Theodore E. Madey 1937 - 2008
Theodore Eugene Madey, Ph.D., 70, noted Rutgers professor and a pioneer in the field of physics and the chemistry of solid surfaces, died at his home on Sunday, July 27, 2008, following a battle with lung cancer. Professor Madey was a prolific and influential scientist for his entire 45-year career and was the author of over 400 publications pertaining to the physics and chemistry of atomic and molecular-level surface processes.
Professor Madey was born in Wilmington, Del., on Oct. 24, 1937, and spent most of his early life in Baltimore, Md. After attending Loyola Blakefield High School in Baltimore, he received a B.S. in physics from Loyola College of Baltimore in 1959 and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Notre Dame in 1963. He served on the scientific staff at the National Bureau of Standards now the National Institute of Standards and Technology, N.I.S.T.) from 1963 to 1988, attaining the position of NBS research fellow and leader of the Surface Structure and Kinetics Group. In 1988, he was appointed the State of New Jersey Professor of Surface Science and director of the Laboratory for Surface Modification at Rutgers University. He served there until his death. Professor Madey received numerous prestigious awards and honors for the sustained high quality and creativity of his work, including an honorary doctorate from the University of Wroclaw in Poland in 2004.
A dedicated and beloved teacher to hundreds of undergraduate students and a research mentor to dozens of graduate students and postdocs, he was awarded the Graduate Teaching Award from Rutgers University in 1995. Professor Madey was an outstanding leader within his scientific community, serving on many U.S.and international advisory committees. He also served on the editorial boards of many scientific journals and publications, including Physics Today.
Professor Madey is survived by his wife of 48 years, Jane M. Madey; his four children, Timothy Madey, Doretta Witt, Maureen OShea and Daniel Madey; his sister, Audrey Norrod; and his 13 grandchildren, Austin OShea, Garrett OShea, Timothy OShea, Katherine Witt, Kevin OShea, Sarah Witt, Anna OShea, Lauren Madey, Luke Madey, William OShea, Grace Madey, Mary Witt and Julia Madey. He was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Lucy Madey.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Thoracic Research Fund, c/o Mark G. Kris, M.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., H1014, New York, N.Y. 10065.
