Daniel J. Zaffarano was born December 16, 1917 in Cleveland, Ohio to Joseph and Josephine (Lapick) Zaffarano. He received a B.S. (1939) from Case Institute of Technology and an M.S. (1948) and Ph.D. (1949) from Indiana University.

Dr. Zaffarano began his career at Iowa State College (University) as a Research Associate Professor (1949-1957) in the Department of Physics. From 1956-1957, he served as the Liaison Officer for Europe for the Office of Naval Research in London. He was promoted to Professor (1957-1987) and became a Distinguished Professor in 1967. Dr. Zaffarano was Chair (1961-1971) of the Department of Physics and Physics Division Chief (1961-1971) for the Ames Laboratory of the Atomic Energy Commission. He was appointed Vice President of Research and Dean of the Graduate College (1971-1988) at Iowa State University in addition to serving as Division Chief of the Iowa Coal Research Project in the Iowa State University Energy and Mineral Research Institute and Chair of the First International Conference on Iceberg Utilization held in Ames in 1977.

Dr. Zaffarano was active in numerous organizations including being a member of the Board of Trustees of the Argonne Universities Association, the Universities Research Association for Fermilab, Iowa High Technology Task Force, and Council for Research Policy and Graduate Education of the Land Grant Association. He was also served as chair to the Graduate Deans group in the Mid-America State Universities Association, the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools, and Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States. He was also active in the community; he was president of the Ames Choral Society and the Ames Town and Gown Chamber Music Association.

Dr. Zaffarano married Suzanne Kirkham; they have six children Dario, Erica, Elisa, Bianca, Gina, and Monica.

He passed away December 3, 2004.