ert ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁to ▁Rev . ▁Dr . ▁The odore ▁Ger hardt ▁T app ert ▁and ▁Helen ▁Car son ▁T app ert . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁child , ▁Fred ▁lived ▁with ▁his ▁family ▁on ▁the ▁campus ▁of ▁the ▁Luther an ▁The ological ▁Sem inary ▁in ▁the ▁Germ ant own ▁neighborhood ▁of ▁North west ▁Philadelphia . ▁ ▁He ▁attended ▁Philadelphia ' s ▁Central ▁High ▁School , ▁and ▁Pennsylvania ▁State ▁University . ▁ ▁G row ing ▁up , ▁his ▁father ▁" o ften ▁mentioned ▁the ▁satisfaction ▁that ▁would ▁result ▁from ▁the ▁purs uit ▁of ▁knowledge ▁for ▁its ▁own ▁sake ." ▁ ▁T app ert ▁began ▁his ▁scientific ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁pl asma ▁physics , ▁receiving ▁his ▁Ph . D . ▁from ▁Pr inc eton ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁▁ ▁His ▁dis sert ation , ▁entitled ▁" K in etic ▁theory ▁of ▁equilibrium ▁pl as mas ", ▁was ▁super vised ▁by ▁Edward ▁A . ▁Fri eman , ▁then ▁Associ ate ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Pr inc eton ▁Pl asma ▁Physics ▁Labor atory . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁technical ▁staff ▁of ▁Bell ▁Tele phone ▁L abs ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁Among ▁his ▁notable ▁accomplish ments ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁collaboration ▁with ▁A ki ra ▁Has eg awa ▁on ▁optical ▁solit ons ▁which ▁under p inned ▁later ▁adv ances ▁in ▁fi ber - opt ic ▁communication ▁technology . ▁ ▁Following ▁his ▁years ▁at ▁Bell