Mark J. Davis, Dec. 16. 1960 – April 2. 2021
On April 2nd 2021 Mark Davis passed away after fighting brain cancer for 17 months. The glass community has lost a wonderful person and a superb scientist.
Mark, a geologist by education, left California and its blue skies to get a Ph.D. from Yale University in 1996. Geology stayed a theme of his life due to his love of the outdoors, either hiking or biking. The Grand Tetons, the Alps, and the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges were favorite and inspiring locations for him.
At the Crystallization Symposium (International Commission on Glass TC7) in Florianopolis, Brazil, in 1996, his impressive contributions led to an urgent appeal to apply for a job at SCHOTT. After accepting the job, he joined SCHOTT in 1998 at the Dureya, Pa., location. At SCHOTT he was known across all units as an inspiring mind, who was extremely gifted in connecting people and providing high quality contributions to numerous topics thereby enabling progress. He was a guide and a mentor to many colleagues; a brilliant teacher with the ability to truly listen. Discussing science with Mark was a constant source of support and encouragement.
Mark studied nucleation in glass,1,2,3 and the ICG Technical Committee, “Crystallization and Glass-ceramics” (TC7) and the ACerS Glass and Optical Materials Division (GOMD) become his scientific homes. By organizing the legendary meeting in 2006 in Jackson Hole, Wyo., he found the ideal location, just at the base of the Grand Teton mountains, for an unforgettable scientific exchange, by bringing together just the right leading experts. He was chair of ACerS GOMD Annual Meeting 2010 in Corning, N.Y., and became chair of the ICG TC7 in 2018 until his illness forced him to resign.
Mark leaves behind his wife Joan and his two daughters, Emily and Sarah, whom he often called “the greatest achievements of his life.” All of us miss him as the ever friendly and inspiring person he was, who always showed extreme respect to others. His curious, always positive, encouraging, and sound contributions will be missed in the future.
Contributed by friends and colleagues: Joachim Deubener, Alicia Duran, Ulrich Fotheringham, Joe Hayden, Wolfram Höland, William James, Martin Letz, Steve Martin, John Mauro, Ina Mitra, Ralf Müller, Wolfgang Pannhorst, Edgar Zanotto, and Joe Zwanziger.
[1] Davis, M.J. “Crystallization in glasses and liquids” (2007) Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 90 (3), p. 681
[3] Davis, M.J. “Effect of the Growth Treatment on Two-Stage Nucleation Experiments” (2001) Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 84 (3), pp. 492-496
[2] Davis, M. “Effect of the growth treatment on two-stage nucleation experiments: The “flushing” effect” (2000) Glass Science and Technology: Glastechnische Berichte, 73 (1 SUPPL. C), pp. 170-177