Richard Ernest Kronauer is currently the Gordon McKay Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineering

Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...

, emeritus

Emeritus

Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...

, at Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

. Though experienced with research in both fluid mechanics

Fluid mechanics

Fluid mechanics is the study of fluids and the forces on them. Fluid mechanics can be divided into fluid statics, the study of fluids at rest; fluid kinematics, the study of fluids in motion; and fluid dynamics, the study of the effect of forces on fluid motion...

 and applied mathematics

Applied mathematics

Applied mathematics is a branch of mathematics that concerns itself with mathematical methods that are typically used in science, engineering, business, and industry. Thus, "applied mathematics" is a mathematical science with specialized knowledge...

, he is primarily known for his pioneering work in mathematical biology

Mathematical biology

Mathematical and theoretical biology is an interdisciplinary scientific research field with a range of applications in biology, medicine and biotechnology...

, especially research on human circadian rhythms. Dr. Kronauer's 1982 paper "Mathematical model of the human circadian system with two interacting oscillators" outlined a new method for understanding the biological circuits that underlie daily body cycles in variables such as blood pressure or body temperature. Professor Kronauer's research also has direct implications for the causes and possible cures for many types of sleep disorders, and for this he will receive the Farrell Prize in Sleep Medicine in June 2008.

Biography

• Born in 1925
• BS in Mechanical Engineering
  Mechanical engineering
  Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
  
   from Stevens Institute of Technology
  Stevens Institute of Technology
  Stevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
  
   in 1947
• MS in Mechanical Engineering from Harvard University
  Harvard University
  Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
  
   in 1948
• PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Harvard University in 1951
  • Dissertation: Secondary Flows in Fluid Dynamics, with advisor Howard Wilson Emmons
    Howard Wilson Emmons
    Howard Wilson Emmons was a professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering at Harvard University. During his career he conducted original research on fluid mechanics, combustion and fire safety. Today he is most widely known for his pioneering work in the field of fire safety engineering...
    
    
• Stayed at Harvard after PhD, and eventually named Gordon Mckay professor (some time before 1976)
• Wife Joanne
• As of March 2008, Professor Kronauer is listed as co-inventor on 6 patents for devices relating to circadian rhythm: US Patent Numbers 5163426, 5176133, 5167228, 5304212, 5503637, 5545192.
• Co-inventor for pending patent application 11/113,356, filed Apr 25, 2005.
• Co-inventor for a reciprocating actuator (patent #3312842, 1964) and a fluid operating apparatus (patent #3274795, 1964).

Selected publications

• RE Kronauer. "Secondary Flows in Fluid Dynamics," Harvard University Dissertation, 1951.

• TA McMahon and RE Kronauer. "Tree structures: deducing the principle of mechanical design," J Theor Biol 59: 443-466, 1976.

• RE Kronauer, CA Czeisler, SF Pilato, MC Moore-Ede and ED Weitzman. "Mathematical model of the human circadian system with two interacting oscillators," Am J Physiol 242:R3-R17, 1982.

• CA Czeisler, JS Allan, SH Strogatz
  Steven Strogatz
  Steven Henry Strogatz is an American mathematician and the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Applied Mathematics at Cornell University...
  
  , JM Ronda, R Sanchez, CD Rios, WO Freitag, GS Richardson, and RE Kronauer. "Bright light resets the human circadian pacemaker independent of the timing of the sleep-wake cycle," Science 233(4764):667-671, August 1986.

• MC Khoo, RE Kronauer, KP Strohl and AS Slutsky. "Factors inducing periodic breathing in humans: a general model," J App Physiology 53(3):644-659, 1986.

• CA Czeisler, RE Kronauer, JS Allan, JF Duffy, ME Jewett, EN Brown, and JM Ronda. "Bright light induction of strong (type 0) resetting of the human circadian pacemaker," Science 244(4910):1328-1333, 1989.

• DB Boivin, JF Duffy, RE Kronauer, and CA Czeisler. "Dose-response relationships for resetting of human circadian clock by light," Nature 379:540-542 (February 1996).

• CA Czeisler, JF Duffy, TL Shanahan, EN Brown, JF Mitchell, DW Rimmer, JM Ronda, EJ Silva, JS Allan, JS Emens, DJ Dijk, and RE Kronauer. "Stability, Precision, and Near-24-Hour Period of the Human Circadian Pacemaker," Science 284(5423):2177-2181, 1999.