Background
Kerst, Donald William was born on November 1, 1911 in Galena, Illinois, United States. Son of Herman Samuel and Lilian (Wetz) Kerst.
Kerst, Donald William was born on November 1, 1911 in Galena, Illinois, United States. Son of Herman Samuel and Lilian (Wetz) Kerst.
Bachelor, University Wisconsin, 1934. Doctor of Philosophy, University Wisconsin, 1937. Doctor of Science (honorary), University Wisconsin, 1961.
Doctor of Science (honorary), Lawrence College, 1942. Doctor honoris causa, University São Paulo, Brazil, 1953. Doctor of Science, University Illinois, 1987.
Instructor physics, University of Illinois, 1938-1940; assistant professor, University of Illinois, 1940-1942; associate professor, University of Illinois, 1942-1943; professor, University of Illinois, 1943; war work, Los Alamos, 1943-1945; technical director, Midwestern Universities Research Association, 1953-1957; with, John Jay Hopkins Laboratory for Pure and Applied Science, General Atomic division General dynamics corporation, 1957-1962; Engineer of Mines Terry professor physics, University of Wisconsin, 1962-1980; professor emeritus, University of Wisconsin, 1980-1993.
Member American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Academy Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Sciences, American Physical Society (chairman plasma physics division 1972, Maxwell prize for plasma physics, 1984, R.R. Wilson prize for particle accelerator development 1987), Institute Navigation.
Married Dorothy Birkett, August 1940. Children: Marilyn Elizabeth Kerst-Sipe, Stephen Marshall.