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Table of Contents

Biography

AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjects

Relationships

PeopleInstitutions

Resources

Archival as Author

Roland W. Schmitt

Photo

Dates

July 24, 1923 – present

Authorized Form of Name

Schmitt, Roland W.

Biography

Abstract

Roland Schmitt is President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute (1993-present). Other institutional affiliations include General Electric Company (GE). His research interests are in solid state physics.

Important Dates

July 24, 1923Birth, Seguin (Tex.).

1947Obtained BA in Mathematics and BS in Physics, University of Texas, Austin, Austin (Tex.).

1948Obtained MA in Physics, University of Texas, Austin, Austin (Tex.).

1951Obtained PhD in Physics, Rice Institute, Houston (Tex.).

1951 – 1988Research Associate in Physics, GE Research Laboratory (1951-1957); Manager, Materials Studies Section, GE Research Laboratory (1957-1965); Manager, Metallurgy and Ceramics Laboratory (1966-1967); Research and Development Manager, Physical Science and Engineering (1967-1974); Research and Development Manager, Energy Science and Engineering (1974-1978); Vice President and Director, Research and Development Center (1978-1986); and Senior Vice President, Research and Development (1986-1988), General Electric Company (GE), Schenectady (N.Y.).

1978 – 1988Member, Board of Directors, Industrial Research Institute.

1982 – 1994Member (1982-1994) and Chair (1984-1988), National Science Board.

1983 – 1989Member, Council, National Academy of Engineering.

1987 – 1989Member, Board of Directors, Council on Superconductivity for American Competitiveness.

1987 – 1997Member, Board of Directors, General Signal Corporation.

1988 – presentPresident (1988-1993) and President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus (1993-present), Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, Troy (N.Y.).

1993Awarded George E. Pake Prize, American Physical Society.

1993 – 1998Chair, Science Advisory Board Associates, Motorola Corporation.

1993 – 1998Chair, Governing Board, American Institute of Physics.

1993 – 1998Member, Advisory Board, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Occupation

Solid state physicist.

Places

Birth

Seguin (Tex.)

Undergraduate Education

Austin (Tex.)

Graduate Education

Austin (Tex.)

Houston (Tex.)

Employment

Schenectady (N.Y.)

Troy (N.Y.)

Subjects

Physics -- Industrial applications.

Solid state physics.

Relationships

People

Family

Calhoun, Alice V., 1930-

First Wife. Married 1951 to 1956.

Kunz, Clair F., 1928-

Second Wife. Married in 1957.

Schmitt, Alice, 1958-

Daughter.

Schmitt, Brian, 1954-

Son.

Schmitt, Henry, 1961-

Son.

Schmitt, Lorenz, 1952-

Son.

Schmitt, Myrtle F. Caldwell

Mother.

Schmitt, Walter L.

Father.

Colleagues

Bean, Charles P., 1923-1996

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Cahn, John W., 1928-

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Coolidge, William David, 1873-1975

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Duke, Charles B.

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Edelheit, Lewis

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Ehrlich, Gert

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Giaever, Ivar

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Hull, Albert Wallace, 1880-1966

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Mahan, Gerald D.

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Price, Paul Buford

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Suits, C. Guy (Chauncey Guy), 1905-1991

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Watkins, George D.

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Webb, M. B. (Maurice Barnett), 1926-

Both employed at General Electric Company.

Institutions

Major Positions

General Electric Company. Research and Development Center

Manager, Metallurgy and Ceramics Laboratory; Research and Development Manager, Physical Science and Engineering; Research and Development Manager, Energy Science and Engineering; Vice President and Director, Research and Development Center; and Senior Vice President, Research and Development.

General Electric Company. Research Laboratory

Research Associate in Physics and Manager, Materials Studies Section.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

President, and President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Institute of Physics

Chairman, Governing Board.

American Physical Society

Received 1993 George E. Pake Prize.

Industrial Research Institute (Washington, D.C.)

Member, Board of Directors.

Motorola, Inc.

Chair, Science Advisory Board Associates.

National Academy of Engineering

Member, Council.

National Science Board (U.S.)

Member and Chair.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Member, Advisory Board.

Rice University. Physics and Astronomy Department

Obtained PhD (1951).

University of Texas at Austin. Department of Mathematics

Obtained BA (1947).

University of Texas at Austin. Department of Physics

Obtained BS (1947) and MA (1948).

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

A discovery and its uses : The story of particle tracks in solids, 1975.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Research at General Electric, 1979.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA