In Memoriam

In Memoriam: Stephen Halley White (Phys’63)

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 20:13:53 +0000

In Memoriam: Stephen Halley White (Phys’63) Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 07/08/2026 - 14:13

Stephen Halley White, a University of Colorado Boulder alumnus and pioneering biophysicist, passed away on May 31, 2026.

White earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from 91��ý in 1963. As an undergraduate, he held several pivotal research positions: working in Professor Walter Tantilla’s lab as an NMR electronics technician, helping Professor Donald Burckhardt develop a speech-synthesizing system, and studying the development of a liquid-state laser with Professor Seth Mizushima.

He went on to earn both his master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Washington. After serving as an Army captain, White completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Virginia.

In 1972, White joined the faculty at the University of California Irvine as a founding member of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics. He led a research program in membrane biophysics, connecting physical chemistry and biophysics with molecular cell biology.

Throughout his career, White made significant contributions to the Biophysical Society through numerous leadership roles, including service as president from 1996 to 1997. He received the society’s Distinguished Service Award in 1999 and was named a fellow in 2002.

In 2013, White and his wife Jackie Dooley established an award at 91��ý to recognize exceptional undergraduate physics research projects—a tribute to the research experiences that had such a profound impact on him as a student. The Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award is presented annually to two students and is one of the highest honors for physics and engineering physics undergraduates.

“Steve approached me when I was chair to establish this award because he felt his undergraduate research at CU played a foundational role in his distinguished career,” says Paul Beale, professor and former chair of physics. “He and Jackie were always impressed by the outstanding students who received the Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award. I will miss my dear friend.”

View UC Irvine's memoriam for Stephen Halley White

Recent Stephen Halley White Award Recipients

Off

Traditional

White

Distinguished alumnus John Richardson (Phys'42) passes away at 104

Kirsten Apodaca — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:08:31 +0000

Distinguished alumnus John Richardson (Phys'42) passes away at 104 Kirsten Apodaca Mon, 04/06/2026 - 11:08

Kirsten Apodaca

John M. Richardson (Phys’42), distinguished alumnus from the University of Colorado Boulder, passed away on January 18, 2026, at the age of 104.

Richardson was a 2002 recipient of the George Norlin Award, the highest honor conferred by the university’s alumni association, in recognition of his distinguished career in telecommunications, information technology and related fields. The George Norlin Award recognizes outstanding alumni who have demonstrated a long-lasting commitment to excellence in their professional career and a devotion to the betterment of society and their communities.

Richardson earned his bachelor of arts degree in physics at 91��ý in 1942. Following his undergraduate studies, he enrolled in the physics PhD program at Harvard University. While at Harvard, he interrupted his studies to serve in the Navy during World War II, then returned to complete his PhD in physics in 1951.

He began his professional career back in Boulder, as the deputy director for radio standards at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) where he supervised the development of the first atomic clock and the transition to the international atomic time standard. In 1964, he was awarded a gold medal for service from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Richardson later held a series of leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., contributing to high-profile efforts including national security telecommunications, international audio broadcasting, supercomputer performance and electronic email.

In 1991, Richardson joined the faculty of the University of Maryland, University College, where he taught courses in telecommunication policy and the foundations of information technology. In 1996, he became Chair of the Department of Information and Telecommunications Studies. In 2002, Richardson won the President’s award for distinguished service at the University of Maryland.

In recognition of his professional and scientific contributions, Richardson was elected a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the American Physical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

"John had a keen intellect, loved science and engineering, and highly valued his education at CU,” said John Cumalat, professor of physics and former chair of the physics department.

In 2002, Richardson retired and moved back to Boulder, but he was very active during retirement. Cumalat recalled having lunch with him at Chatauqua several years ago. Richardson was 100 at the time and had driven himself to the restaurant.

“He kept up with department events, attended George Gamow dinners and public lectures, and was a long-time loyal donor to the university and department,” added Cumalat. “He was a remarkable individual.”

View Richardson's Obituary

Off

Traditional

White

In Memoriam: P. Dale Kunz, professor emeritus of physics

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 14:52:09 +0000

In Memoriam: P. Dale Kunz, professor emeritus of physics Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 08/12/2025 - 08:52

Peter Dale Kunz, professor emeritus of physics at the University of Colorado Boulder passed away in January 2025 at the age of 96.

Kunz earned his Ph.D. at the University of Washington in 1959 and came to Boulder as an acting assistant professor in 1962. He spent his career at 91��ý, rising through the ranks and retiring as a full professor in 1992.

Kunz was a member of the nuclear physics group, the largest research group in the department during his time here. The group operated a cyclotron on east campus at what was known as the Nuclear Physics Laboratory. The cyclotron was the first built between St. Louis and the West Coast and the experiment enabled more than 25 years of pioneering nuclear physics research.

As a theorist, Kunz worked closely with other members of the group. One of his most significant research contributions was a software package used to analyze experiments about low energy nuclear physics, dubbed “DWUCK” (Distorted wave – University of Colorado – Kunz).

After he retired, Kunz lived in the Pacific Northwest until a few years ago, when he returned to Boulder to be with family. Kunz is remembered as an exemplary colleague by faculty who worked with him.

View Kunz' Obituary

Off

Traditional

White

In Memoriam - Paul Phillipson

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 21:54:36 +0000

In Memoriam - Paul Phillipson Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 10/26/2023 - 15:54

Professor Emeritus Paul Phillipson passed away on October 20, 2023, at his home in Boulder at the age of 90. He was a long-standing and treasured member of the faculty.

Paul was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1933 and after briefly attending Columbia High School, he began his studies at the University of Chicago at the age of 16. He earned his PhD in physics from the University of Chicago in 1962, under the mentorship of Nobel laureate Robert S. Mulliken. He completed postdoctoral work at the University of Michigan from 1961 to 1963 and held a prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship from 1963 to 1967.

Paul joined the Department of Physics as an Assistant Professor in 1963 and his career spanned 35 years until his retirement in 1998. He made significant contributions to the teaching and research missions of the department. After retiring in 1998, he continued conducting research and frequently worked in his office in Duane Physics as Professor Emeritus.

He was a leader in his research field, studying theoretical nonlinear dynamics and biophysics. Paul was the department’s first biophysicist. Professor Paul Beale reflected on Phillipson’s research, stating “Paul Phillipson became a leader in the study of the chaotic dynamics of nonlinear differential equations especially as applied to chemical, biological, and neurological processes.”

Beale added “Paul published dozens of articles on the subject, many with his long-term collaborator Peter Schuster at the University of Vienna.” These collaborations led Paul and his wife Pat to spend many semesters in Europe, where Paul served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Vienna and the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

Professor John Cumalat remembers Paul “as a colleague of good cheer who laughed easily.” Cumalat noted “Paul retired at 65, but he remained research active for the rest of his life.”

Paul is survived by his wife Pat, son Mark Phillipson (spouse Scott Tebbetts); daughter Andrea Vassiliadis; grandson Nicholas Vassiliadis (and spouse Ozgu Vassiliadis); grandson Jack Vassiliadis; two nephews, Robert Ross and Richard Ross; and numerous members of his wife’s extended family.

View Professor Phillipson's Obituary

Off

Traditional

White

In Memoriam: Physics Alumnus, Aerospace Pioneer and Businessman R.C. "Merc" Mercure Jr.

Anonymous — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 00:50:33 +0000

In Memoriam: Physics Alumnus, Aerospace Pioneer and Businessman R.C. "Merc" Mercure Jr. Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 02/17/2022 - 17:50

Off

Traditional

White

In Memoriam - Robert Ristinen

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 17:09:14 +0000

In Memoriam - Robert Ristinen Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 10/07/2021 - 11:09

Physics Emeritus Professor Robert A. Ristinen passed away on September 10, 2021, at his home in Boulder at the age of 87.

Bob grew up in the small town of Menahga, Minnesota, hunting, fishing, and trapping. Among other endeavors, he learned to repair automobiles and farm equipment, and became an experienced electrician, wiring local farms with newly available electricity. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served with a Field Artillery Battalion in Germany and Bavaria, and returned to earn a Bachelor of Physics degree from the University of Minnesota in 1959.

Bob received his M.S. degree in 1961 and a PhD in nuclear physics in 1962 from the University of Colorado. His PhD supervisor was Albert A. Bartlett; he was Al’s first PhD student. After post-doctoral work at Brookhaven National Laboratory, he was invited back to Boulder in 1966 as a visiting professor. This evolved into a tenured position with the nuclear physics group, led by professors David A. Lind and Jack J. Kraushaar, at the CU cyclotron laboratory. At the time, it was the only building on what would become CU's East Campus.

During Bob’s post-doctoral time at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, he worked to develop solid state devices for detection of nuclear decay processes. He continued this work with the Nuclear Physics Lab at CU, building silicon and germanium detectors for the lab, which were not yet commercially available. Bob and his students developed, built, and tested the focal plane system for the cyclotron, measuring an optimal resolution which was best among research cyclotrons at the time. While refining the measurement of the cyclotron resolution, he was part of the group's experimental program, studying interactions of accelerated protons, deuterium, 3He and alpha particles in larger nuclei. All of this work reflected Bob’s skill and ingenuity.

Beginning in the mid-1970s, he was also part of a CU nuclear physics group conducting a parallel research program at LAMPF in Los Alamos, NM, using secondary pion beams from the linear proton accelerator to study pion-induced interactions and resonances in nuclei. On these 'suitcase physics' trips, Bob was known for his penchant for ice cream shops, and for what he called shortcuts on the 8-hour drive between the labs, which sometimes led to narrow dirt roads and the fordings of small streams. His oft-repeated phrase was "This is what rentals are for."

CU's cyclotron was decommissioned in 1984, beginning a period when Bob lead a CU team doing research at the TRIUMF cyclotron in Vancouver, British Columbia, using thin solid targets in pion beams to study pion-proton and pion-deuterium absolute cross sections.

Beginning in the 1990s, he was part of the CHAOS collaboration at TRIUMF, participating in the development and commissioning of a concentric set of wire chambers and scintillators between the poles of a 1.6T magnet, used to study pion interactions in polarized nuclear targets at the magnet center.

He was later part of CU's group within the HERMES collaboration, assisting in the design, construction, and installation of the front tracking chambers at the DESY Laboratory in Hamburg, Germany, to study quark contributions to nucleon spin. During this period Bob was also CU's Nuclear Physics Lab director. Over the years, he also served terms as Chair of the University’s Radiation Safety Committee and as Chair of the University Energy Conservation Committee.

Before his retirement, Bob was an early member of the large cosmic ray international Pierre Auger Observatory collaboration, working with CU's team prototyping thermal properties of water Cherenkov detectors, and developing equipment and techniques for the absolute calibration of the Observatory's large aperture optical telescopes.

Over the years Bob supervised 8 PhD students, including Jeff Brack, who remembers Bob as an enthusiastic mentor whose unique experimental solutions kept physics fun.

Bob was an excellent teacher. As Jerry Leigh recalls “Bob was one of the most popular lab instructors in the department, if not the most.” In 1970 Bob published a well-known article in the American Journal of Physics describing a simplified Muon Lifetime Experiment. Many physics departments have used this article to develop the muon lifetime experiment in their advanced labs.

In 1984, Bob and Jack Kraushaar co-authored the popular textbook "Energy and Problems of a Technical Society", based on a course they developed and taught in the physics department. New editions were released in 1999 and again in 2005 titled "Energy and the Environment," perhaps the first time these words were coupled. A revision was published in 2015, and in 2020 Bob participated in manuscript preparation for a 4th edition, to be published posthumously in 2021. The Energy and Environment course is still taught in the CU Physics Department.

Tom DeGrand remembers Bob as a great colleague. Tom notes that “Bob was always positive, calm, cheerful, thoughtful, practical, he never puffed himself up--I always liked talking with him.” John Cumalat remembers Bob as an excellent and clever experimenter and an outstanding lab instructor. When working with Bob you had a good feeling that things were going to work out. It was a major loss to the department’s culture when he retired in 2001. Allan Franklin remembers Bob simply as “one of the good guys.” Ed Kinney notes that “Bob was incredibly supportive, a great mentor for junior faculty and a great colleague to work with.”

Bob is survived by his wive Elvah, their two sons, Keith and Kurt; granddaughters Kimberly and Amber; great grandson Harrison, and sister Kathleen Ristinen Jonas. No services will be held. The family requests donations to Amnesty International USA or your local Public Broadcasting service in lieu of flowers.

Off

Traditional

White

In Memoriam - John Wahr

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 17:31:45 +0000

In Memoriam - John Wahr Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 11/12/2015 - 10:31

Professor John M. Wahr passed away on November 11, 2015 at the age of 64.

Professor Wahr was the first geophysicist to join the Department of Physics at CU-Boulder. He joined the department as an Assistant Professor in 1983, built the Geophysics Group within the Department, and had a highly distinguished career. He was also a Fellow of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences. John entered semi-retirement (retiring only from departmental duties) and became a Research Professor in 2013 after having taught for 30 years. John received his B.S. degree from the University of Michigan and his PhD degree from CU-Boulder and then held a post-doctoral position at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at Princeton University before being called back to CU-Boulder as a faculty member in 1983.

Professor Wahr is a world-renowned scientist who made seminal contributions to many areas of geophysics and geodesy. In his early research career, John was successful at developing the theoretical framework to understand the effects of the Earth’s interior structure as well as atmospheric and oceanic mass distributions on the Earth’s rotation, tides, wobble and nutation. Later in his career, and even more prominently, he worked on determining the effects of large-scale deglaciation on the Earth’s surface vertical motions, sea-level changes, and the Earth’s gravity field. In each of these research areas, he made groundbreaking contributions. His models of Earth’s tides and nutation served as international standards for nearly 20 years.

In the last two decades, Professor Wahr devoted most of his research efforts to developing tools and models to observe and analyze the time-variations in the Earth’s gravity field as observed from space. This has led to pioneering advances in a broad range of disciplines, including hydrology, glaciology, oceanography, meteorology, and solid-Earth geophysics. He was one of the principal intellectual forces behind NASA’s highly successful satellite gravity mission, GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment). Using GRACE gravity data, John and his collaborators quantified the mass loss in Greenland and Antarctica since 2002 due to ice melting. He also examined seasonal and secular variations in ocean mass and terrestrial water storage on both global and basin scales. These innovations opened up entirely new avenues to observe and study mass movements in the shallow subsurface of the Earth on different time and spatial scales. These advances not only directly impact Earth science but also have profound societal significance.

Professor Wahr’s research received wide recognition and acclaim. He won two major awards from the American Geophysical Union: the James B. Macelwane Award and the Charles A. Whitten Award in 1985 and 2006, respectively. He also received the Vening Meinesz Medal from the European Geosciences Union in 2004, was awarded the Guy Bomford Prize for Geodetic Research from the International Association of Geodesy in 1983, and was inducted into the US National Academy of Sciences in 2012. Professor Wahr’s research excellence was acknowledged locally by his being named a Professor of Distinction by the College of Arts and Sciences at CU-Boulder in 2012. Moreover, John was simply a great colleague in the Physics Department and within the national and international geophysical communities. He was unselfish, modest and collegial. He was always willing to help junior colleagues at the university and elsewhere.

Professor Wahr was a dedicated teacher and mentor: always caring, patient, and insightfully helpful with his students, collaborators, and colleagues. He taught Physics at CU-Boulder for 30 years, from introductory undergraduate physics to advanced graduate physics and geophysics courses. He has advised nearly 30 PhD and post-doctoral scholars; many of whom, following his example, remain active in teaching and geophysical research.

In addition to his outstanding research career, John was an avid outdoorsman, strong athlete, and devoted family man. He was often found hiking with his family and his solo hikes and bike rides were legendary. To clear his head he would take the bus to Nederland and walk back to Boulder. One of his favorite solo outdoor activities involved a week in the backcountry of Yellowstone: long days covered on cross-country skis and then winter camping in snow caves of his own construction. John was a baseball fan, first of his hometown team the Detroit Tigers but he adopted the Colorado Rockies after they formed in Denver, and would regularly attend Rockies games with his family. He was an accomplished musician with a fine singing voice, and a particular love of opera.

John was an intensely humble and private man who, nevertheless, had an enormous impact on people around him that extended well beyond the scientific insights that he shared with and inspired in others. He was respected and well liked by essentially everyone who came into contact with him.

Professor Wahr is survived by his dear wife Ann Wahr, by his daughter Katie Wahr, an elementary school teacher, of Boulder and son Andrew Wahr, a civil engineer, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and by his sister Jan Wahr and father John Wahr, both of Boulder.

John requested that no services be held on his behalf. However, condolences can be shared with John’s family on the “Messages” page of the web site commemorating his life, which was constructed by his son at johnwahr.com.

Off

Traditional

White

In Memoriam - David Lind

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 21:38:59 +0000

In Memoriam - David Lind Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/19/2015 - 15:38

Professor Emeritus David A. Lind passed away Friday March 6, 2015 at the age of 96.

David earned a B.S. in Physics from the University of Washington in 1940, and a Ph.D. in Physics from CalTech in 1948. He joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin as an assistant professor in 1951.

David Lind joined the faculty of the University of Colorado Department of Physics as an associate professor in 1956, the same year as Jack Kraushaar and George Gamow. This marked the beginning of a period of remarkable transformation for the department. David and Jack were the faculty leaders in creating, designing, and running the University of Colorado Cyclotron. They were the principal investigators of the contract from the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission for a design study of a cyclotron with azimuthally varying magnetic field. Such cyclotrons had been proposed to overcome the problem that conventional cyclotrons with azimuthally symmetric magnetic fields were limited to non-relativistic energies. Within a year, that contract had been modified to cover the design and construction of a 52-inch cyclotron capable of accelerating protons to 30 MeV, as well as accelerating deuterons, helium three ions, and alpha particles, one of only three similar cyclotrons in the country. The design process was led by David, Jack, Rod Smythe and Martin Rickey. A key feature of the machine was its ability to deliver particles to the target with a continuously variable range of energies. The State of Colorado provided funds for a building to house the cyclotron (pictured left), and the facility became the CU Nuclear Physics Laboratory with David and Jack as co-directors. David served as director 1958-1965 and 1978-1979. The CU Nuclear Physics program conducted pioneering research for more than twenty-five years, providing research and educational opportunities for hundreds of undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows.

David was elected chair of the department in 1974 and served until 1978. He retired from the physics faculty in 1983, and was awarded the Robert Sterns Award the same year.

Besides his scientific and leadership skills, David was well-know as an expert skier. Dave's love for the physical world did not end at the doors of his lab. His passion for mountain climbing and skiing led him to develop and teach a course on the physics of snow and avalanche phenomena for geographers, geologists, and snow and ice scientists at the CU Arctic and Alpine Institute. In 1996 he wrote The Physics of Skiing, published by the American Institute of Physics. He was a consultant for the National Ski Patrol Association, developing avalanche rescue beacons. He was a leader in the Colorado Mountain Club and was active with the Sierra Club, Seattle Mountaineers, and the American Alpine Club. In 1940, Dave, Fred and Helmy Beckey, Jim Crooks, and Lloyd Anderson (founder of REI) made the first ascent of Forbidden Peak in the North Cascades. Dave's REI number was 33. He taught technical climbing, led over 100 back country ski trips, and skied into his 80s, having started at 11 when he made his own skis using wood barrel planks. David was listed in Who's Who in America, American Men of Science, and he was a Counselor at Large of the American Physical Society.

David Lind helped lead the transformation of the CU Department of Physics into the world-class program it has become. He will be missed.

Professor Lind's family will be scheduling a memorial service in late May.

Off

Traditional

White

In Memoriam - Masataka (Seth) Mizushima

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 22:49:29 +0000

In Memoriam - Masataka (Seth) Mizushima Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 06/03/2014 - 16:49

Our friend and colleague Masataka (Seth) Mizushima passed away on May 28, 2014. Seth earned a Degree Rigakushi (B.A/M.A) in Chemistry from the University of Tokyo in 1946, and Rigaku-Hakushi (Ph.D.) in Physics from the University of Tokyo in 1951. He served as a postdoctoral research associate at Duke University from 1952 to 1955, and joined the Department of Physics at the University of Colorado as a assistant professor 1955. At that time, the CU-Physics faculty was comprised of two professors, four associate professors, four assistant professors, and one senior instructor.

Dr. Mizushima was promoted to Associate Professor in 1958, and professor in 1960. He had a NIST research appointment from 1955-1969, and had visiting professor appointments at eight leading institutions around the world. Seth retired from the university in 1989. Nineteen students graduated with Ph.D's under his supervision and mentorship.

Professor Mizushima's research spanned a wide range of theoretical atomic, molecular and optical physics. Professor Mizushima published three research books, one textbook, one translated monograph, and 84 peer reviewed research papers in leading journals. Later in his career and after retirement, Professor Mizushima conducted research in astrophysics, general relativity, and cosmology.

Professor Mizushima is survived by his wife Yoneko, brother Kenji, five daughters and ten grandchildren.

Off

Traditional

White

In Memoriam - Sydney Geltman

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 22:55:36 +0000

In Memoriam - Sydney Geltman Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/04/2014 - 16:55

Professor Adjoint Sydney Geltman passed away on March 17, 2014 at his home in Boulder. His career included over five decades of research and teaching. He moved to Boulder in 1961 to work with the National Bureau of Standards (now NIST). Syd Geltman was one of the founding members of JILA in 1962. He and eight other physicists from the Atomic Physics Section of NBS (Lew Branscomb, Peter Bender, Earl Beaty, George Chamberlain, Gordon Dunn, Jan Hall, Lee Keiffer and Steve Smith) created JILA, and were the leaders in its becoming the premier atomic, molecular and optical physics program in the world. Syd served on the physics faculty for fifty-two years! He will be missed by his many friends and colleagues.

There will be a memorial gathering and reception on Sunday, April 13 at 1:00 p.m. in the 11th floor Commons Room of the Duane Physical Laboratories.

View Professor Geltman's obituary.

Off

Traditional

White