Allan W. Bjerkaas holds a bachelor’s degree with a double major in physics and mathematics from the University of North Dakota and a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He joined the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in 1973 after completing a two-year postdoctoral appointment at the University of Pittsburgh.
While at the Applied Physics Laboratory, Dr. Bjerkaas was a Project Manager for nine yers in the Submarine Technology Department and a Group Supervisor for 14 years in the Submarine Technology Department and the Research and Technology Development Center. Since the mid-1970s he has taught in the part-time graduate programs that Johns Hopkins has offered for working engineers. He received the Excellence in Teaching Award in 1992.
Dr. Bjerkaas has been the Chair for the Applied Physics and the Information Systems and Technology programs. In 2001 he became the Associate Dean for the Engineering for Professionals (EP) programs in the Whiting School of Engineering, a position he held full-time after retiring from the Applied Physics Laboratory in February 2005 until he retired from the Whiting School of Engineering in September 2010. He now resides in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and continues to teach online courses for EP and serves as a Special Advisor to the Dean of the Whiting School of Engineering.
Education History
- Ph.D. Physics, University of Illinois
Work Experience
Lecturer, JHU Whiting School of Engineering
Publications
“Engineering and Applied Science Programs for Professionals,” Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) Technical Digest, Volume 26, Number 3 (2005)
"Dependence of Internal Electromagnetic Fields on the Electromagnetic Properties of Exterior Walls,” D. E. Freund, A. W. Bjerkaas, and I. Kohlberg, presented at the National Radio Science Meeting sponsored by USNC/URSI, 8-11 January 2001, Boulder, Colorado.
"Mine Detection-Laser Technology Assessment Workshop Summary and Results (Oct. 29-30, 1991)," A. W. Bjerkaas et. al., APL Report STD-R-2145 (1992)
"Final Report on the Mine Hunting System Comparison," A. W. Bjerkaas et. al., APL Report STD-R-1996 (1991)
"BWG Technical Assessment," A. W. Bjerkaas et. al., APL Report STD-R-1852 (1989)
"BIDS Technical Program Plan," with others, APL Report STD-R-909 (1984)
"Ocean Wave Dynamics Test (WAVDYN) Results and Interpretation," with others, APL Report STD-R-537 (1981)
"The 1978 Ocean Wave Dynamics Experiment: Directional Spectra," with others, IUCRM Symposium on Wave Dynamics and Radio Probing of the Ocean Surface, Miami (1981)
"The 1978 Ocean Wave Dynamics Experiment: Optical and in-situ Measurement of the Phase Velocity of Wind Waves," with others, IUCRM Symposium on Wave Dynamics and Radio Probing of the Ocean Surface, Miami (1981)
"Proposed Model for the Elevation Spectrum of a Wind-Roughened Sea Surface," A. W. Bjerkaas and F. W. Riedel, APL Report TG 1328 (1979)
"Ocean Sun Glitter Fluctuations; Part I: Data Acquisition and Processing," with others, APL Report STD-R-056 (1978)
"Tine Series Analysis Applied to Data from a Single Ocean Wave Gauge," A. W. Bjerkaas, APL Report POR-3117 (1976)
"Study of Phase Separation in a Critical Binary Liquid Mixture: Spinodal Decomposition," with others, Phys. Rev. Lett., Vol. 32 (1974)
"Supercooling in CO2 Near the Critical Point," with others, Bull. Am. Phys. Soc., Vol. 19 (1974)
"Dynamics of Phase Separation in a Critical Binary Mixture," with others, Bull. Am. Phys. Soc., Vol. 19 (1974)
"Electronic Thermal Conductivity of Superconducting Thin Films of Indium-Manganese Alloys," A. W. Bjerkaas et. al., Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 5 (1972)
"Electronic Thermal Conductivity of Superconducting Thin Films Containing Paramagnetic Impurities," A. W. Bjerkaas and D. M. Ginsberg, Bull. Am. Phys. Soc., Vol. 16 (1971)
"Electronic Thermal Conductivity of Superconducting Thin Films Containing Paramagnetic Impurities," A. W. Bjerkaas, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Illinois (1971)
Honors and Awards
- Excellence in Teaching Award (1984)