Bryant Paul Hichwa

1946 - 2022

Bryant Paul Hichwa
1946 - 2022
Bryant was born September 23, 1946 in New Britain CT, and passed peacefully on April 30, 2022 in Sonoma County, CA. He was the eldest son of Paul Harold Hichwa and Katherine Constance Danylow of Bristol, CT, both now deceased. He is survived by his brother Richard Hichwa of Iowa City, IA.
Education and research were areas Bryant valued highly. In 1968 he completed a B.S. degree in Physics at Georgetown University; he also participated in Summer Research while an undergraduate, an activity with a lasting influence on him. In 1973 he finished his Ph.D. at University of Notre Dame and spent two years in Post-doctoral study at University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was immersed in basic Nuclear Physics research. He moved to Hope College in Holland, MI where he taught from 1975-1985. He developed long-lasting friendships with some of the students he taught, encouraged and mentored and was very proud of their accomplishments in both academe and industry. He was especially delighted with those that entered the field of Medical Physics.
His first foray into industry was as a Principal Scientist developing electrochromics for automotive mirrors at Donnelly Corporation in Holland, MI from 1985-1987.
In 1988 Bryant came to Sonoma County for a stimulating twelve-year career where he served as Vice President of Research and Product Development at Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc (OCLI)/JDS Uniphase. "He considered the people he brought into the company to be his legacy": they were young scientists developing new processes and products, women in science mentored early in their careers, and scientists from around the world. A colleague wrote: "His legacy will long live in the students he trained, the people he recruited, and the co-workers he helped. I believe being a teacher and mentor was his destiny." Another recounted: "He was my first manager, his superpowers were: thinking big and bold, building a strong team with diverse backgrounds, and hiring exceptional people. Bryant was truly ahead of his time in his style of leadership." He held patents in thin film deposition, electrochromic devices, as well as display and optical telecommunications devices. His participation in professional organizations combined his love of science and interest in education as he served on the Board of The Society of Vacuum Coaters and on their Scholarship Committee. He moved to a start-up company for a short time and provided Technical Advisory Board support at two other start-ups.
Before retiring he returned to his first love, teaching. Bryant was Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Sonoma State University from 2002 to 2008. He brought his experiences from industry into the classroom. He was recipient of the all-campus Excellence in Teaching Award in 2005. He retired from teaching in 2008. An interest in the physics of sound and music led him to analyze and present Early Musical Instrument papers with a musician colleague on the musical acoustics of Baroque bassoons.
In 1969 Bryant married Diane Vough Hichwa, now his wife of 53 years. They met in high school, both being from Bristol, CT. Many mutual interests kept them exploring life together. They enjoyed travel around the U.S. and then to many other countries to learn about history as well as wildlife and the varied environments around the world. He was thrilled to see the Serengeti migration in Kenya, jaguars in Brazil's Pantanal, and thousands of bird species. Bryant acknowledged the most profound experience he had in nature was being in the presence of a mountain gorilla family in Rwanda. He was a nature photographer who shared many of his photos and experiences at Audubon programs and at the Gualala Arts Center. He and a colleague formed a Nature Photography Group to share their knowledge and experience, and to encourage others. He also enjoyed being immersed in nature—hiking, camping, identifying flowers and birds, taking photographs and walking with his golden retriever. These pastimes led him to value protection of the environment and preserving land for the future. He served on the Boards of local environmental organizations: 17 years with the Audubon Canyon Ranch Board, as well as the Boards of Sonoma Land Trust and Madrone Audubon Society. His terms of Board service in each organization saw many important conservation achievements come to fruition. One tribute: "His dedicated leadership, volunteerism, and generosity has left the world a measurably better place."
Bryant met life with a warm smile, a sense of humor, and as a kind and caring person. He lived at The Sea Ranch in NW Sonoma County the past 17 years, where he has been active in coastal monitoring and the local ecology. He leaves a rich legacy and many wonderful memories.
A Celebration of Bryant's Life will be held later in the summer.
Donations in his honor may be made to: Audubon Canyon Ranch (4900 Shoreline Highway 1, Stinson Beach, CA 94970), to Sonoma Land Trust (822 Fifth Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95404), or to the Bryant P Hichwa Summer Research Fellowship in Physics (Hope College, PO Box 9000, Holland, MI 49422-9000) that was founded by his former students.