Marjorie CORCORAN

1950 - 2017

CORCORAN, Marjorie Acclaimed scientist, dedicated teacher, loving mother, beloved wife Professor Marjorie (Blasius) Corcoran died in a bicycle-train accident February 3, 2017. She had been a member of the faculty at Rice University for over 35 years in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. During her time at Rice she took on many roles, serving as the first Speaker of the Rice Faculty Senate and Chair of the Physics and Astronomy Department, but what she enjoyed most was explaining the physical world we live in to her students. She was proud to be a role model for young women physicists and insisted on teaching undergraduates so she could influence their career choices. She also worked outside the classroom to encourage women to pursue science, and just last month co-organized a conference for undergraduate women in physics sponsored by the American Physical Society. She believed that all children are born scientists but we fail to nurture this natural talent by making science and math classes boring. To counter that, she worked with high school physics teachers during summers to show them the exciting parts of physics that they could take back to their classrooms. She would want everyone to know that conservation of momentum works, and when a train and bicycle collide, the train always wins. Marjorie was born July 21, 1950 in Dayton Ohio to Margaret and Theodore Blasius, and is survived by her husband of 44 years Chris, daughter Colleen, son-in-law Stephen Villavaso, and expected granddaughter (who Marj nicknamed Livie) in Los Angeles, son Craig and his fianc? Betny Townsend in Austin, son Conner in Houston, brother Dave and his family in Dayton, and brother Don in Colorado Springs, as well as many brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews. Marjorie received her undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Dayton where she met her future husband Chris. She received her PhD from Indiana University under the direction of Professor Homer Neal and was a research associate at the University of Wisconsin prior to c oming to Rice. She was a Fellow of the American Physical Society and served on its executive committee for the Division of Particles and Fields. A few years ago she received the Distinguished Scientist Award from the University of Wisconsin, and more recently she had been APS Women Physicist of the Month. Most of her research in particle physics involved experiments conducted at Fermi National Accelerator Lab outside of Chicago she was smart enough to find an area of research that took her out of Houston in July and August. Outside the world of physics (she would consider that phrase an oxymoron) she enjoyed spending her spare time in Colorado hiking, skiing, and watching the stars and meteors from the hot-tub. Marj loved the outdoors, and it is comforting to her family that over the past few years they had the opportunity to spend some wonderful holidays together in the mountains. She also enjoyed being outside in Houston her daily bike ride to work, biking with her husband along Braes Bayou to see the bald eagle, running with grand-dog Tobi through the park, and on an occasional sunny day driving around in her little red Miata with the top down. Marjorie left us on a cool, clear day in Houston, biking to work through the community that she loved. She departed this world much earlier than anyone anticipated but she left behind three wonderful children and many students who will take inspiration from, not only her wisdom and insight, but also the way she led her life. Friends are cordially invited to gather with the family and share remembrances of Marjorie during a visitation to be held from two o'clock until four o'clock in the afternoon with a service beginning at three on Friday, February 10, 2017 at the Bradshaw-Carter Funeral Home in Houston. In lieu of customary remembrances, gifts may be directed to Save the Children, or the charity of your choice.