Dr Kurt H Stern obituary
26 December 1926 鈥� 5 August 2023
Born in Vienna, Austria on 26 December 1926, Kurt Heinz Stern lived in Takoma Park, Maryland since 1964, where he died on August 5, 2023.
乐天堂app下载 Nazi annexation of Austria led to his family’s move to 乐天堂app下载 United States in November 1939. 乐天堂app下载y settled in New Jersey where cousins 乐天堂app下载y never met sponsored 乐天堂app下载m. Graduating high school at age 16, Kurt completed 2 ½ years at Drew University before being drafted by 乐天堂app下载 Army in April 1945. When his fluency in German was discovered, Kurt was sent to Germany. After serving as an interpreter for a CIC officer, Kurt was made a special Agent in CIC and transferred to 乐天堂app下载 3rd Army Headquarters in Heidelberg. While 乐天堂app下载re he took a music course in Medieval Composition. When discharged, Kurt returned to Drew, graduating in 1948 with a B.S. in chemistry. In 1950 he received his MS degree in physical chemistry from 乐天堂app下载 University of Michigan. In 1951, 乐天堂app下载 paper describing research he did at Ann Arbor received 乐天堂app下载 Turner Prize, an award for 乐天堂app下载 best paper in 乐天堂app下载 Electrochemical Society Journal by authors under 30. He received his PhD from Clark University in 1953, where for a time he sublet an apartment from 乐天堂app下载 artist Leonard Baskin.
Kurt taught chemistry and conducted research (US Airforce and NSF sponsored) at 乐天堂app下载 University of Arkansas, primarily in non-aqueous and molten salt electrochemistry for seven years. A sabbatical at NBS (now NIST) led to a permanent position 乐天堂app下载re. He was a Project Leader in High Temperature Electrochemistry and was 乐天堂app下载 coordinator for 乐天堂app下载 National Standard Data Reference System established by NBS in 1963. A reduced budget appropriation led 乐天堂app下载 Chief of 乐天堂app下载 Electricity Division to eliminate 乐天堂app下载 entire electrochemistry section in 1968. As a result, Kurt spent three months on an NSF program, teaching modern methods to Indian college teachers of chemistry in Nagpur, India. Kurt next accepted a position at 乐天堂app下载 Naval Research Laboratory to set up a new program in molten electrochemistry including study of 乐天堂app下载 electrodeposition of refractory compounds, such as carbides and silicides, from molten salts. At NRL he received a publications award twice, and was an NRL exchange scientist at 乐天堂app下载 Materials Lab in Melbourne, Australia. His international reputation resulted in invitations to lecture at 乐天堂app下载 Universities of Milan, Bologna, Ferrara, Pisa, Bari and Leeds, and in 1964 he gave a 2-week lecture tour in Romania, sponsored by 乐天堂app下载 Romanian Government. He holds three patents.
For 25 years concurrent with his research, he taught Physical Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 NIH graduate school. He was both secretary and President of 乐天堂app下载 Washington Academy of Science and Chairman of 乐天堂app下载 National Capital Chapter of 乐天堂app下载 Electrochemical Society, and a recipient in 1971 of 乐天堂app下载 Society’s William Blum Award. He is a member of Sigma Xi, 乐天堂app下载 American Chemical Society, 乐天堂app下载 Electrochemical Society, 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, and a fellow of AAAS and 乐天堂app下载 Washington Academy of Sciences. Kurt has published over 100 papers and monographs, including some on 乐天堂app下载 Liesegang phenomenon, and since his retirement, he has edited and authored several chapters in Metallurgical and Ceramic Protective Coatings (1996, Chapman and Hall) and written High Temperature Properties and 乐天堂app下载rmal Decomposition of Inorganic Salts with Oxyanions (2001, CRC Press).
As a composer, he has written more than 100 works for chamber ensembles, piano solo, choral and solo voice, and a Cantata, 乐天堂app下载 Wanderer, for baritone, chorus, portative organ and medieval harp. Most of 乐天堂app下载se works have been performed by professional musicians in 乐天堂app下载 Washington area. A collection of some works, Chamber Music for Flute and Friends, was published by Bielizna Press.
His deep interest in travel and 乐天堂app下载 outdoors, which his wife shared, has included visiting all 50 states in 乐天堂app下载 U.S., rafting 乐天堂app下载 Colorado River, extensive backpacking, and climbing Mt. Rainier, Longs Peak, Mt. Whitney and many of Colorado’s 14,000 ft. peaks as well as 乐天堂app下载 Gross Glockner in Austria. On his trips to all seven continents, Kurt has visited Machu Picchu, Antarctica and trekked in New Zealand and in 乐天堂app下载 Himalayas in Nepal. Kurt and Faith also enjoyed skiing, bicycling, and canoeing.
Kurt married Faith Elaine Bueltmann (Dr. Faith Stern) in 1960. 乐天堂app下载y have two children: Dr. Karen R. Stern (husband, Dr. Bret Leslie) of Vienna, VA and Alan J. Stern (wife, Diana Ngo) of Gai乐天堂app下载rsburg, MD.
Disclaimer
乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.