http://www.brown.edu/Administration/George_Street_Journal/vol28/28GSJ01a.html

A memorial service for Anthony Houghton, professor emeritus of physics and professor of physics (research) who died last month at the age of 67, will be held at Brown sometime this fall.

Houghton retired from regular teaching at Brown in July 2002 but remained actively involved in physics research until his death.

He came to Rhode Island in 1963 when he joined the Brown faculty as an assistant professor of physics. He was promoted to the rank of associate professor of physics in 1967 and to professor of physics in 1971. He served as chairman of the Department of Physics from 1992 to 1998.

He wrote more than 90 papers on a diverse range of condensed matter physics problems including superconductivity, interacting electrons, disorder, and critical phenomena. In a famous collaboration with Franz Wegner, Houghton made a very important early contribution to renormalization group theory. A Fellow of the American Physical Society (only 1 percent of APS members are Fellows) and a Humboldt Fellow, Houghton was a visiting professor at many European and American institutions, including Oxford University, the Norges Tekniske Hogskole, the University of Sussex, the University of Manchester, the University of Heidelberg, Imperial College, London, and the University of California at San Diego. He held Science Research Council Fellowships at the Universities of Manchester and Sussex and at Imperial College London, as well as an Alexander von Humboldt Senior Scientist Award at the University of Heidelberg.

Houghton taught courses ranging from pre-med physics to specialized graduate classes in advanced statistical mechanics and quantum many-body theory. His many Ph.D. students have gone on to productive careers in condensed matter physics.

As his colleague Professor Leon Cooper, recalled: "Tony made many contributions to physics and to the Brown University Physics Department, to which he was enormously devoted. Tony did not seek headlines, and avoided publicity. He was a physicistÕs physicist whose work was best appreciated by his colleagues for its craftsmanship and great originality. He loved doing and talking about physics; he also loved good food, good wine and good conversation as well as the light of the setting sun on the water. He was a stimulating companion and fun to be with. We miss him."

Houghton brought to the department strength as a scientist and dedication as a teacher, along with a commitment of service to the University, said Professor David Cutts, current chairman of the department. "Tony was in many ways the backbone of the department. The leader of the condensed matter physics group, Tony was devoted to physics, as is evident through both his important contributions to the field and his outstanding qualities as a committed teacher and mentor. Junior physics faculty flourished, thanks to his advice, guidance and friendship. Frequently exhibiting a wry, British sense of humor, Tony could still be as fiercely passionate about issues important to the department and to the University as he was about physics. He took seriously the call to service, and devoted much time in leadership positions and University committees."

He is survived by his wife, Patricia, a sister and two nephews.