|
NewsLong-time Georgia Tech Physics Scientist Dies
Dr. Uzi Landman described Dr. Cleveland’s his professional accomplishments: Dr. Cleveland was a gifted scientist, endowed with exceptional analytical and numerical skills. He made significant contributions to the development of computational methodologies that enabled the investigations of nature on a microscopic level, and made important contributions to the understanding of complex problems in a broad spectrum of fields, ranging from the melting of materials, the arrangements of atoms in nanoscale crystals, the nature of collisions of clusters with solid surfaces, the attachment of electrons to nanodroplets of water, and the kinetics and dynamics of crystal growth. Since 2001 he worked intensively on explaining the properties of damage to DNA, which is implicated as the source for chemical changes underlying the development of cancer in humans. Ironically, some of his work was accepted for publication the day he received his cancer diagnosis. His professional contributions are marked by a unique capability to devise methods for analysis and visualization of complicated patterns, and the unique talent to develop and implement efficient and reliable computational techniques. Dr. Cleveland's work appeared in over 65 publications, which gathered more than 3,000 literature citations, reflecting the high impact of his scientific contributions. He earned the respect of his peers, faculty and students alike, as a bright, original, helpful, kind and compassionate colleague, who, along with his own research activities, worked selflessly to promote and foster the work of others. Dr. Cleveland obtained his higher education at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, and received his PhD in Physics under the guidance of Professor Hal Gersch. Upon graduation, he taught physics at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro for a year, and in 1979 joined the research group of Regents' Professor Uzi Landman at the Georgia Tech School of Physics, where he rose to the position of Senior Research Scientist. Dr. Cleveland played a key role in the establishment and development of the Georgia Tech Center for Computational Materials Science, where he performed research into the nature of materials, with an emphasis on the microscopic origins of chemical and physical behavior. In addition, he was responsible for, and managed, the computational resources of the center, and facilitated the research work of a number of other faculty members and students. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his name to: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Pancreatic Cancer Research, Georgia Cancer Specialists Foundation CancerCare |
|
