I write to share the sad news of the passing of Professor Emeritus Michael D. Kaplan, who served in the Department of Chemistry and Physics at Simmons for 25 years. He passed away on June 24, surrounded by his loving family.
Professor Kaplan earned his degree in Theoretical Physics from Kishinev University in Moldova in 1969, followed by a Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from Leningrad University in 1976 and a Doctorate of Science (Habilitation) in Solid State Physics from Moscow University in 1985.
His early career was rooted in research. He served first as a Research Associate and later as a Senior Researcher at the All-Union Institute for Non-Destructive Testing of Materials, followed by more than a decade as a Leading Researcher at the Academy of Sciences in Moldova. After coming to the United States, Professor Kaplan taught at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Boston University and served as a consultant to the BOC Group in New Jersey.
Professor Kaplan joined Simmons in 1993 as a Professor of Chemistry and Physics. An internationally respected condensed matter physicist, he was known for his scholarship on the cooperative Jahn–Teller effect and structural phenomena in crystals. He authored more than 100 manuscripts and several books, including Cooperative Phenomena in Jahn–Teller Crystals, which he co-authored with Benjamin Vekhter.
Professor Kaplan’s research and collaborations took him around the world, including to the University of Tokyo and Chile. He also brought members of the international physics community to Boston when he organized the XV International Jahn–Teller Symposium at Simmons and Boston University.
At Simmons, Professor Kaplan brought his extensive research experience into the classroom, teaching across physics and chemistry. He frequently taught “Thermodynamics & Kinetics,” along with courses in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, wave phenomena, introductory physics, and quantitative analysis, as well as physics and chemistry seminars.
“Michael possessed an extraordinary intellect, but he wore it lightly,” says Jennifer A. Roecklein-Canfield, Professor of Chemistry and Physics. “He never seemed to need to prove that he was the smartest person in the room—and he very often was. Instead, he had a remarkable ability to make complicated ideas accessible and to invite people into the conversation.”
Professor Kaplan remained intellectually curious throughout his career. Later in his time at Simmons, he became interested in the physics of focused ultrasound and began experimental work and collaborations on ultrasound imaging research. His willingness to learn something new, ask new questions, and cross disciplinary boundaries reflected his approach to science throughout his career.
“Michael Kaplan was the lens through which I discovered the gem that is Simmons University,” says P. Jason White, Professor of Chemistry and Physics, Director of the Physics Program, and Director of the Biomedical Ultrasound Laboratory. “In 2014, he introduced me to its vibrant academic community by inviting me to mentor students in their senior capstone projects. From our very first meeting, his dedication to science and to his students was evident. His enthusiasm for research was infectious, and our many lively conversations about ultrasound research soon led to a series of collaborations on ultrasound imaging projects.”
Several of the projects Professors Kaplan and White began together continue today in Simmons’ Biomedical Ultrasound Laboratory (BMUS), where they help guide students and advance research into ultrasound–brain interactions.
“In this way, Michael Kaplan’s legacy lives on through the research activities of the BMUS Lab and through the lasting impact of his dedication to his students, his colleagues, and the broader Simmons community,” Professor White says.
Professor Kaplan was equally committed to his students. During his Simmons career, he advised more than 70 physics students and mentored more than 25 undergraduate researchers. His students went on to doctoral programs, medical careers, biotechnology, and successful careers beyond science.
“Michael had a particular gift for seeing possibility in students,” Professor Roecklein-Canfield reflects. “He understood that talent can flourish when someone takes the time to encourage it, and he spent much of his career being that person for others.”
His commitment to recruiting and retaining young women in physics was a hallmark of his work at Simmons. He encouraged students to see themselves as scientists and researchers and devoted particular attention to helping them develop their confidence and abilities.
Professor Kaplan was also a valued colleague and mentor to faculty. He served for many years on Promotion and Tenure and faculty search committees and mentored junior faculty as they navigated the decisions and challenges of academic life. As Professor Roecklein-Canfield recalls, he had “an extraordinary ability to recognize potential in other people.”
When Professor Kaplan retired from Simmons in 2018, the Chemistry Department wrote that his presence on the fourth floor of the Park Science Building would be “sorely missed.”
After retiring, Professor Kaplan and his wife, Pauline, moved to Beaverton, Oregon, to be closer to their son, Daniel; daughter-in-law, Alla; and twin grandsons, Ben and Zev.
Professor Kaplan’s legacy at Simmons lives in the students he taught and mentored, the faculty colleagues he supported, the scientific collaborations he fostered, and the academic programs he helped strengthen. A scholar of international stature and a dedicated teacher and mentor, he left an enduring mark on the Simmons community.