Philip John Maiorana Jr.

Philip J. Maiorana Jr. of Cambridge MA passed away peacefully at home on November 24, 2025, surrounded by immediate family and dear friends.

Phil was the quintessential scientist and critical thinker, possessing an ever curious mind. After graduating with a degree in Chemistry from Hobart College, Phil started his career as a biochemist at Harvard School of Public Health, where he worked on a cure for progeria. He was an avid inventor who created the Bug Me Bug Me Not mood indicator; the Baby Box, a tool for psychologists at Harvard to assess infant cognition; and Doctor Charm's Scintillation Counter, a device that measures the amount of penicillin in cow's milk. Phil's love since childhood was electronics, and through several contract jobs he transitioned to a full-time electrical engineering role. At Kurzweil Applied Intelligence he worked on one of the first speech recognition tools. He then spent the rest of his career working for MKS Instruments, creating one of their most popular products, and earning two U.S. patent awards. Phil lent his scientific skills to every hobby he had - from researching and analyzing dozens of olive oils to making plans to re-engineer his house's heating system with solenoids and controls.

While Phil cherished his solitude, spending time poring over Scientific American, Rolling Stone, and Time magazines, and tinkering with multiple projects, he equally loved spending time with his family and friends. No matter how much he struggled with health challenges, Phil had a casual and laid-back attitude that helped him prevail over his long-term illness. We will miss his generous heart and easy laugh.

Phil leaves behind his brother Jay of Las Vegas, New Mexico, and his brother Bob and sister-in-law, Marcy of Wellesley. Phil is predeceased by his parents Philip Sr., and M. Dorothy.

A memorial gathering will be held on May 3, 2026, at 1:00 PM followed by a reception from 2:00 - 4:00 PM at Bigelow Chapel, Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA.