Hermann Rahn (July 5, 1912 – June 23, 1990) was an early leader in the field of environmental physiology. He graduated from

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

in 1933. Starting out in the field of zoology with a PhD from

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of Roc ...

(1938), Rahn began teaching physiology at the

in 1941. It was there that he partnered with Wallace O. Fenn to publish ''A Graphical Analysis of the Respiratory Gas Exchange'' in 1955. This paper included the landmark O₂-CO₂ diagram, which formed basis for much of Rahn's future work. Rahn's research into applications of this diagram lead to the development of

aerospace medicine Aviation medicine, also called flight medicine or aerospace medicine, is a preventive or occupational medicine in which the patients/subjects are pilots, aircrews, or astronauts. The specialty strives to treat or prevent conditions to which aircr ...

and advancements in hyperbaric breathing and high-altitude respiration. Rahn later joined the University at Buffalo in 1956 as the Lawrence D. Bell Professor and chairman of the Department of Physiology. As chairman, Rahn surrounded himself with outstanding faculty and made the university an international research center in environmental physiology. He was elected to the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...

in 1966 and the

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...

in 1968. He served as the President of the American Physiological Society from 1963 to 1964. In 1981, Hermann Rahn became a founding member of the World Cultural Council.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rahn, Hermann American physiologists 1912 births 1990 deaths Founding members of the World Cultural Council Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences Cornell University alumni University of Rochester alumni 20th-century American zoologists University at Buffalo faculty Members of the National Academy of Medicine