Charles H. Holbrow

See here for another remembrance of Holbrow , by Martha Sandler.

Charles H. Holbrow (born 23 September 1935) passed away on 19 December 2023. A precocious student, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison at age 15, earning a BA in history in 1955, followed by an AM in history and Russian studies at Columbia’s Russian Institute. Then, inspired by Sputnik and the dawn of the space age, Charlie returned to Wisconsin and completed a PhD in nuclear physics in 1963.

Charlie taught for three years at Haverford College, held a research position for two years at the University of Pennsylvania, and briefly served as associate editor of Physics Today before arriving at Colgate University in 1967. This proved to be an opportune time, as the school was embracing coeducation, higher academic standards, and an increased emphasis on faculty scholarship. A skilled programmer and advocate of computer use in education, Charlie was instrumental in building Colgate’s first computer center and served as its director in 1968. Early on, he received an NSF grant to construct a subcritical nuclear reactor, which he and his students used for decades to conduct nuclear physics experiments. Throughout his career, he remained active in nuclear physics and held visiting research appointments at the University of Pennsylvania, Brookhaven National Laboratory (often accompanied by Colgate students doing summer research), SUNY Stony Brook, MIT Lincoln Laboratories, and the GSI Center for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, Germany.

Charlie was well known in the greater physics community for his dedication to physics education. He was a stellar teacher and distinguished himself by teaching in new and creative ways. His lectures sparkled with wit and lightning-quick mental calculations that emphasized the importance of estimation in scientific reasoning. In the early 1980s, he pioneered a new curricular model for physics designed to attract and retain students in the physical sciences. In his model, students were exposed to modern physics topics, such as relativity and quantum mechanics, before tackling classical physics. In those days, he could often be found in his office, late at night, composing class notes and exercises to be distributed to students on the following day. This effort culminated in 1998 with the publication of a textbook, Modern Introductory Physics, with contributions from several Colgate colleagues. The textbook’s treatment of particle–wave duality stimulated an interest in quantum optics, which led to a second, enhanced edition published in 2010 that made contemporary topics such as quantum entanglement, quantum erasers, and Bell’s inequalities accessible to undergraduates.

While he liked to say that he did not “suffer fools gladly,” his actions showed a much more generous spirit. He was usually the first to show up at a new colleague’s house, bearing gifts of his favorite local foods. He patiently tutored younger colleagues on advanced physical theory, helping them to teach difficult topics with confidence. Leading by example, he promoted closer ties between faculty and students: He regularly invited students to his home for dinner, and at department picnics, he always brought the volleyball net and stayed on the court for as long as students played.

Charlie was very active in the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the American Physical Society (APS). In recognition of his many contributions, he was named a fellow of the APS in 1996. He served as president of the AAPT in 2003, and in 2008 he was called on as executive officer to rescue the association from a financial crisis. In recognition of his widespread and long-lasting contributions to the teaching of physics, he was awarded AAPT’s Oersted Medal in 2012.

After retiring from Colgate in 2003, he moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. As a visiting professor of physics at MIT, he worked on developing massive open online courses (MOOCs), free and open to all. At Harvard, he helped revise the pre-medical curriculum to include more life-science applications of physics. For this work, he was awarded a Harvard Certificate of Distinction. He created an alumni group for Ford Foundation Fellows, and was active in both the Lexington Computer and Technology Group and the Lexington Community Education Program.

Charlie is survived by his wife Mary, their five daughters (whom he regarded as his greatest contribution to society), spouses, and seven grandchildren. In honor of his love for family and physics, and in lieu of flowers, contributions to the AAPT “In Memory of Charles H. Holbrow” will advance physics teaching and learning by supporting dependent-care grants for AAPT members when attending national conferences.

Obituaries are made available as a service to the physical sciences community and are not commissioned by Physics Today. Submissions are lightly edited for grammar and style. Click here for guidelines on submitting an obituary. If you are a copyright holder who thinks that an obituary violates your copyright, please contact us .