Igor Karassik Explained

Igor J. Karassik (Russian: Игорь Иванович Карасик) (December 1, 1911 in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire[1] – July 2, 1995 in Maplewood, New Jersey)[2] [3] was a Russian-American engineer known for his pioneering work with pumps, a field in which he was "world-renowned"[4] and an "outstanding authority".[5]

Early life

Karassik was born to a wealthy Russian-Jewish family.[6] His father, a mechanical engineer, John (Ivan) Karassik (1880—1969) was a son of a Kharkov merchant Nukhim-Perets (Peter) Karasik (c. 1849—1906). His mother Malvina nee Barjansky (1882—1967) was a daughter of an Odessa 1st guild merchant, composer, and pianist Adolf Barjansky (c. 1850—1900). Igor had an older sister Helen (1909—1990). The family emigrated from Russia to escape the Russian Revolution and naturalized the United States in 1923.[1] [7] [8] His father went to America alone first, naturalized (with the whole family) after 6 years of residence, and then sent for his family. The rest of the family arrived to the United States in 1928, after living five years in Turkey and five years in France.[9] [10]

He attended Carnegie Institute of Technology,[11] and also studied in Turkey and France.[3]

Professional life

In 1934[11] or 1936,[3] Karassik joined the Worthington Corporation; by 1974, he was a vice-president.[12] He subsequently worked for Dresser Industries.[11] In 1980, he became the first recipient of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' Henry R. Worthington Medal for achievement in the field of pumping.[13]

He wrote over 1100 technical articles and papers on pump use and maintenance,[3] as well as several books, including Centrifugal Pump Selection, Operation and Maintenance, Engineers' Guide to Centrifugal Pumps, and Centrifugal Pump Clinic;[8] he also co-wrote Pump Questions and Answers,[8] and co-edited Pump Handbook.[8]

In 1996, the Thirteenth Pump Users Symposium was dedicated to his memory.[14]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2717/images/47295_302022005557_1063-00823 Pennsylvania, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1795-1931: Malvina Adolphine Juliane Barjansky Karassik
  2. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VSKC-2TG Social Security Death Index: Igor J Karassik
  3. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0262176299811547 Igor J. Karassik (1911–1995)
  4. https://books.google.com/books?id=6TZSCAAAQBAJ&dq=igor+karassik+obituary&pg=PT185 Pump User's Handbook: Life Extension, Fourth Edition
  5. https://books.google.com/books?id=xU8nAQAAMAAJ Current Engineering Practice - Volume 3, Issues 3-12 - Page 98
  6. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93Q-F9W8?i=23&wc=SDCL-6TT%3A1351184873&cc=2380520 Russian Empire 1897 census: Odessa: Malvina Barjansky DAOO 2-8-1131-1163 > image 24 of 249
  7. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2717/images/31311_134530-00985 Pennsylvania, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1795-1931 for John Karassik
  8. http://www.pumpsandsystems.com/pumps-centrifugal-pumps/april-2014-igor-karassik-pump-users-engineer Igor Karassik - the Pump User's Engineer
  9. https://interpretive.ru/termin/karasik-igor-ivanovich.html КАРАСИК ИГОРЬ ИВАНОВИЧ
  10. https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2024/137/90965814_12d3ea4c-b6fb-4826-9b14-8e6f242ab241.jpeg A snapshot of the article "Her Edgewood home is where her heart is now" from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
  11. http://splitflowpumps.com/articles/karassik1.htm A Name Well Chosen: Proceedings of the 12th International Pump Users Symposium
  12. https://books.google.com/books?id=7EFJAQAAIAAJ&q=igor+karassik Power, Volume 118, Part 2
  13. https://www.asme.org/about-asme/participate/honors-awards/achievement-awards/henry-r-worthington-medal Henry R. Worthington Medal
  14. http://splitflowpumps.com/articles/karassik.htm A Life Well Traveled: Igor J. Karassik (1911-1995)