Jose D. Garcia (1936 - 2024)

It is with great sadness that we have learned about the passing of Professor Jose D. Garcia (popularly known as JD) on Monday, October 14, 2024 due to Parkinson’s. JD was a faculty member in the physics department from 1967 to 2006. He started out as an Assistant Professor and rose through the ranks to be a Full Professor. His research interests included time-dependent quantum models for atomic collisions and quantum electrodynamics. JD was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society based on his extensive and influential research on these topics. He was also a recipient of the Edward A. Bouchet award that is awarded to a distinguished minority physicist who has made significant contributions to physics research and the advancement of underrepresented minority scientists.

Throughout his career, JD was an enthusiastic and successful promoter of physics education and science teacher education.  He had served as a Program Officer in the Division of Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation. As a long time member of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), JD had served in a large number of influential AAPT committees. He received the AAPT Distinguished Service Award in 2012.  He actively participated in meetings of the Arizona Section of AAPT and coordinated the meetings of the Tucson Area Physics Teachers (TAPT), a local physics teachers' support group, for 20 years. He was also very active in promoting physics outreach efforts in Tucson.

JD was a perfect example of excellence in all areas of faculty activity. He served as interim Department Head twice, and also as a UA faculty senator and Chair of the Faculty.  In addition to his high-quality research and teaching, he was always pushing the department to take the lead in diversity and outreach programs, for which he was an effective advocate.  He was the Charter President of the National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP) and from 2009-20010 was President of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS).

The Physics Department joins the UA community in mourning the passing of a respected figure of our University.  

Please read the obituary for Prof. Garcia in The Arizona Daily Star.

Everyone is invited to the Celebration of Life on Sunday, November 3, 2024, at 2:30 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson, 4831 E. 22nd Street.