It’s with heavy hearts and great difficulty that we announce the passing of Dennis Nemeschansky who peacefully passed away while sleeping on June 1st, 2023.
For 15 months Dennis fought valiantly against glioblastoma remaining hopeful and optimistic even in the face of insurmountable odds. As we grieve the loss of an extraordinary man we celebrate the life of our family’s rock, an exceptional man who touched the minds and hearts of everyone who knew him.
Born on December 21st, 1955, in Helsinki Finland, Dennis displayed early on, his brilliance and aptitude for mathematics and physics. His insatiable curiosity and determination to excel led him to pursue a career in physics studying first at the University of Helsinki and then at Princeton and Stanford Universities. By the time he completed his post-doc studies, Dennis grew to love California and decided to make it his new home– accepting a position at the University of Southern California where he taught thousands of students over 35 years. His innate brilliance and deep understanding of the complexities of the universe dazzled his peers and students alike, leaving an indelible mark on the academic community.
Beyond the classroom and the conference halls, Dennis was a pillar of strength and love within his family. He married the love of his life, Lauren, and together they raised two sons, Marc and David. His commitment to his family knew no bounds, and he embraced the joys and challenges of fatherhood with unwavering devotion. Dennis was not only a loving family man but also a constant presence in his sons’ lives. He enthusiastically supported their passions, serving as a dedicated hockey coach and soccer coach, cheering them on from the coaches’ bench and teaching them valuable life lessons through sportsmanship and teamwork.
Dennis was a man of immense fortitude and determination which was evident by his unwavering dedication to every endeavor he pursued, personally and professionally. When Dennis set his mind to it, it happened. Whether it was his academic pursuits, his coaching responsibilities or helping his wife build a small business, he approached each with fierce determination and gave it his absolute best.
Dennis’ departure leaves an irreplaceable void in the lives of our loving family and the countless others who had the privilege of knowing him. We will never forget his gentle demeanor, playful smile, and genuine warmth.
The Nemeschansky Family
The USC Department of Physics and Astronomy mourns the passing of Gerd Bergmann, a distinguished condensed matter physicist whose research transformed our understanding of quantum transport in disordered systems. He is best known for discovering weak localization, a key quantum interference effect that has had a lasting impact on the study of electronic behavior in low-dimensional materials.
Born in 1938 in Germany, Bergmann conducted research at the Forschungszentrum Jülich before joining the faculty at the University of Southern California, where he became a leading figure in experimental condensed matter physics. In his later years, he turned his attention to the theoretical modeling of Kondo cloud phenomena, exploring the spatial extent of Kondo screening in quantum impurity systems.
Bergmann’s contributions were widely recognized. He was a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a recipient of the Physics Prize of the Academy of Göttingen. Beyond his scientific achievements, he was a dedicated mentor and valued colleague, known for his sharp intellect and passion for physics.
He will be deeply missed by the scientific community, his colleagues, and the many students he inspired.
Read the USC Dornsife story to learn more about Gerd Bergmann’s incredible contributions to Quantum Science.
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Armand Tanguay, passed away on February 25, 2024. He held a joint position with Physics and Astronomy, as well.
Professor Tanguay was born in 1949 in Northampton, Massachusetts. He obtained a B.S. degree in 1971 in Physics with Honors from Caltech, and an M.S. in 1972, an M.Phil. in 1975, and a Ph.D. in 1977, all Engineering and Applied Science from Yale University. Armand joined USC in 1977 as Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Materials Science and was promoted to Associate Professor and Professor in Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, and the Neuroscience Graduate Program.
Armand played a vital role in the development of photonics at USC, acting as Associate Director and then Director of the USC Center for Photonic Technology. He also served as Deputy Director of the Integrated Media Systems Center, the first National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center awarded to USC, and was a founding member of the Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems Center (BMES), another National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center.
He was an expert in solid state physics, physical optics, photonics, and electrooptic devices and supervised many Ph.D. Theses in these and related areas and published extensively and presented in conferences more than 400 technical papers. Armand was a Fellow of the Optical Society of America (OSA) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
In memoriam: Richard S. Thompson
Source: Dornsife Communications
In Memoriam: Darrel Judge
Source: Dornsife Communications
In Memoriam: Kazumi Maki
Source: Dornsife Communications
In Memoriam: John Nodvik
Source: Dornsife Communications