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Memorial Tributes Volume 15 (2011) / Chapter Skim
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Joseph Talbot Kummer 1919-1997
Pages 262-267

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From page 263...
... The father earned a civil engineering degree from rensselaer Polytechnic institute and was chief engineer of american Wood company and later general manager of eastern Paving Block company. The elder Kummer then switched to a full-time literary career and became a well-published author of novels, short stories, screenplays, musical librettos, and so forth.
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From page 264...
... during this period Joe published a short paper on the latter subject, which was referred to by his NAE colleague M Boudart as "a study that may well be the most elegant catalytic investigation of the sixties if elegance implies economy of means to convey an important message." The last and main part of his scientific career was at the Scientific Research Laboratories of the Ford Motor Company from 1960 to 1984.
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From page 265...
... His work on automotive emissions contributed mightily to the practical implementation of automotive emissions controls. His solid-state materials work spurred the whole field of ionic conductivity and countless investigations worldwide.
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From page 266...
... often he spent time in the university libraries doing literature searches that his peers appreciated." as stated earlier, Joe could conjure clever experimental apparatus that would not pass the requirements of the aia in home design but was functional. His application on one occasion was a piece of a broomstick with two pieces of wood to hold rabbit ears to receive TV signals from the north, south, east, and west, a sight to be seen, and which was displayed in the living room with four switches to pick signals.
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