Obituary of Leopoldo García-Colin (1930-2012)

The Mexican scientific community lost one of its most internationally recognized members with the death of Leopoldo S. García-Colin on October 8, 2012, a few weeks before his 82nd birthday. He is generally recognized as the father of statistical physics in Mexico. His leadership, friendship, teaching, willingness to share and help will be greatly missed by the Mexican statistical-physics community.

Leo obtained his bachelor degree in chemistry at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), although he had also covered the course requirements for the bachelor in physics degree. He received his PhD. Degree, in theoretical physics, at the University of Maryland, in 1959, under the guidance of Elliot W. Montroll and then spent some time, as a Research Associate, in the Institute of Fluid Dynamics and Applied Mathematics. There he met some of his international collaborators and lifelong friends.

Upon his return to Mexico in 1960 there were only four public state universities with undergraduate physics programs, and one (UNAM) at Mexico City which also had a graduate program, but statistical physics was not included among the areas of research. At that time, plans were being developed to create a School of Physics and Mathematics at the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN). Leo was invited to be part of this project, and became part of its faculty. There he started his professional activities in statistical mechanics in Mexico by teaching a graduate course on this subject, with students from UNAM also attending.

At that time research centers beyond those in Mexico City were being established. Thus in 1963 Leo joined a group of young Mexican scientists who became the faculty of the School of Science at the University of Puebla. Puebla quickly became recognized internationally for work in statistical mechanics. It was during this time that Melville S. Green spent a summer as Visiting Professor in Puebla. Also at that time Leo wrote a book on classical thermodynamics, that later became an undergraduate textbook. In 1965 The Scientific Research Academy of Mexico, later the Mexican Academy of Sciences, awarded Leo a prize in recognition of his achievements.

In 1967 he was invited to Head the Basic Processes Research Branch of the Mexican Petroleum Institute. In response to the many challenges in this field, he recruited a group of physicists, chemists and mathematicians to analyze processes in the petrochemical industry. Leo also promoted experimental work and applications of basic research to technological developments leading to several patents.

Leo was invited in 1973 to develop a project for the creation of the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), and moved in 1974 to become Head of Physics and Chemistry, a post that he held for five years. In 1983 he became the first Distinguished Professor of the University until his Emeritus Professor status in 2006.

Leo’s achievements received national recognition, as did his appointment, in 1977, as member of El Colegio Nacional (a Mexican honorary academy for bringing together the country’s foremost artists and scientists, to promote interest and understanding through lectures and seminars). He received the 1988 National Prize in Science and Arts. In recognition of his work, Leo was invited, in 1976, to occupy the Van der Waals Chair as a visiting professor at the University of Amsterdam.

In conjunction with his research and teaching activities he promoted international collaborations and helped establish the Winter Meetings on Statistical Physics, held annually since 1970, and the Mexican School on Statistical Physics, held biannually since 1980, all with international participants. He remained a mentor to Mexican students long after they finished their studies and into their careers as members of the international scientific community.

His outside activities included jogging, swimming, running, and jai-alai. Leo was an athlete, a good mentor, but above all a warm and humane man. Leo will be deeply missed by all who knew him.