Robert Jay Rothfarb

Robert Jay Rothfarb was born on May 11, 1964, and grew up in Miami, Florida where he developed a love for art, photography, science, computers, nature, and music. A graduate of the South Dade Hebrew Academy, Arvida Jr. High School, and Miami Killian Sr. High School, he went on to earn a B.E.T. in Computer Technology from the University of South Florida and an M.P.S. in Interactive Telecommunications from New York University.

Rob's background includes extensive experience in software development, computer graphics, interaction design, and digital video, and he applied interactive and community-enabling technologies to educational media infrastructure, creating dynamic, networked content. Rob's interest in community and interactive 3D technologies led to work with several pioneering virtual world software companies and to interactive multimedia projects for museums including the National Gallery of Art and the National Constitution Center.

Rob worked for 19 years at the Exploratorium Museum in San Francisco as Director of Web Development and as Project Director, where his specialties included web/mobile software and user-experience development, multimedia development including video and audio, collaborative virtual environments, 3D computer graphics, systems administration, writing, mapping, augmented and virtual reality, online privacy, and developing mobile tools for exploring natural phenomena and history. Rob was involved in several web site projects which incorporate live digital video streaming including the Exploratorium's media portal, Transit of Venus, Journey to Mars, Evidence, Voyages of Discovery: NOAA's Okeanos Explorer, Live Deep Sea Exploration: Bob Ballard and the E/V Nautilus, and Ice Stories.

For the museum's Total Solar Eclipse project, he initiated and developed the first Exploratorium Solar Eclipse app which was downloaded nearly half a million times by people around the world. He and his team won a Webby award for the eclipse broadcast and app.

Rob wrote and received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for San Francisco's Buried History, a project for which he was the director and Principal Investigator. It includes an online audio walking tour featuring historical photographs and augmented reality, as well as a companion permanent kiosk at the museum that enables users to discover elements of historical, indigenous, and scientific interest about the world below their feet as they explore San Francisco's downtown district.

Rob's sense of determination was apparent early, when he survived a diagnosis of Hodgkin's Lymphoma at age 13. The radiation he received as part of his treatment caused him to experience numerous late effects in his adult life, including severe heart damage leading to multiple heart surgeries.

Doctors were always surprised to have a patient like him, who could not only provide detailed analysis of his health issues, but did voluminous background research to understand his options. At times he even brought his physicians relevant studies they hadn't known about. He was involved with Quantified Self, and created an innovative app to help monitor his blood chemistry including his INR and other health data. Rob very much valued being a true partner in his own health care and was deeply invested in and connected to the community of Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivors.

Rob often asked his many doctors, "What's the best practice for handling heart issues caused by cancer treatment, several decades after the treatment ends?" One doctor replied: "I don't know. Nobody knows. Rob, you're an astronaut." Ever the explorer, Rob became a pioneer, an astronaut, in seeking answers for himself and his community of Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivors that went beyond the limits of medical knowledge of their situation. He was deeply passionate about learning as much as he could and sharing this knowledge with his fellow survivors, helping them through their ongoing experiences with late effects.

He brought that same passion and curiosity to all of his many endeavors, from playing bass–Rob was a founding member and bass player for 14 years for the S.F.-based band the Flaming Telepaths and also played in the band American Economy–to learning about rocks, from amateur radio to tai chi, from his devoted work at the Exploratorium to his love and generosity toward family and friends. When he came across obstacles, his inventiveness turned them into opportunities for something new and innovative.

Ever the creative wellspring, Rob built bridges between the natural world and technology. He hunted rocks and admired them under fancy magnifiers that could take photos. He was fascinated by the sun's inner workings and the beauty of eclipses and streamed them live over the web to Exploratorium audiences around the world and even to audiences in Second Life.

His countless projects all bore the mark of his singular mix of wonder, artistry, wry wit, and the joy of being alive.

Rob will be very much missed by so many, and he'll continue to live and grow in the hearts of all he touched.

Rob passed away on June 30, 2023, and is survived by his brother Steven Rothfarb and his sister Shari Rothfarb Mekonen, sister-in-law Lois Rothfarb, brother-in-law Avishai Mekonen, nephews Zachary (Melanie), Matthew, Ariel, and Daniel, and partners Bob Hughes and Steve Browning. He is predeceased by his parents, Allan Rothfarb and Dr. Sylvia H. Rothfarb.

Donations in his honor can be made to Hodgkin's International.

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