Category: History

MTU Endowed Scholarships/Awards with a Physics Connection

Scholarships/Awards Named for Former Faculty

Potnis Endowed Fellowship
Kusum Potnis established the Vasant R. Potnis Endowed Fellowship fund in memory of her late husband and physics professor emeritus. Dr. Potnis was a faculty member from 1968 until his retirement in 1996; he passed away in 2012. The Fellowship will provide financial support for graduate students pursuing a Master’s or PhD in physics.

Lloyal O. Bacon Endowed Award
Bacon was a Physics Department Faculty member, specializing in Geophysics, from 1950 to 1974 when the geophysics major was moved to the Geology department. He earned the Distinguished Research Award in 1960.

Physics Department BS Degrees

Abbreviations
PH = Physics
EP = Engineering Physics
AP = Applied Physics
AG = Applied Geophysics
GE = Geophysical Engineering
( ) = other last name

During 1974 the Geophysics program moved to the Geology Dept.

Hubbell Hall was completed in 1890 and housed the entire Michigan Mining School for several years. It was located at the intersection of Hubbell St. and College Ave, where the R. L. Smith (MEEM) building now stands. Hubbell Hall was the home for Physics and Math from the time it was built until 1964, when those departments moved to Fisher Hall. Hubbell Hall was demolished in 1968 having been condemned by the fire marshall as unsuitable for human occupation (even by Physicists).

Hubbell Hall just before its demolition
photo by MTU alum Ted Ellis, reproduced with permission.

Jerry Hall Service

b. 12 June 1888, New Carlisle, IN
d. 3 Sept 1980, Eugene, OR

BS in EE, Rose Polytechnic, 1912
MS, Ohio State University, 1917
(Thesis Title: Effect of Introduction of an Obstacle into a Spark Gap)
PhD, Ohio State University, 1928
(Thesis Title: The Transmission of Sound through Sea Water)

Engineering Apprentice, GE Co., 1912
Teacher, Morgan Park Academy. MN, 1913-1915
Asst. in Physics, Ohio State, 1915-1917
US Army School of Aeronautics, Ohio, 1917-1918
Dean, Trade and Eng. Schools, Youngstown Inst. Tech, 1920-1923
Engineer and Physicist, US Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1923-1928
Prof. Physics and Math, Henderson State Teachers Coll., AR, 1928-1932
Asst. Prof. Math and Physics, MCMT, 1932-1938
Assoc. Prof. Math and Physics, MCMT, 1938-1946
(On leave 1940-1946 during WW II, USN)
Prof. Physics, MCMT, 1947-1952

William Atlas Longacre

b. 3 August 1906, Carthage, TN
d. 23 Jan 1992, MI

B.S. and E.Met. MCMT, 1929
M.A. MCMT, 1941

Geophysics Research Asst., MCMT, 1929-1937
Instructor of Math and Physics, MCMT, 1929-1937
Asst. Prof Math and Physics, MCMT, 1937-1944
Assoc. Prof. Math and Physics, MCMT, 1944-1948
Prof. Physics, MCMT/MTU, 1948-1971
Director of Geophysics, MTU, 1963-1971

A. Barry Kunz

b. 2 Oct 1940, Philadelphia, PA
d. 29 Jan 2001, Marquette, MI

B.S. Physics, Muhlenberg College, 1962.
M.S. Physics, Lehigh University, 1964.
Ph.D. Physics, Lehigh University, 1966.

Instructor and Research Assoc., Lehigh U., 1966-1969
Research Asst. Prof, U of Illinois, 1969-1971
Research Analyst, USAF Aerospace Res. Lab, 1971-1974
Assistant Prof., U of Illinois, 1971-1973
Consultant, Photo Products, E.J. Dupont, 1974-1979
Assoc. Prof., U of Illinois, 1973-1976
Professor, U of Illinois, 1976-1984
Adj. Prof., Michigan Tech Univ., 1982-1984
Presidential Prof., Physics, MTU, 1984-1990
Presidential Prof., Elec. Eng., MTU, 1990-2001
Dean of Engineering, MTU, 1990-1991

James Fisher Jr.

b. 29 March 1873, Hancock, MI
d. 16 July 1962, Houghton, MI

E.M., Mich Mining School, 1893
Hon. D.E., Mich College Mines & Tech., 1934

Draftsman, Mich Mining School, 1893-1894
Hodge Iron Works, 1894-1895
Instr. Math and Physics, Mich. College Mines, 1895-1899
Asst. Prof. Math and Physics, MCM, 1900-1902
Prof. & Dept Head, Math and Physics, MCM/MCMT, 1903-1944
Director of Adult Education, MCMT, 1945
Dean of Faculty, MCMT, 1936-1946

Rolland Otis Keeling, Jr.

b. 13 August 1925, Hillsboro, IN
d. 13 October 2000, Houghton, MI

A.B. Wabash College, 1950
M.S. Penn State, 1952
Ph.D. Penn State, 1954

Research Physicist, Gulf Research and Development, Pittsburgh 1954-1960
Assoc. Prof. Physics, MCMT 1961-1963
Prof. Physics, MCMT/MTU, 1963-1985

Physics Department Head 1978-1985
Member Grace United Church, American Legion
Sigma Pi Sigma, Phi Beta Kappa
Served in Army 1943-1946
Bowled, with wife Esther, in MTU Faculty/Staff Bowling League

Elmer Daniel Grant

b. 25 Feb 1873, Delhi, NY
d. 5 Sept 1935, Richmond, IN

AB, Colgate University, 1895
AM, U of Chicago, 1897
(Thesis Title: Determination of the apparent size of a given ellipsoid as seen from a given exterior point, advisor: Bolza)
PhD, U of Chicago, 1916
(Thesis Title: The Motion of a Flexible Cable in a Vertical Plane, advisor: Moulton)

Inst. Mathematics, Lewis Institute (now part of IIT), 1896-1899
Inst. Math and Physics, Mich. College of Mines, 1900-1904
Asst. Prof. Math and Physics, Mich. College of Mines, 1904-1915
Assoc. Prof. Math and Physics, Mich. College of Mines, 1915-1920
Prof. and Dept. Head Math, Earlham College, 1920-1935
Registrar 1925-1930, Acting Dean 1933-1935, Earlham College

D. O. Wyble

b. 26 November 1916, Jackson, MI
d. 3 June 1989, St Paul, MN

A.B. MI State Normal (Eastern Michigan Univ.), 1938
B.S. Mining engineering, MCMT, 1942
M.S. MCMT, 1950
Ph.D. (Geophysics) Pennsylvania State Univ., 1958