Obituary of Philip A. Casabella

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Mourns the Loss of Professor Philip Casabella Troy, N.Y. The lecture halls and classrooms of Rensselaer’s Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy will never be the same as Rensselaer mourns the passing of Philip Casabella, beloved professor and associate chair of the department. Casabella passed away early Tuesday morning, Feb. 6, following a long battle with cancer.

Rensselaer has lost one of our finest educators, said Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson. Professor Casabella loved research, teaching, and above all mentoring his students. To the very end he demonstrated his extraordinary devotion and commitment to his students and to Rensselaer. His legacy will live on through the accomplishments of the countless scientists and engineers around the country and the world who were inspired by his love of physics and guided by his wisdom.

Casabella taught physics at Rensselaer for more than 45 years, and truly loved what he did for a living, bringing his passion for physics directly into the classroom. No one will ever forget his popular Physics Magic Show, complete with small explosions and choruses of oohs and aahs from his students. Casabella helped introduce generations of students to the power of physics, and he helped inspire some of our greatest scientists to become the groundbreaking researchers and industry leaders that they are today. In the words of one former student, Being an outstanding teacher goes well beyond passing on information. Phil turned my love of physics into a passion, engaged me in my work in the laboratory, and nurtured my self-confidence.

Known as Mr. Physics Education by his colleagues, Casabella got students excited about physics and scientific education. He was loved by his students and kept in touch with many of them even decades after they had graduated. Casabella was also greatly respected by his colleagues. In 2001 he received the Trustees Outstanding Teacher Award, which was established in 1994 by Rensselaer’s Board of Trustees to annually recognize outstanding accomplishments in classroom instruction. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1954 and a master’s in 1957 from Rensselaer both in physics and a doctorate from Brown University in 1959. During his career he served as acting chair and then chair of the department of physics. At the time of his death, he was associate chair of the department, a position he had held for many years. He joined the Rensselaer faculty in January of 1961 and saw the university through years of change, turmoil, and triumph. He helped to develop the studio mode of instruction that embraces a non-lecture style of teaching and emphasizes group work, hands-on activities, and computer usage to get students more involved in the learning process. This method would later spread beyond the physics department to nearly every department within Rensselaer.

Samuel Wait Jr., associate dean of science and longtime friend and colleague, said, It is hard for me to think of any faculty member in the School of Science, or for that matter, in the Institute, who has made such remarkable contributions to the education of Rensselaer students over 45 years. During his time at Rensselaer, Casabella also researched nuclear magnetic resonance in solids. Late in his career, Casabella focused his efforts on inspiring the next generation of scientists. He was a champion for undergraduate education and was highly involved in undergraduate admissions as well as undergraduate course design and instruction. Casabella truly cared for each of the students and wanted them to get more than they ever thought possible out of their education at Rensselaer. Casabella remained committed to his students until the day he died, working late into the evenings in between hospital stays just last week to ensure that his students were getting their assignments on time. Casabella is survived by two children and three grandchildren.