A note from Professor Emeritus Bill Herbst:
We are sorry to report the passing of two long-time friends and supporters of the Astronomy Department, Stewart Novick, a Wesleyan Professor of Chemistry, and Robert Furber, a physics/astronomy major from the class of 1958.
Stew was like a member of the department, helping us out with countless tasks that required more senior faculty than we could muster ourselves, such as reviews, promotions and hires. He combined a broad interest and knowledge of astronomy with a kind willingness to serve on committees — we miss him. As an avid amateur astronomer he had acquired some nice equipment for viewing the skies, which he kindly donated to the department so that it can serve the next generation of students. The Chemistry Department shared this memoriam in October.
Bob was a a Physics/Astronomy double major who went on to a distinguished career in the aerospace industry. He maintained close associations with Wesleyan through class reunions, etc. After his retirement, he reached out to the Astronomy Department and became a close friend and donor. His generosity helped to support our research and public outreach activities. Bob joined us for VVO’s Centennial Celebration in 2016 and my retirement event in 2023. An obituary for Bob is available here.