Kenneth Watson

Kenneth Marshall Watson (September 7, 1921 – August 18, 2023) was an American theoretical physicist and physical oceanographer.

Life and career Watson graduated in 1943 with BS in electrical engineering from Iowa State College. From 1943 to 1946 he was a researcher at the United States Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. His doctoral students include Shang-keng Ma.

Watson was an advisor to various United States organizations associated with the United States Department of Defense. In 1959 he worked with Marvin L. Goldberger, Keith Brueckner, and Murray Gell-Mann to join John A. Wheeler, Charles H. Townes, and others in forming the JASON group of government advisors. Watson remained in JASON until 1998. In 1971 he, with four others, formed the company Physical Dynamics, Inc. and then remained on the board of directors until 1981. His father was Louis Erwin Watson (1884–1957) and his mother was Irene Marshall Watson (born 1886 in Roanoke, Illinois).

Kenneth M. Watson died in San Diego, California on August 18, 2023, at the age of 101.

Selected publications with M. L. Goldberger: 2004 Dover reprint of corrected 2nd edition, Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company, 1975 with John W. Bond Jr. and Jasper A. Welch: with John Nuttal l and John Stephen Roy Chisholm: with Roger F. Dashen, Walter H. Munk, and Fredrik Zachariasen: 2010 pbk reprint