Eugene M. Bernstein

Eugene (Gene) M. Bernstein, professor emeritus of physics at Western Michigan University and APS fellow recognized for his accelerator-based experimental work in nuclear and atomic physics, died peacefully on Feb 20, 2016 in San Diego, California at age 85.

Gene’s career began in the 1950s, during the golden age of nuclear physics. His studies of nuclear transitions induced via the electromagnetic force (as opposed to reactions involving the strong nuclear force favored by most other researchers at the time) helped reveal previously unseen low-energy nuclear states and clarified the structure of the nuclei he studied.

In later work, he brought his knowledge of accelerator-based research techniques to the study of the atomic physics phenomena occurring when energetic highly charged ions collide with atoms and molecules. He was subsequently involved in the first measurements of resonant transfer and excitation, the atomic analog of dielectronic recombination, which then and now is an important phenomenon when trying to harness nuclear fusion as a commercial energy source.

Gene was born in 1931 to Isidore and Ethel Bernstein nee Karsh in Baltimore, Maryland. His interest in science was sparked (perhaps literally) by investigations of the inner workings of radios in the Bernstein family furniture store.

A graduate of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Gene attended Duke University, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa (1952) and earned a BS (1953) in physics. He remained at Duke, receiving MS (1954) and PhD (1956) degrees, both in physics, for experimental investigations of nuclear structure. He continued nuclear physics research at the University of Wisconsin (UW), Madison, the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark, the University of Texas, and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

At UW in Madison Gene met his future wife Jean Lohr nee Stuesser and children John and Kathy. Gene and Jean married in Copenhagen in 1960. By 1963 the family had welcomed two more children, Bob and Lisa.

In 1968, he joined the faculty of Western Michigan University (WMU) in Kalamazoo, where he guided the development of a tandem Van de Graaff accelerator lab and research program. He acquired grant funding to support the lab and published numerous research papers. He was elected an APS Fellow in 1976.

Gene spent 24 years at WMU, becoming a full professor and serving nine years as Physics Department chair. He was a dedicated teacher at all levels, from undergraduate-level mechanics to graduate-student research. He advocated successfully for increased research support across the campus, promoting research for its own sake and its value to teaching: “You can’t train investigators unless you are doing investigating yourself.” (Kalamazoo Gazette, 10/13/81). He was particularly proud of his successful efforts to establish WMU’s Physics PhD program; graduates are pursuing scientific careers at universities and labs around the world (https://wmich.edu/physics/alumni ).

In 1981, Gene was awarded the WMU Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award honoring scholarly achievement recognized widely beyond WMU. Arts and Sciences Dean Bruce Clark noted, “Dr. Bernstein is that excellent combination of outstanding scholar, teacher and academic administrator that is most valuable to the university”.

Gene enjoyed collaborations during sabbaticals at the University of Arizona, Tucson, the Lawrence Berkeley Lab, and the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, Germany.

He retired in 1992 and moved with Jean to Arizona, where grown children were closer and golf is year-round. An avid golfer, he enjoyed many happy times with golf buddies both on and off the course, including three holes-in-one.

Gene was a quiet man with a dry sense of humor who was not afraid to speak up on behalf of someone he believed was being treated unjustly. His children remember him as a conscientious and caring father who supported their education and was present in their lives, with a kind word when things went wrong and a proud smile on joyful occasions.

He was widowed in 2004 and eventually found a beloved companion in Barbara Lien, with whom he shared a happy decade, golfing, joking, and spending time with each other, friends, and family in Sun City and Pinetop, Arizona and later in Southern California.

Gene is survived by Barbara, now of Huntington Beach, California, his children, John Lohr and wife Jan Clausen of San Diego, Kathy Lansford-Powell and husband Doug of Austin, Texas, Robert Bernstein and wife Robyn of San Diego, and Lisa Bernstein and husband Mike Blum of Palo Alto, California, his brother, Melvin Bernstein and wife Blanche of Baltimore, Maryland, numerous brothers-and-sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The family expresses gratitude and admiration for the wonderful health professionals and caregivers who contributed to his quality of life over the past three years. In lieu of flowers, please honor Gene Bernstein’s request that memorial contributions be sent to the Duke University Department of Physics or Freedom Service Dogs of America. Condolences can be sent to 9521 Oviedo Street, San Diego, CA 92129.