Juan Gualterio Roederer
Encyclopedia
Juan Gualterio Roederer is a professor of physics emeritus at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
(UAF). His research fields are space physics, psychoacoustics, science policy and information theory. He conducted pioneering research on solar cosmic rays, on the theory of earth’s radiation belts, neural networks for pitch processing, and currently on the foundations of information theory. He is also an accomplished organist.
, Italy
, on September 2, 1929. He lived as a child in Vienna
, Austria
, where he went to primary school. In 1939 his family emigrated to Argentina
where he completed his education. Roederer earned a Ph.D. in physical-mathematical sciences at University of Buenos Aires
, Argentina
in 1952. From 1953 to 1955 he worked as guest research scientist at Werner Heisenberg
's Max Planck Institute for Physics
in Göttingen
, Germany
. From 1959 to 1966 he was professor of physics at the University of Buenos Aires. In 1967 he moved to the United States where he became professor of physics at the University of Denver
, Colorado
. In 1977 he was appointed director of the world-renowned Geophysical Institute
at UAF
, a post held until 1986; during that time he also served four years as dean of the College of Environmental Sciences. Since 1987 he teaches and conducts research at the University of Alaska, which conferred him emeritus status in 1993. A visiting staff member of the Los Alamos National Laboratory since 1978, he was chairman of its advisory committee on Earth and Space Sciences from 1983 to 1988. From 1986 to 1992 he served two United States
presidents as chairman of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission
. Between 1997 and 2003 he was senior adviser to the director of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy. He served as member and chairman of several United States Academy of Sciences/National Research Council
committees, and was president of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy and of the ICSU Committee on Solar Terrestrial Physics
University of Alaska Fairbanks
The University of Alaska Fairbanks, located in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska System, and is abbreviated as Alaska or UAF....
(UAF). His research fields are space physics, psychoacoustics, science policy and information theory. He conducted pioneering research on solar cosmic rays, on the theory of earth’s radiation belts, neural networks for pitch processing, and currently on the foundations of information theory. He is also an accomplished organist.
Career
Roederer was born in TriesteTrieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, on September 2, 1929. He lived as a child in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, where he went to primary school. In 1939 his family emigrated to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
where he completed his education. Roederer earned a Ph.D. in physical-mathematical sciences at University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
in 1952. From 1953 to 1955 he worked as guest research scientist at Werner Heisenberg
Werner Heisenberg
Werner Karl Heisenberg was a German theoretical physicist who made foundational contributions to quantum mechanics and is best known for asserting the uncertainty principle of quantum theory...
's Max Planck Institute for Physics
Max Planck Institute for Physics
Max Planck Institute for Physics is a physics institute in Munich, Germany that specializes in High Energy Physics and Astroparticle physics. It is part of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft and is also known as the Werner Heisenberg Institute, after its first director.It was founded as the Kaiser Wilhelm...
in Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. From 1959 to 1966 he was professor of physics at the University of Buenos Aires. In 1967 he moved to the United States where he became professor of physics at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. In 1977 he was appointed director of the world-renowned Geophysical Institute
Geophysical Institute
The Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks conducts research into space physics and aeronomy; atmospheric sciences; snow, ice, and permafrost; seismology; volcanology; and tectonics and sedimentation. It was founded in 1946 by the United States Congress...
at UAF
University of Alaska Fairbanks
The University of Alaska Fairbanks, located in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska System, and is abbreviated as Alaska or UAF....
, a post held until 1986; during that time he also served four years as dean of the College of Environmental Sciences. Since 1987 he teaches and conducts research at the University of Alaska, which conferred him emeritus status in 1993. A visiting staff member of the Los Alamos National Laboratory since 1978, he was chairman of its advisory committee on Earth and Space Sciences from 1983 to 1988. From 1986 to 1992 he served two United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
presidents as chairman of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission
U.S. Arctic Research Commission
The United States Arctic Research Commission is a United States federal agency. It was established by the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 .-Duties:The Commission’s principal duties are:...
. Between 1997 and 2003 he was senior adviser to the director of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy. He served as member and chairman of several United States Academy of Sciences/National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
committees, and was president of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy and of the ICSU Committee on Solar Terrestrial Physics
Publications
Roederer is author of 250 articles in scientific journals. He is author and editor of various books- Roederer, J.G., 1962: Mecanica Elemental, Eudeba, Buenos Aires. Last Edition 2002.
- Roederer, J.G., 1970: Dynamics of Geomagnetically Trapped Radiation. Springer, Berlin, 187 pp. (translated into Russian).
- Roederer, J.G., 1973: Physics and Psychophysics of Music. Springer, New York, 161 pp. (translated into German, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese). Fourth Edition 2008, 226 pp.
- Roederer, J.G. (ed.), 1983: Progress in Solar-Terrestrial Physics. D. Reidel, Dordrecht, The Netherlands/Boston, USA, 442 pp.
- Malone, T.F., Roederer, J.G. (eds.), 1985: Global Change : The Proceedings of a Symposium. Cambridge University Press, 512 pp.
- Roederer, J.G., 2005: Information and its Role in Nature. Springer, Heidelberg, 250 pp.
Awards and honors
- Fellow of the American Geophysical UnionAmerican Geophysical UnionThe American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
(1977) - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of ScienceAmerican Association for the Advancement of ScienceThe American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
(1980) - Senior Research Fellow of the United States National Academy of Sciences (1964–1966)
- Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Science of Argentina (1983)
- Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Science of Austria (1985)
- Associate Fellow of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (1990)
- Edward A. Flinn III Award of the American Geophysical UnionAmerican Geophysical UnionThe American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
(2000) - Honorary Member of the Argentina Physical Association
- Honorary Member of the Argentine Association of Geodesists and Geophysicists
- Recipient of the medal "100 Years of International Geophysics" of the former Soviet Academy of Sciences (awarded to 100 geophysicists worldwide)
- Recipient of four NASA Group Achievement Awards for his collaboration in the Galileo Mission to Jupiter