Robert Guyer

Dr. Robert A. Guyer, Theoretical Physicist and Educator

Dr. Robert A. Guyer, theoretical physicist and professor, age 88, died May 3, 2025, in Reno, Nevada, due to leukemia. A dedicated researcher and educator until the end, he published two scientific papers during his final year of life. Even in hospice care, he kept a small black notebook beside his bed to jot down equations and his last telephone conversation included a discussion with a young physicist about their ongoing collaborative work.

Born July 30, 1936, to Evan and Emma Guyer, Robert grew up in Buffalo, New York alongside his older brother, Walter Guyer. His parents divorced during his childhood, and unbeknownst to him at the time, his mother went on to have three more children: Mary, William, and Robert. Thanks to the determined efforts of his eldest daughter, Robert Guyer reunited with his half-siblings later in life, a connection that he relished.

At 18, he enrolled at New Mexico State University, drawn by the co-op program that allowed him to finance his education through work. He spent time at the White Sands Missile Range, calibrating cameras to capture missile trajectories in the desert. He earned his Ph.D. in physics from Cornell University, officially graduating only after the University dropped a language requirement that had stumped him.

In 1963, Robert began his academic career at Duke University, becoming an integral part of the low-temperature physics group led by Henry Fairbank. He provided the theoretical support necessary to design experiments that successfully confirmed the existence of "second sound," contributing to major advancements in the understanding of quantum fluid dynamics. It was an early example of the collaborative spirit and interdisciplinary approach that allowed him to contribute to studies in a wide range of areas, including low-temperature physics, neutron star phase dynamics, polymer science, materials science, seismology and geophysics.

After a fellowship at Harvard University, Robert joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1969, where he was a faculty member until 2006. His career included a fellowship in Germany as a recipient of the Alexander Von Humbolt Fellowship and sabbaticals at the University of Florida, University of Toronto, Cornell University, Schlumberger-Doll Research and the Exxon Research Center.

Upon retiring from UMass, he continued to pursue his dual research and teaching passions through contract work at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the University of Nevada, Reno. For many years, he spent six months each in New Mexico and Nevada. In 2020, he settled full-time in Reno. His formal teaching ended with the advent of Covid-19, but he worked remotely with LANL scientists until his death.

To the dismay of various UMass Physics Department Chairs, he had little to no affinity for academic administration or committee work, however, he was deeply dedicated to doing research, teaching and mentoring. He once set up an impromptu classroom in a hospital to teach as he received IV antibiotics for an infection. For years, he participated in an informal group of graduate students who met each morning over coffee to discuss physics. Most notably, a sizable share of his 300+publications were co-authored with scientists at the beginning stages of their careers, reflecting his passion for mentoring young scientists.

Beyond the lab and lecture hall, he lived a life defined by intellectual engagement, spending significant time reading or listening to classical music with a cup of black coffee by his side. Deeply inquisitive about topics from military strategy to philosophy, he relished conversation with people who shared his curiosity about the world, and enjoyment of travel and a good meal. He drew and painted throughout his life, creating portraits and still lives, but also whimsical murals for the walls of his children and grandchildren. Until his eyesight got the better of him, he played tennis and racquet ball.

He was a mainstay of the UMass physics department softball and volleyball teams in the Amherst town leagues. Robert had two daughters, Margaret and Jocelyn, with former wife Charlotte. He took pride in caring for them and fondly remembered the two years during which he was the primary caregiver while Charlotte pursued a law degree at Cornell University and commuted between Amherst MA and Ithaca NY. Later, he developed an additional chosen family with Katherine McCall and her daughter Eliza. In his final years, Robert moved to Promenade on the River in Reno where he continued his scientific research through online interactions, served as interim librarian, and was an active participant in art classes and art collaborations.

Above all, Robert valued intelligence, curiosity about the world and engagement with ideas. He spent little time on appearance, often wore sweatpants and a fleece, and preferred conversation over ceremony. His affection was quiet but thoughtful: whimsical notes and unexpected gestures of financial support for his friends, children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his two daughters and their spouses: Margaret Guyer and Constantine Bialik, Jocelyn Guyer and Joshua Seidman; his grandchildren: Leo Seidman, Benjamin Seidman, Magnolia Seidman, Julia Seidman, Deon'na Armstrong, Maya Bialik (William Cummings), and Liza Bialik; his siblings: Mary Frye (late Edward Frye), William Smeltz (Tammie Smeltz), and Robert Brooks (Julia Brooks); his long-time friend Katherine McCall and her daughter, Eliza McCall (Ryley Hill); and his former wife, Charlotte Guyer.

A scholarship is being established with the University of Nevada, Reno Foundation and contributions in memory of Robert Alan Guyer can be sent to: UNR Foundation, 1664 N. Virginia St., Mailstop 0162, Reno, NV 89557 or made online at www.unr.edu/giving. He would also appreciate your honoring his memory by reading a book, exploring a new idea, or striking up a conversation about an interesting idea.