I am very sorry to share the news that Professor Emeritus C. Bradley (Brad) Moore, revolutionary physical chemist and leader in the College of Chemistry community, passed away peacefully at the age of 85.
Born in Boston on December 7, 1939, Professor Moore's early life and education were centered in and around the New England area. He studied at Harvard University as an undergraduate chemistry major and earned his A.B. degree in 1960, and then promptly set off to Berkeley for graduate school. He joined the research group of George Pimentel and received his Ph.D. degree in 1963. Professor Moore began interviewing for faculty positions during his third year of graduate school and joined the faculty in the Department of Chemistry here at Berkeley in July 1963.
The breadth and depth of Professor Moore's influence in science and academia has been truly remarkable. He was one of the first chemists to use lasers in the 1960's, and he paved the way for key new areas of molecular energy transfer, chemical reaction kinetics, and photochemistry. In later years, he provided quantitative benchmarks for theories of chemical bond breaking. His work served as a strong foundation for models that are useful for predicting the complex chemistry in the atmosphere, in chemical-processing plants, and in combustion engines.
Outside of research, Professor Moore made impactful contributions to the administration of the Department and College of Chemistry. He served as Chair of the Department of Chemistry from 1982-86 and as Dean of the college from 1988-94. Professor Moore was instrumental in paving the way for the construction of Tan Kah Kee Hall, which was first conceived in the mid-1980's and completed and dedicated in the spring of 1997. Professor Moore's next administrative role was as Director of the Chemical Sciences Division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory from 1998-2000. Later in 2000, after nearly four decades of service to Berkeley, Professor Moore was appointed as Vice President for Research at The Ohio State University and served in that role until 2003. He then moved to Northwestern University, where he was Vice President for Research until his retirement in 2008.
Professor Moore's achievements in research, teaching, and service were highlighted by the receipt of a number of honors: a California Section Award from the American Chemical Society, the E. O. Lawrence Memorial Award from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Earle K. Plyler Prize for Molecular Spectroscopy & Dynamics from the American Physical Society, and a Humboldt Research Award for U.S. Senior Scientists, among many others. He was a Member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
From his pioneering work in physical chemistry to his dedicated leadership at Berkeley and beyond, Professor Moore leaves behind an immense and inspiring legacy of service and scientific advancement. Professor Moore is survived by his wife, Penelope, daughter Megan, and son Scott.
Please join me in honoring and remembering our distinguished colleague.
Regards,
Anne