Igor Karassik
Igor J. Karassik (December 1, 1911 in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire – July 2, 1995 in Maplewood, New Jersey) was a Russian-American engineer known for his pioneering work with pumps, a field in which he was "world-renowned" and an "outstanding authority". Early life. Karassik was born to a wealthy Russian-Jewish family. His father, a mechanical engineer, Ivan Karassik (1880—1969) was a son of a Kharkov merchant Nukhim-Perets (Peter) Karasik (c. 1849—1906). His mother Malvina 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 immigrated to the United States in 1923 to escape the Russian Revolution. He attended Carnegie Institute of Technology, and also studied in Turkey and France. Professional life. In 1934 or 1936, Karassik joined the Worthington Corporation; by 1974, he was a vice-president. He subsequently worked for Dresser Industries. 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. He wrote over 1100 technical articles and papers on pump use and maintenance, as well as several books, including "Centrifugal  Pump Selection, Operation and Maintenance", "Engineers' Guide to Centrifugal Pumps", and "Centrifugal Pump Clinic"; he also co-wrote "Pump Questions and Answers", and co-edited "Pump Handbook". In 1996, the Thirteenth Pump Users Symposium was dedicated to his memory.