I’m very sorry to report to you that Jim Richardson
passed away on March 7, 2008 in his home in Lemont, Illinois.
Jim received his BS degree from Purdue
University in 1978 and was awarded a
PhD in Chemistry from Iowa State University
at Ames in
1984. He immediately joined IPNS at Argonne National Laboratory as a post
doctoral appointee and began a long and highly successful career. He
progressed from post doc to staff member, instrument scientist, and finally
Deputy Division Director at IPNS in the intervening 23 years Jim’s
career was focused on studying oxygen permeable ceramic membranes, symmetry
lowering in molecular sieves and zeolites, simultaneous analysis of crystalline
and non-crystalline scattering, and powder diffraction analysis such as peak
deconvolution. Jim was that rare scientist who simultaneously maintained a top
tier research program in diffraction analysis, while coordinating a robust user
program that brought kudos to IPNS and Argonne.
In his role as instrument scientist Jim also mentored innumerable students, post
docs, and junior staff. In the past decade, recognition of Jim’s
expertise and insights led to his appointment to numerous national review and advisory
committees.
But Jim was even more than all that. To all of us at IPNS,
Jim was a wonderful colleague and friend, and a truly honest and honorable
gentleman. As many of you know, for the past six months Jim had been fighting
a serious illness. Throughout this difficult time he maintained an upbeat
manner and retained his sense of humor.
Although Jim’s passing was expected, this is truly a
sad day for science, neutron scattering and his Argonne
colleagues and friends. Most off all, we will miss his friendship and warmth.
Our deepest sympathies go to his wife, Barbara, and his family.
Visitation will be at the Markiewicz Funeral Home, 108 E. Illinois St., Lemont, IL 60439, [630-257-6363], 2-8PM, March
10. Services will be held at the Markiewicz Funeral Home, March 11 at 11AM.
Ray
Ray Teller, Director
Intense Pulsed Neutron Source (IPNS)
Argonne national
Laboratory
www.pns.anl.gov
630-252-4999