Sidney McCuskey

February 28, 1907 (age 72)

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

In 1925 Sidney became an amateur radio hobbyist. He matriculated to the Case School of Applied Science where in 1929 he was awarded a Bachelor of Surgery in Civil Engineering. After a stint at surveying, he was influenced by Jason John Nassau to study astronomy at Harvard University. There his graduate adviser was the Dutch-American astronomer Baronet Bok. Following his service during the Second World War, he became the Levi Kerr professor of mathematics and astronomy, and chair of the department of mathematics at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). During this period he served as an assistant to Jason John Nassau at the Warner and Swasey Observatory. Following Nassau"s retirement in 1959, Doctor McCuskey was named director of the observatory and chairman of the department of astronomy for the university. He became the first to occupy the Warner Chair of Astronomy at CWRU, and would hold that position until he retired as professor emeritus in 1975. He is noted for his contributions to knowledge of the Milky Way galaxy and he wrote several books on mathematics and astronomy during his career. The minor planet 2007 McCuskey is named after him.

Sidney McCuskey

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Astronomer mathematician

Background

He was born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio on February 28, 1907, the son of Charles McCuskey and Lottie (née Wilcox).

Education

The following year he received his Master of Surgery in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Receiving his astronomy Doctor of Philosophy in 1936 with a thesis titled The Determination of Radial Velocities with the Objective Prism, Doctor McCuskey accepted a job with the department of mathematics at his alma mater, the Case Institute of Technology.

Career

In 1925 Sidney became an amateur radio hobbyist. He matriculated to the Case School of Applied Science where in 1929 he was awarded a Bachelor of Surgery in Civil Engineering. After a stint at surveying, he was influenced by Jason John Nassau to study astronomy at Harvard University.

There his graduate adviser was the Dutch-American astronomer Baronet Bok.

Following his service during the Second World War, he became the Levi Kerr professor of mathematics and astronomy, and chair of the department of mathematics at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). During this period he served as an assistant to Jason John Nassau at the Warner and Swasey Observatory.

Following Nassau"s retirement in 1959, Doctor McCuskey was named director of the observatory and chairman of the department of astronomy for the university. He became the first to occupy the Warner Chair of Astronomy at CWRU, and would hold that position until he retired as professor emeritus in 1975.

He is noted for his contributions to knowledge of the Milky Way galaxy and he wrote several books on mathematics and astronomy during his career.

The minor planet 2007 McCuskey is named after him.

Membership

Doctor McCuskey was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Astronomical Society (Associate of Applied Science). During 1955–1958 he was a councilor for the Associate of Applied Science and in 1966–1968 he served as vice-president He was an active member of the International Astronomical Union, serving as vice-president of commission 33 during 1967–1970 and president of the same in 1970–1973.

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Sidney McCuskey

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