Alachua Astronomy Club: In Memory of Ricard Elston

	Alachua Astronomy Club, Inc.	Member Astronomical League	Member International Dark-Sky Association
	Richard J. Elston	Member Astronomical League	Member International Dark-Sky Association
	29°39' N, 82°21' W Altitude: 50 Meters (more or less)		Updated Mar. 3, 2004
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In Memory of Dr. Richard J. Elston

Adapted from FirstLight (February/March 2004)
The Newsletter of the Alachua Astronomy Club, Inc.

Dr. Richard J. Elston
(October 1999)

It is with exceptional sadness that I must report that Dr. Richard J. Elston, Professor of Astronomy at the University of Florida, died early Monday morning (2004 January 26) in Gainesville after a long illness. He was 44. Dr. Elston was not only an exceptional human being but also an extraordinarily talented scientist. His research interests included formation and evolution of galaxies and near-infrared instrumentation.

Dr. Elston received his Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in 1988 and subsequently worked at the Cerro Tololo Inter American Observatory before coming to U.F. in 1996. He was regarded as one of the best young builders of near-infrared instrumentation for large telescopes including the first fully cryogenic, near-IR, multi-object spectrometer (FLoridA Multi-object Imaging Near-IR Grism Observational Spectrometer or FLAMINGOS).

Dr. Elston won major research grants since coming to U.F. and was selected by the White House in 2000 for a prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. This award is the highest honor given by the United States government to outstanding, young scientists and engineers and provides each recipient with $500,000 over five years to pursue their research interests.

Professor Elston was also a gifted speaker, teacher, husband and father. His warm, friendly and relaxed nature were immediately obvious to anyone first meeting him. He fascinated the Alachua Astronomy Club in February 1998 with his presentation, "Galaxies: Island Universes." Unlike many others in his profession, he was first an amateur before becoming a professional astronomer and would have been a more frequent speaker at club events if his health had permitted it.

He is survived by his wife, Dr. Elizabeth A. Lada, also a talented professor of astronomy at U.F., and a four-year-old son, Joseph Lada Elston. At the time of this writing, funeral and other arrangements to honor Dr. Elston are pending.

— Howard L. Cohen

MEMORIAL SERVICE: A memorial service in Celebration of Richard's Life is scheduled for March 19, 2004, 3:00 p.m. EST at the Baughman Center, University of Florida with a 5:00 p.m. reception to follow at the Keene Faculty Center, University of Florida. Click here for more information and how to RSVP.

DONATIONS: Donations in Richard's honor can be made to his son's college fund or the Sloan-Kettering Research Group. For more information, contact Tracey D. Phillips, Office Managaer (352-392-2052, ext. 202 or tracey@astro.ufl.edu) in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Florida.

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