Irving Kaplan (chemist)
Encyclopedia
Irving Kaplan was a chemist
and a Massachusetts Institute of Technology
professor, who was among the founders of the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the institution. Before coming to MIT, he was a researcher in chemistry
at the Michael Reese Hospital
in Chicago
from 1937 to 1941. He participated in the Manhattan Project
to do research on isotope separation. Kaplan was also a lead founding member of the Federation of American Scientists
, and worked with other scientists to promote civilian control of the atomic energy. This eventually led the way to the creation of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
in 1947. From 1946 to 1957, he worked as a senior physicist at the Brookhaven National Laboratory
on Long Island
, and wrote a textbook titled Nuclear Physics
. Kaplan visited MIT in 1957, and became a professor in 1958 to participate in the new department. He participated in various projects such as the research on lattices of partially enriched uranium
rods in heavy water, and development of graduate and undergraduate courses such as the history of science and classical Greek. Professor Kaplan had a wife, two sons and one daughter, and four grandchildren. He died at the Massachusetts General Hospital
on April 10 after a heart surgery.
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
and a Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
professor, who was among the founders of the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the institution. Before coming to MIT, he was a researcher in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at the Michael Reese Hospital
Michael Reese Hospital
Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center was an American hospital founded in 1881. In its heyday, it was a major research and teaching hospital and one of the oldest and largest hospitals in Chicago, Illinois. It was located on the near south side of Chicago, next to Lake Shore Drive Michael...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
from 1937 to 1941. He participated in the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
to do research on isotope separation. Kaplan was also a lead founding member of the Federation of American Scientists
Federation of American Scientists
The Federation of American Scientists is a nonpartisan, 501 organization intent on using science and scientific analysis to attempt make the world more secure. FAS was founded in 1945 by scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project to develop the first atomic bombs...
, and worked with other scientists to promote civilian control of the atomic energy. This eventually led the way to the creation of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
United States Atomic Energy Commission
The United States Atomic Energy Commission was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by Congress to foster and control the peace time development of atomic science and technology. President Harry S...
in 1947. From 1946 to 1957, he worked as a senior physicist at the Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory , is a United States national laboratory located in Upton, New York on Long Island, and was formally established in 1947 at the site of Camp Upton, a former U.S. Army base...
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, and wrote a textbook titled Nuclear Physics
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
. Kaplan visited MIT in 1957, and became a professor in 1958 to participate in the new department. He participated in various projects such as the research on lattices of partially enriched uranium
Enriched uranium
Enriched uranium is a kind of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 has been increased through the process of isotope separation. Natural uranium is 99.284% 238U isotope, with 235U only constituting about 0.711% of its weight...
rods in heavy water, and development of graduate and undergraduate courses such as the history of science and classical Greek. Professor Kaplan had a wife, two sons and one daughter, and four grandchildren. He died at the Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
on April 10 after a heart surgery.
Further reading
- http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/1997/kaplan.html