Awards

National Academies - 1966

American Association for the Advancement of Science

About Christian Kaslow

Christian Edward Kaslow was born March 20, 1903, on a farm near Mora, Minnesota, a small town about 50 miles north of Minneapolis. His parents, Flora and Martin Kaslow, were natives of Minnesota, descendants of immigrants to the state. Chris attended Mora High School and then Hamline College in Minneapolis where he earned a B.S. in chemistry. After college, Kaslow worked as a teacher at Sauk Center High School from 1924 to 1929, and taught chemistry, physics, biology, physical education, and coached basketball, baseball and track. During the summers, he began graduate work at the University of Iowa, and received a master’s degree in chemistry in 1929. After completing his master's degree, Kaslow taught high school chemistry at Mankato High School for one year before spending eleven years in the chemistry department at North Dakota Agricultural College at Fargo, North Dakota. Kaslow began as assistant professor at Indiana University in fall 1941 and completed his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1943. He was promoted to professor in 1956. During his time at IU, he served on the Graduate Committee and Supplies and Equipment committee of the chemistry department, and on the Grievance, Housing, and Promotions Committees of the university.

In 1974, he wrote the history of seventy years of Sigma Xi experience at Indiana University. Kaslow became chairman of a Chemistry Building Committee, and plans for a new wing began in earnest in 1956. Construction began in 1961, and occupation began in 1964. By this time, Kaslow was Director of the chemistry laboratories, supervised the non-academic staff, and oversaw the renovation. Kaslow retired in 1971, but he remained active in departmental affairs, and maintained an office until 1992. He continued his interest in his professional societies including the American Chemical Society, Indiana Academy of Science, and American Association for the Advancement of Science. In addition, he remained active in the Bloomington Kiwanis Club, serving president and vice president of the local chapter.

Christian Kaslow died in Bloomington on September 28, 1994.