Untitled Document

AWARDS

KLAUS G. KERRIS RECEIVES
2003 RADIATION EFFECTS AWARD

The 2003 Radiation Effects Award was presented to Klaus G. Karris, U.S. Army Research Laboratory (retired), during the opening ceremonies of the 40th Annual Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference (NSREC) in Monterey. Dale Platteter, past-chairman of the IEEE Radiation Effects Steering Group (RESG), made the presentation.

The purpose of the award is to recognize individuals who have had a sustained history of outstanding and innovative technical and/or leadership contributions to the radiation effects community.

Klaus Kerris received this year’s award with a citation "for contributions to the dissemination and advancement of radiation effects research by his leadership in all aspects of the IEEE Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference and the Radiation Effects Steering Group."

Klaus was educated at UCLA with a BA in physics (1957) and MA in physics (1959). He worked 10 years for Hughes Aircraft, but somehow made it to the east coast to put in another 31.5 years for the US Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, MD.

He first published in the Transactions on Nuclear Science in 1969, back when we were holding the NSREC conference at universities.

Klaus Kerris was Short Course presenter at two NSRECs. We all remember when the projectionist dropped his slide canister in 1996 at our Short Course in Providence, RI. Klaus’ 35mm slides were sticking in the projector, so the projectionist held up the carousel to see what was wrong. This was huge a mistake, as the locking ring on the carousel was not in place. A colleague tried to reassemble the Klaus’ slides (in real time), while Klaus restructured his lecture in real time! At the NSREC short course in New Orleans (1992), our weak laser pointer could not be seen from the back of the room. Klaus became the first short course instructor to use a 10-foot long fishing pole as a pointer, immediately solving this problem.

Klaus was NSREC session chair in 1987 and local arrangements chair in 1989 at Marco Island.

He spent 3 years as Member-at-Large on the Radiation Effects Steering Group (RESG), 3 years as secretary for the RESG, and nine more years as Executive Vice-Chairman, Chairman, and Past-Chairman of this group. That’s 15 years on the steering group.

Klaus and his wife Paula currently live in Silver Spring, MD. He has been retired for 2 years (really retired), however Paula and Klaus still share their "family vacation" with the NSREC conference each year. Why would they do that? Well, they have made many friends at the NSREC, just like all of us have.

Klaus Kerris can be reached at 2701 Shanandale Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20904; Phone: +1 301 572-7535; E-mail: kerris@erols.com.

About the Radiation Effects Award
The prestigious Radiation Effects Award is presented by NPSS on a yearly basis in recognition of a "sustained history" of contributions to the radiation effects community. It includes a plaque and a cash award of $2000. The nomination process is open to any member of the IEEE/NPSS Radiation Effects Committee (REC). A nomination form is available at www.nsrec.com/nominate.htm

This article was prepared by Dale Platteter, the past chair of the RESG. He can be reached at NAVSEA Crane, Code 605, Building 3334, Crane, IN 47522; Phone: +1 812 854-1206; Fax: +1 812 854-1751; E-mail: platt@ieee.org

Klaus G. Kerris

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