Background
Hirschfelder, Joseph Oakland was born on May 27, 1911 in Baltimore. Son of Arthur Douglas and May Rosalie (Straus) Hirschfelder.
Hirschfelder, Joseph Oakland was born on May 27, 1911 in Baltimore. Son of Arthur Douglas and May Rosalie (Straus) Hirschfelder.
Bachelor of Science, Yale University, 1931. Doctor of Philosophy, Princeton University, 1936. Doctor of Science (honorary), Marquette University, 1977.
Doctor of Science (honorary), University Southern California, 1980.
Fellow, Institute Advanced Study, 1936;
assistant, Princeton University, 1936-1937;
research fellow, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1937-1939;
instructor physics and chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1940;
assistant professor of chemistry and physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1941-1942;
professor of chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1946-1962;
Homer Adkins professor, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1962-1981;
Homer Adkins professor emeritus, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1981;
director theoretical chemistry laboratory, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1946-1962;
director Theoretical Chemistry Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1962-1981. Head interior ballistics groups, geophysical laboratory and consultant rockets National.Def. Research Committee, 1942-1943.
Chief phenomenologist Bikini Bomb Test,1946. Group leader Los Alamos Science Laboratory, 1943-1946. Head theoretical physics Naval Ordnance Test Station, China Lake, California, 1945-1946.
Chairman division physical chemistry National Research Council, 1958-1961. Member computer panel National Science Foundation, 1952-1965. Member policy advisory board Argonne National Laboratory, 1962-1966.
Adjunct professor chemistry and physics University of California-Santa Barbara, from 1971.
Honorary fellow Norwegian Royal Society, British Royal Society Chemistry, fellow American Physical Society. Member American Chemical Society (Debyue award 1966), American Academy Arts and Science, International Combustion Institute (Edgerton Gold medal 1966), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (honorary, life), International Academy Quantum Molecular Science, National Academy of Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Married Elizabeth Stafford Sokolnikoff, March 7, 1953.