PHYSICIST
Daniel Kleppner
1932 - 2025

Daniel Kleppner
Daniel Kleppner (December 16, 1932 – June 16, 2025) was an American physicist who was the Lester Wolfe Professor Emeritus of Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and co-founder and co-director of the MIT-Harvard Center for Ultracold Atoms. His areas of science included atomic, molecular, and optical physics, and his research interests included experimental atomic physics, laser spectroscopy, and high precision measurements. Together with Robert J. Kolenkow, he authored a popular textbook An Introduction to Mechanics for advanced students. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in 18 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 17 in 2024). Daniel Kleppner is the 812th most popular physicist (down from 785th in 2024), the 12,974th most popular biography from United States (down from 10,950th in 2019) and the 189th most popular American Physicist.
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Among PHYSICISTS
Among physicists, Daniel Kleppner ranks 812 out of 851. Before him are Stephen L. Adler, Alan Cottrell, Howard Georgi, Arthur Wightman, Cumrun Vafa, and Juan Ignacio Cirac Sasturain. After him are Sylvia Fedoruk, Raja Ramanna, J. Richard Gott, Sidney Drell, Edwin Thompson Jaynes, and Albert-László Barabási.
Most Popular Physicists in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsStephen L. Adler
1939 - Present
HPI: 50.15
Rank: 806
Alan Cottrell
1919 - 2012
HPI: 50.00
Rank: 807
Howard Georgi
1947 - Present
HPI: 49.91
Rank: 808
Arthur Wightman
1922 - 2013
HPI: 49.85
Rank: 809
Cumrun Vafa
1960 - Present
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 810
Juan Ignacio Cirac Sasturain
1965 - Present
HPI: 49.51
Rank: 811
Daniel Kleppner
1932 - 2025
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 812
Sylvia Fedoruk
1927 - 2012
HPI: 49.41
Rank: 813
Raja Ramanna
1925 - 2004
HPI: 49.20
Rank: 814
J. Richard Gott
1947 - Present
HPI: 49.03
Rank: 815
Sidney Drell
1926 - 2016
HPI: 48.87
Rank: 816
Edwin Thompson Jaynes
1922 - 1998
HPI: 48.83
Rank: 817
Albert-László Barabási
1967 - Present
HPI: 48.61
Rank: 818
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1932, Daniel Kleppner ranks 548. Before him are Bob Lutz, Slide Hampton, Kishori Amonkar, Dorothy Ashby, Clyde McPhatter, and Duke Pearson. After him are Dennis Skinner, Tina Brooks, Tim Parnell, Derek Taylor, Shirley Cawley, and Terry Medwin. Among people deceased in 2025, Daniel Kleppner ranks 433. Before him are Otacílio Gonçalves, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Abubaker Kaki Khamis, Nicky Katt, Pat Crowley, and Slavko Obadov. After him are Cleo Laine, Frederick Hauck, Felicia Țilea-Moldovan, Nora Aunor, B. Saroja Devi, and Muhsin Hendricks.
Others Born in 1932
Go to all RankingsBob Lutz
BUSINESSPERSON
1932 - Present
HPI: 49.85
Rank: 542
Slide Hampton
MUSICIAN
1932 - 2021
HPI: 49.77
Rank: 543
Kishori Amonkar
SINGER
1932 - 2017
HPI: 49.59
Rank: 544
Dorothy Ashby
MUSICIAN
1932 - 1986
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 545
Clyde McPhatter
SINGER
1932 - 1972
HPI: 49.53
Rank: 546
Duke Pearson
MUSICIAN
1932 - 1980
HPI: 49.47
Rank: 547
Daniel Kleppner
PHYSICIST
1932 - 2025
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 548
Dennis Skinner
POLITICIAN
1932 - Present
HPI: 49.25
Rank: 549
Tina Brooks
MUSICIAN
1932 - 1974
HPI: 49.15
Rank: 550
Tim Parnell
RACING DRIVER
1932 - 2017
HPI: 49.12
Rank: 551
Derek Taylor
WRITER
1932 - 1997
HPI: 49.08
Rank: 552
Shirley Cawley
ATHLETE
1932 - Present
HPI: 49.00
Rank: 553
Terry Medwin
SOCCER PLAYER
1932 - 2024
HPI: 48.62
Rank: 554
Others Deceased in 2025
Go to all RankingsOtacílio Gonçalves
COACH
1940 - 2025
HPI: 49.72
Rank: 427
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
ACTOR
1970 - 2025
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 428
Abubaker Kaki Khamis
ATHLETE
1989 - 2025
HPI: 49.58
Rank: 429
Nicky Katt
ACTOR
1970 - 2025
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 430
Pat Crowley
ACTOR
1933 - 2025
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 431
Slavko Obadov
ATHLETE
1948 - 2025
HPI: 49.52
Rank: 432
Daniel Kleppner
PHYSICIST
1932 - 2025
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 433
Cleo Laine
SINGER
1927 - 2025
HPI: 49.41
Rank: 434
Frederick Hauck
ASTRONAUT
1941 - 2025
HPI: 49.29
Rank: 435
Felicia Țilea-Moldovan
ATHLETE
1967 - 2025
HPI: 49.27
Rank: 436
Nora Aunor
ACTOR
1953 - 2025
HPI: 49.23
Rank: 437
B. Saroja Devi
ACTOR
1938 - 2025
HPI: 49.21
Rank: 438
Muhsin Hendricks
WRITER
HPI: 48.79
Rank: 439
In United States
Among people born in United States, Daniel Kleppner ranks 12,978 out of 20,380. Before him are Faran Tahir (1963), William Blount (1749), Ron Canada (1949), Randy Brown (1968), Christian Clemenson (1958), and Bess Armstrong (1953). After him are Vanessa Marano (1992), Jonathan Stark (1971), Tabitha Stevens (1970), David Faustino (1974), Worthington Whittredge (1820), and Kristy McNichol (1962).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsFaran Tahir
ACTOR
1963 - Present
HPI: 49.44
Rank: 12,972
William Blount
POLITICIAN
1749 - 1800
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 12,973
Ron Canada
ACTOR
1949 - Present
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 12,974
Randy Brown
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1968 - Present
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 12,975
Christian Clemenson
ACTOR
1958 - Present
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 12,976
Bess Armstrong
ACTOR
1953 - Present
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 12,977
Daniel Kleppner
PHYSICIST
1932 - 2025
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 12,978
Vanessa Marano
ACTOR
1992 - Present
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 12,979
Jonathan Stark
TENNIS PLAYER
1971 - Present
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 12,980
Tabitha Stevens
PORNOGRAPHIC ACTOR
1970 - Present
HPI: 49.42
Rank: 12,981
David Faustino
ACTOR
1974 - Present
HPI: 49.42
Rank: 12,982
Worthington Whittredge
PAINTER
1820 - 1910
HPI: 49.42
Rank: 12,983
Kristy McNichol
ACTOR
1962 - Present
HPI: 49.42
Rank: 12,984
Among PHYSICISTS In United States
Among physicists born in United States, Daniel Kleppner ranks 189. Before him are Conyers Herring (1914), Robert L. Forward (1932), Herbert Goldstein (1922), Stephen L. Adler (1939), Howard Georgi (1947), and Arthur Wightman (1922). After him are J. Richard Gott (1947), Sidney Drell (1926), Edwin Thompson Jaynes (1922), Ernest Moniz (1944), Carver Mead (1934), and Richard A. Muller (1944).
Conyers Herring
1914 - 2009
HPI: 51.28
Rank: 183
Robert L. Forward
1932 - 2002
HPI: 51.03
Rank: 184
Herbert Goldstein
1922 - 2005
HPI: 50.17
Rank: 185
Stephen L. Adler
1939 - Present
HPI: 50.15
Rank: 186
Howard Georgi
1947 - Present
HPI: 49.91
Rank: 187
Arthur Wightman
1922 - 2013
HPI: 49.85
Rank: 188
Daniel Kleppner
1932 - 2025
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 189
J. Richard Gott
1947 - Present
HPI: 49.03
Rank: 190
Sidney Drell
1926 - 2016
HPI: 48.87
Rank: 191
Edwin Thompson Jaynes
1922 - 1998
HPI: 48.83
Rank: 192
Ernest Moniz
1944 - Present
HPI: 48.46
Rank: 193
Carver Mead
1934 - Present
HPI: 48.18
Rank: 194
Richard A. Muller
1944 - Present
HPI: 48.13
Rank: 195






















































