Senior Physicist Victor Emery, a world-renowned solid-state theorist for the past 38 years in BNL's Physics Department, died on July 17, after a long illness. He was 68.

Peter Paul, BNL Interim Director, notes, 'The Laboratory, and science as a whole, has lost a great mind, one of the leaders in solid-state theory. I think we all lost a long-time and cherished friend when Vic Emery died after a courageous fight with a terrible illness. Vic worked on science until the end. Science, and all of us, will remember him.'

Born in England, Emery earned a B.S. in mathematics from the University of London in 1954, and a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Manchester in 1957. He served as a research associate in the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, England, 1957-59.

Emery then joined the University of California, Berkeley (UCB), where, in 1960, he and Andrew Sessler made the dramatic prediction that liquid helium-3 would experience superfluidity, or flow without friction, at temperatures very close to absolute zero. This prediction was later confirmed experimentally by future Nobel Laureates. Emery remained at UCB until 1964, and he also served as a lecturer at the University of Birmingham, England, 1960-63.

In 1964, Emery joined BNL's Physics Department as an associate physicist. He received tenure in 1967 and was named senior physicist in 1972. Within the department, he led the Cryogenics Group, 1972-77, and the Solid State Theory Group, 1975-84 and 1994-96. Emery also served as Associate Physics Chair and Head of Condensed Matter Physics, 1981-85.

In 1995, Emery received a BNL Distinguished Research & Development (R & D) Award, which is given for 'notable contributions to BNLıs R & D made over one or more years.' Recently, cited for 'their fundamental contribution to the theory of interacting electrons in one-dimension,' Emery and Alan Luther of NORDITA, Denmark, were awarded the American Physical Society's prestigious 2001 Oliver E. Buckley Prize in condensed-matter physics. Emery was also elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

At the Lab, Emery first worked on fundamental theories to explain the behavior of helium-3/helium-4 mixtures, and later turned to the theory of organic conductors and superconductors. He provided deep insights into general many-body aspects of boson and fermion systems. Through this work, Emery became one of the world's leading theorists in the study of phase transitions and superconductivity in low-dimensional fermion systems. After the discovery of high-temperature superconductors in 1986, Emery became one of the world's leading theorists of this new phenomenon. He presented one of the first believable theories of high-temperature superconductivity, and his model for the electronic structure of the copper-oxide planes in these materials became known as the 'Emery model.' Condensed-matter experimentalist Myron Strongin of Physics comments: ³Besides his work as one of the best condensed-matter theorists in the world, Vic had a great interest in shaping the experimental work in the condensed-matter program. With the advent of high-temperature superconductors, he had an even more profound effect on the experimental programs, influencing both the neutron-diffraction program and also playing a major role in starting a new program on the optical properties of the new oxide materials. We can only hope to continue the high standards that Vic set for us.

Around 1990, Emery began to work closely with Steven Kivelson, University of California, Los Angeles, with whom he wrote 39 complete papers. As Kivelson said during his memorial speech for Emery: 'It was my great privilege and joy to have been Vic's closest collaborator during the last decade-plus of his career.' Anyone who knew Vic does not need to be reminded of what a wonderful person he was, how generous, how supportive, how kind he was a truly great human being. Many can personally testify to Vic's commitment to the physics community, his selfless support offered where needed, and his generosity in crediting the contributions of others.

Vic's work on the one-dimensional electron gas, and on related subjects such as the Kondo problem, were far ahead of their time, both in content and in approach and this was recognized with the 2001 Buckley Prize. He has always been greatly admired and respected by the best physicists, and his work has come to be one of the pillars of the modern, field theoretic approach to condensed-matter physics.

In addition to his deep love for his family, his joy was in doing physics, in the thrill of discovery, the give and take of ideas, Kivelson recalled. Martin Blume, American Physical Society Editor-in-Chief and former Deputy Director of BNL, adds, 'Vic Emery was a brilliant scientist, a generous collaborator, and a dear friend.' Even in the face of a relentless illness these qualities shone through, and his accomplishments continued until the end. His presence at Brookhaven added greatly to the luster of our institution. I was fortunate to have worked with him and to have our names linked on publications of which I am very proud. I, and everyone who knew him, will miss him greatly.

In addition, John Tranquada, Physics Neutron-Scattering Group Leader, says, 'Vic was a generous leader and mentor who deeply loved physics. He would carefully explain new ideas to his colleagues, and then patiently repeat the explanations numerous times as we slowly absorbed the various steps of his elegant reasoning. He was also a good friend, and I will miss the old give and take.'

Doon Gibbs, Physics Department Associate Director, summarizes, 'Vic was one of our scientific giants, but he was also a nice guy, whom we sorely miss.' As Kivelson concluded: 'Surely, his memory will burn brightly for all of us who knew and loved him.'

A resident of Shoreham, Victor Emery is survived by his wife Vivienne; children Damian, Laurence, and Sharon; and seven grandchildren.

Liz Seubert

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