Alan Tower Waterman

Infobox Scientist
name=Alan Tower Waterman


caption=
birth_date = birth date|1892|6|4|df=y
birth_place = Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York
death_date=1967
death_place=
nationality=US
field=Physics
alma_mater=Princeton
work_institution = U. of Cincinnati
Yale
Office of Scientific Research and Development
Office of Naval Research
NSF
prizes=Presidential Medal of Freedom

.

Born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, he grew up in Northampton, Massachusetts. His father was a professor of physics at Smith College. Alan also became a physicist, doing his undergraduate and doctoral work at Princeton University, from which he obtained his Ph.D. in 1916.

He joined the faculty of the University of Cincinnati, and married Mary Mallon (sister of H. Neil Mallon) there in August 1917. He later became a professor at Yale University, and moved to North Haven, Connecticut in 1929. During World War II, he took leave of absence from Yale to become director of field operations for the Office of Scientific Research and Development, and the family moved to Cambridge, MA. He continued his government work and became deputy chief of the Office of Naval Research. In 1950, he was appointed as first director of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). He served as director until 1963, when he retired and was subsequently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He died in 1967.

Alan and Mary had six children: Alan Jr., an atmospheric physicist, Neil, Barbara, Anne, Guy, the well-known climber, and Mary.

Besides his scientific talents, he was an accomplished musician and an avid outdoorsman, and eventually became a licensed Maine Guide.

Waterman crater on the Moon is named for him, as is Mount Waterman in the Hughes Range of Antarctica.

External links

* [http://www.medaloffreedom.com/AlanWaterman.htm Alan T. Waterman Award] (includes a biography of Waterman)

ources

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Persondata
NAME= Waterman, Alan Tower
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=American physicist
DATE OF BIRTH= 4 June 1892
PLACE OF BIRTH= Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York
DATE OF DEATH=1967
PLACE OF DEATH=