern University Research Association.
1957 – 1962Researcher, John Jay Hopkins Laboratory for Pure and Applied Science, General Atomics, San Diego (Calif.).
1962 – 1993E. M. Terry Professor of Physics (1962-1980) and Emeritus Professor of Physics (1980-1993), University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison (Wis.).
1984Awarded James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics, American Physical Society.
1988Awarded Robert R. Wilson Prize for Achievement in the Physics of Particle Accelerators, American Physical Society.
August 19, 1993Death, Madison (Wis.).
Occupation
Plasma physicist.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Family
Kerst, Dorothy Birkett
Wife.
Kerst, Herman S.
Brother.
Kerst, Kenneth A.
Brother.
Kerst, Marilyn E.
Daughter.
Kerst, Richard N.
Brother.
Kerst, Stephen M.
Son.
Advisors & Collaborators
Collaborated on early development of the betatron. Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Colleagues
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Bacher, Robert F. (Robert Fox), 1905-2004
Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Barschall, H. H. (Henry Herman), 1915-1997
Both employed at University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Cooper, Leon N. (Leon Neil), 1930-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at General Atomics.
Drell, Sidney D. (Sidney David), 1926-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at General Atomics.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Froman, Darol K. (Darol Kenneth), 1906-1997
Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Hahn, E. L. (Erwin Louis), 1921-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Haworth, Leland J. (Leland John), 1904-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Herb, R. G. (Raymond George), 1908-1996
Both employed at University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Both employed at University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Jackson, John David, 1925-2016
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Both employed at University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Loomis, F. W. (Francis Wheeler), 1889-1976
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Low, Francis E. (Francis Eugene), 1921-2007
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Manley, John Henry, 1907-
Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967
Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.
Overhauser, Albert Warner, 1925-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at General Atomics.
Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.
Both employed at General Atomics.
Both employed at University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Staub, Hans H.
Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.
Tape, Gerald Frederick, 1915-2005
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Webb, M. B. (Maurice Barnett), 1926-
Both employed at University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Williams, John H. (John Harry), 1908-
Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.
Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.
Additional
Blewett, John P. (John Paul), 1910-
Conant, James Bryant, 1893-1978
Coolidge, William David, 1873-1975
Jewett, Frank B. (Frank Baldwin), 1879-1949
Koch, Herman William, 1920-
Ohkawa, Tihiro
Van de Graaf, Robert Jemison, 1901-1967
Institutions
Major Positions
GA (Series) (San Diego, Calif.)
Researcher, John Jay Hopkins Laboratory for Pure and Applied Science.
General Electric Company. Research Laboratory
Physicist.
General Electric X-Ray Corporation
X-ray tube developer.
Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory
Leader, Water Boiler Group, Manhattan Project.
Manhattan Project (U.S.)
Leader, Water Boiler Group, Los Alamos Laboratory.
Midwestern Universities Research Association
Technical Director.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Department of Physics
Instructor to Professor of Physics.
University of Wisconsin--Madison. Department of Physics
Obtained BA (1934) and PhD in Physics (1937). E. M. Terry Professor of Physics and Emeritus Professor of Physics.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
Received 1984 James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics and 1988 Robert R. Wilson Prize for Achievement in the Physics of Particle Accelerators.
National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
Member.
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
AAPM interviews with physicists in medicine [videorecordings], 1990-2014.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Donald W. Kerst papers, 1937-1959.
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Donald W. Kerst papers, 1945-1981.
University Archives
University of Wisconsin -- Madison
Steenbock Library, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Letter to William J. Hamm concerning donation of betatron to the Smithsonian Institution, 1985.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Symposium in honor of D. W. Kerst [sound recording] : high energy radiation therapy: past, present and future / Sponsored by the University of Wisconsin, North Central Chapter of AAPM, and the Midwest Chapter of AAPM; 1978 June 2.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Physics Department subject file, 1925-2006.
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Physics Research Laboratory betatron files, 1941-1990.
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Subject
F. W. Loomis papers, 1920-1976.
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
John P. Blewett papers, 1821-2000 (bulk 1940-1995).
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Edward Creutz, 2006 January 9 and 10.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Herman William Koch, 1986 September 16 to 11 October 1987.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with John P. Blewett, 1979 March 22 and May 11.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Philip Morrison, 1967 February 7.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Thomas Lauritsen, 1967 February 16.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Tihiro Ohkawa, 2006 May 23.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Their Family Story: Bill and Becky Koch, July 2002.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Published Resources
Author
Subject
"Donald William Kerst: 1911-1993", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences