(Russian: Иссай Абрамович Балинкин)
Physics Professor. Inventor
Balinkin was born in Odessa, Russia. He attended Commercial High School and the Polytechnic Institute of Odessa. His father, Avram, owned a factory that made wood type. As a manufacturer and property owner, Balikin's father was labeled as a capitalist during the Russian Revolution, and, as a result, Isay was expelled from the Polytechnic Institute. Isay was able to escape the Soviet Union, but the remainder of his family was unable to join him. By the summer of 1921, he had made his way to Constantinople (Istanbul) as a political refugee. A relief commission assisted him in finding a job building a new electrical laboratory at Robert College, an American-sponsored college. The Dean of Roberts College, L.A. Scipio, befriended Balinkin and assisted him in enrolling for classes in the fall of 1921. Balinkin studied Mechanical Engineering.
Balinkin ended up in Cincinnati by chance. In his senior year at Robert College, Dean Scipio exchanged positions with Professor A.L. Jenkins of UC. Balinkin credited Professor Jenkins for convincing him to come to Cincinnati and pursue his master's and doctoral degrees. He came to the United States in 1925 and received both a master's degree (1926) and his Ph.D. (1929) in physics from UC. He must have shown much promise as he was appointed Instructor of Experimental Physics at UC the same year. Starting in 1936, he also served as Research Consultant for the Cambridge Tile Mfg. Co. Balinkin spent 9 months each year teaching and the other 3 conducting research at the Cambridge Tile Manufacturing Co.
Balinkin was described as an enthusiastic teacher known for devising models and classroom experiments to make physics understandable to the non-science major. He was so popular that he was even featured in an issue of Life magazine (October 1947). His exciting demonstrations included using mousetraps and rubber balls to explain the chain reaction of an atomic bomb.
Balinkin's research accomplishments were many and varied. He co-designed a mercury vapor lamp to be used in laboratories, he patented a process to irradiate fertile queen bees which resulted in gentler bees that produced more honey, and he designed a wave motion machine which demonstrated more than 30 forms of light, heat, and sound waves. Balinkin made advancements in ceramic tile technology and the study of color to ensure that variation in color between tiles were kept to a minimum. He patented a new method of mounting ceramic tile to a mesh-like backing, called the SETFAST Ceramic Tile Mounting Method. Balinkin also gave popular lectures on "Color Phenomena," and worked on the planning committee of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair.
If Isay Balinkin sounds interesting to you, check out the finding aid for his papers in the Archives and Rare Books Library on the OhioLINK Finding Aid Repository. To see his actual papers, visit the Archives and Rare Books Library on the 8th floor of Blegen Library. For more information on the Archives and Rare Books Library, visit the ARB website.
Physics Professor. Inventor
Balinkin was born in Odessa, Russia. He attended Commercial High School and the Polytechnic Institute of Odessa. His father, Avram, owned a factory that made wood type. As a manufacturer and property owner, Balikin's father was labeled as a capitalist during the Russian Revolution, and, as a result, Isay was expelled from the Polytechnic Institute. Isay was able to escape the Soviet Union, but the remainder of his family was unable to join him. By the summer of 1921, he had made his way to Constantinople (Istanbul) as a political refugee. A relief commission assisted him in finding a job building a new electrical laboratory at Robert College, an American-sponsored college. The Dean of Roberts College, L.A. Scipio, befriended Balinkin and assisted him in enrolling for classes in the fall of 1921. Balinkin studied Mechanical Engineering.
Balinkin ended up in Cincinnati by chance. In his senior year at Robert College, Dean Scipio exchanged positions with Professor A.L. Jenkins of UC. Balinkin credited Professor Jenkins for convincing him to come to Cincinnati and pursue his master's and doctoral degrees. He came to the United States in 1925 and received both a master's degree (1926) and his Ph.D. (1929) in physics from UC. He must have shown much promise as he was appointed Instructor of Experimental Physics at UC the same year. Starting in 1936, he also served as Research Consultant for the Cambridge Tile Mfg. Co. Balinkin spent 9 months each year teaching and the other 3 conducting research at the Cambridge Tile Manufacturing Co.
Balinkin was described as an enthusiastic teacher known for devising models and classroom experiments to make physics understandable to the non-science major. He was so popular that he was even featured in an issue of Life magazine (October 1947). His exciting demonstrations included using mousetraps and rubber balls to explain the chain reaction of an atomic bomb.
Balinkin's research accomplishments were many and varied. He co-designed a mercury vapor lamp to be used in laboratories, he patented a process to irradiate fertile queen bees which resulted in gentler bees that produced more honey, and he designed a wave motion machine which demonstrated more than 30 forms of light, heat, and sound waves. Balinkin made advancements in ceramic tile technology and the study of color to ensure that variation in color between tiles were kept to a minimum. He patented a new method of mounting ceramic tile to a mesh-like backing, called the SETFAST Ceramic Tile Mounting Method. Balinkin also gave popular lectures on "Color Phenomena," and worked on the planning committee of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair.
If Isay Balinkin sounds interesting to you, check out the finding aid for his papers in the Archives and Rare Books Library on the OhioLINK Finding Aid Repository. To see his actual papers, visit the Archives and Rare Books Library on the 8th floor of Blegen Library. For more information on the Archives and Rare Books Library, visit the ARB website.
(Russian: Иссай Абрамович Балинкин)
Physics Professor. Inventor
Balinkin was born in Odessa, Russia. He attended Commercial High School and the Polytechnic Institute of Odessa. His father, Avram, owned a factory that made wood type. As a manufacturer and property owner, Balikin's father was labeled as a capitalist during the Russian Revolution, and, as a result, Isay was expelled from the Polytechnic Institute. Isay was able to escape the Soviet Union, but the remainder of his family was unable to join him. By the summer of 1921, he had made his way to Constantinople (Istanbul) as a political refugee. A relief commission assisted him in finding a job building a new electrical laboratory at Robert College, an American-sponsored college. The Dean of Roberts College, L.A. Scipio, befriended Balinkin and assisted him in enrolling for classes in the fall of 1921. Balinkin studied Mechanical Engineering.
Balinkin ended up in Cincinnati by chance. In his senior year at Robert College, Dean Scipio exchanged positions with Professor A.L. Jenkins of UC. Balinkin credited Professor Jenkins for convincing him to come to Cincinnati and pursue his master's and doctoral degrees. He came to the United States in 1925 and received both a master's degree (1926) and his Ph.D. (1929) in physics from UC. He must have shown much promise as he was appointed Instructor of Experimental Physics at UC the same year. Starting in 1936, he also served as Research Consultant for the Cambridge Tile Mfg. Co. Balinkin spent 9 months each year teaching and the other 3 conducting research at the Cambridge Tile Manufacturing Co.
Balinkin was described as an enthusiastic teacher known for devising models and classroom experiments to make physics understandable to the non-science major. He was so popular that he was even featured in an issue of Life magazine (October 1947). His exciting demonstrations included using mousetraps and rubber balls to explain the chain reaction of an atomic bomb.
Balinkin's research accomplishments were many and varied. He co-designed a mercury vapor lamp to be used in laboratories, he patented a process to irradiate fertile queen bees which resulted in gentler bees that produced more honey, and he designed a wave motion machine which demonstrated more than 30 forms of light, heat, and sound waves. Balinkin made advancements in ceramic tile technology and the study of color to ensure that variation in color between tiles were kept to a minimum. He patented a new method of mounting ceramic tile to a mesh-like backing, called the SETFAST Ceramic Tile Mounting Method. Balinkin also gave popular lectures on "Color Phenomena," and worked on the planning committee of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair.
If Isay Balinkin sounds interesting to you, check out the finding aid for his papers in the Archives and Rare Books Library on the OhioLINK Finding Aid Repository. To see his actual papers, visit the Archives and Rare Books Library on the 8th floor of Blegen Library. For more information on the Archives and Rare Books Library, visit the ARB website.
Physics Professor. Inventor
Balinkin was born in Odessa, Russia. He attended Commercial High School and the Polytechnic Institute of Odessa. His father, Avram, owned a factory that made wood type. As a manufacturer and property owner, Balikin's father was labeled as a capitalist during the Russian Revolution, and, as a result, Isay was expelled from the Polytechnic Institute. Isay was able to escape the Soviet Union, but the remainder of his family was unable to join him. By the summer of 1921, he had made his way to Constantinople (Istanbul) as a political refugee. A relief commission assisted him in finding a job building a new electrical laboratory at Robert College, an American-sponsored college. The Dean of Roberts College, L.A. Scipio, befriended Balinkin and assisted him in enrolling for classes in the fall of 1921. Balinkin studied Mechanical Engineering.
Balinkin ended up in Cincinnati by chance. In his senior year at Robert College, Dean Scipio exchanged positions with Professor A.L. Jenkins of UC. Balinkin credited Professor Jenkins for convincing him to come to Cincinnati and pursue his master's and doctoral degrees. He came to the United States in 1925 and received both a master's degree (1926) and his Ph.D. (1929) in physics from UC. He must have shown much promise as he was appointed Instructor of Experimental Physics at UC the same year. Starting in 1936, he also served as Research Consultant for the Cambridge Tile Mfg. Co. Balinkin spent 9 months each year teaching and the other 3 conducting research at the Cambridge Tile Manufacturing Co.
Balinkin was described as an enthusiastic teacher known for devising models and classroom experiments to make physics understandable to the non-science major. He was so popular that he was even featured in an issue of Life magazine (October 1947). His exciting demonstrations included using mousetraps and rubber balls to explain the chain reaction of an atomic bomb.
Balinkin's research accomplishments were many and varied. He co-designed a mercury vapor lamp to be used in laboratories, he patented a process to irradiate fertile queen bees which resulted in gentler bees that produced more honey, and he designed a wave motion machine which demonstrated more than 30 forms of light, heat, and sound waves. Balinkin made advancements in ceramic tile technology and the study of color to ensure that variation in color between tiles were kept to a minimum. He patented a new method of mounting ceramic tile to a mesh-like backing, called the SETFAST Ceramic Tile Mounting Method. Balinkin also gave popular lectures on "Color Phenomena," and worked on the planning committee of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair.
If Isay Balinkin sounds interesting to you, check out the finding aid for his papers in the Archives and Rare Books Library on the OhioLINK Finding Aid Repository. To see his actual papers, visit the Archives and Rare Books Library on the 8th floor of Blegen Library. For more information on the Archives and Rare Books Library, visit the ARB website.
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