Cemeteries in Austin, TX | Austin American-Statesman

Cornelius Frederick Moore, Jr., Ph.D., a distinguished experimentalist in the field of molecular, atomic and nuclear physics, died on October 3, 2024. Professor Moore, who taught at the University of Texas in Austin for decades, known among colleagues and students as a brilliant and intelligent researcher. As a very involved teacher, he taught his students how to identify existing scientific information and push the envelope towards new developments in the field of physics. He was 88 years old.

The first of five children, he was born on March 18, 1936, in Louisville, Kentucky to violinist Jane Lutkemeier Moore and civil engineer Cornelius Frederick Moore, Sr. Shortly after the birth of Fred Jr., he received treatment for cleft palate, a unique altered-asset disorder that resulted in his incomparable professorial speaking voice.

When Fred Sr.’s work took the family to Colorado, Nebraska, Alabama, Minnesota and Washington, Fred Jr. she stayed with her grandmother to recuperate for several years. After the family took up permanent residence in Louisville, Fred Jr. developed a work ethic that continued throughout his life. From his early teenage years operating heavy equipment on his father’s construction sites, to raising chickens on the farm and photographing campus life for student publications, he never took a break. He was always hard working and very successful, delivered the daily newspaper on his bicycle before school and excelled as an Eagle Scout. An avid sailor, he built a fiberglass sailboat and raced every year on the Ohio River.

For years, his cousins ​​called him “Mr. Universe,” Fred joked. Or perhaps not entirely in jest since, at first, he was eager to learn the secrets of the universe. His witty, embarrassing and hilarious humor kept the family laughing. Some of their names included, “Uglier-Than-I-Am-#1,” “Uglier-Than-I-Am-#2.” Her sweet and sparkling eyes radiated an infectious joy that permeated her faithful lifelong friendship. He received a BS in Physics in 1959 from the University of Notre Dame; in Physics in 1961 from the University of Louisville and a Ph.D. in Physics in 1964 at Florida State University.

While Fred was in Tallahassee, he married his FSU classmate, Patricia, on June 3, 1961. After his graduate studies, he moved his family to Austin. and joined the Department of Physics at UT. His early research involved the discovery of analog isobaric states in heavy nuclei. Physics in Perspective, a publication of the National Academies Press, cited his work as one of the most important discoveries in nuclear physics of the past decade. In 1965, he was made an associate member of the American Physical Society. Fred worked with physicists internationally, which included a sabbatical at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in the charming city of Heidelberg, Germany, to develop his talents, skills and knowledge of experimental equipment. advanced. Fred was offered attractive faculty positions in Saudi Arabia and Princeton but chose to keep his job at UT with their excellent faculty and laboratory. He also conducted research at Argonne, CERN, JINR, Lawrence Livermore, Oak Ridge, Stony Brook, and many other facilities around the world.

Under Professor Moore’s leadership, the UT Center for Nuclear Studies flourished. During the 1970s, he pioneered the study of x-ray and Auger electron transitions from highly ionized atoms. These experiments were followed by laboratories around the world. In 1974, he began the study of the pion-nucleus interaction based on experiments conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory. In the 1980s he was involved in the development of the STAR program at Brookhaven National Laboratory. His lifetime efforts in physics resulted in more than 300 scientific publications. Professor Moore’s high profile and innovation in the field of nuclear science were recognized when he was named Professor Emeritus of Physics with the University of Texas in Austin. Before retiring, he was honored with the Marian Harris Thornberry Centennial Professorship in Mathematics or Physics. He retired in 2008 but continued to teach graduate students for many years afterward.

Professor Moore earned his lasting legacy by excelling in nuclear testing and bringing practical applications of its science to students through the non-profit Home Service program he founded in 1991. The program, designed to augment classroom learning with online interaction, was later renamed Quest. By assigning unique problems to each student, it naturally encouraged student interaction and brainstorming. Fred spoke first and worked with the Texas legislature to open this new avenue for science education, resulting in the bill becoming law and the program’s widespread use. Quest is now used worldwide and answers millions of answers per week. “I learned a lot from Fred,” says a colleague at Quest. The help he gave me helped me a lot to develop who I am today.”

Fred’s love of nuclear research was surpassed by his great love, giving and devotion to his family. He was a big fan of Notre Dame and avidly enjoyed watching Fighting Irish football games. A great storyteller, he brought people together with fun and funny stories. Bridge was his favorite game and he excelled at it, achieving Bronze Life Master status.

Professor Moore was preceded in death by his parents and nephew. Survivors include his wife, Judy, whom he married on March 6, 1993; his first wife, with whom he had five children: Ingrid (John), Snow (Jeff), Fritz, Holly, and Thomas (Rachel), three stepchildren: Carrie (Carlos) Jauregui; Tim (Danor) Padden; Jill (Andrew) Urban; his brothers: Fr. Christian Moore, OFM Conv., Mary Ann Moore, Patrick (Taffy) Moore, MD, and Frank (Cherie) Moore, PE; eleven grandchildren; great-grandson; and seven nieces and nephews.

Fred’s lifelong quest to discover the scientific mysteries of the Universe is what brought him back to it. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of a contribution to a charity of your choice. At his request, no public services will be held.

Fred was a refreshing, enlightening and incredibly loving person who will be greatly missed by all who knew him!