Ralph C. Kerns *84

Born in Canada, Kerns graduated from the University of Idaho in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. From 1969 to 1974, he was a lieutenant in the Navy, and served on the U.S.S. Patrick Henry  nuclear submarine. After receiving a master’s degree from Princeton in 1976, he was a research assistant in the chemical and metallurgy division of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He then completed a Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton in 1984.

After Princeton, Kerns was a senior scientist at Solar Energy Research Institute, director of technology at Drytek, vice president in the Metal Etch Business Unit at Lam Research, managing director for business development in the process modules group at Applied Materials, and, lastly, vice president of business development at Intevac.

He is survived by his wife, Louise; one daughter; two stepsons; and his mother, Gladys.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.