This notice is from the archives of The Notice Board. Information contained in this notice was accurate at the time of publication but may no longer be so.
The University of Lethbridge extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Richard E. Taylor (DSc ’93), who passed away Feb. 22 in Stanford, California at the age of 88.
Taylor, who shared the 1990 Nobel Prize for the discovery of quarks, hailed from southern Alberta. Born in 1929 in Medicine Hat, he was the first Canadian ever to be awarded the Nobel Prize in physics.
His work as an experimental physicist changed the way scientists thought about the world and ushered in a new age in particle physics.
According to an obituary in the New York Times, Taylor had dreams of becoming a surgeon as a youth. After accidentally blowing up a chemistry lab in the basement of his home, he lost a forefinger and parts of the middle finger and thumb on his left hand, thus putting an end to his thoughts of pursuing a career as a surgeon. He changed his focus to science, eventually attending the University of Alberta, where he completed a bachelor’s and master’s in science. He was accepted by Stanford University for his PhD and spent most of his career working there.
In honour of Taylor, the U of L will lower its flag on Tuesday, March 13.
Contact:
caroline.zentner | caroline.zentner@uleth.ca