As I wrote earlier this week, the passing of Curt Breneman, Ph.D., on Tuesday, December 3, was a great loss, not just for our community, but for the global community of scholars. His pioneering research in the field of computational chemistry and predictive cheminformatics led to breakthroughs in computational drug discovery and materials informatics that have saved and improved countless lives and continue to inspire new approaches to both chemistry and health care. 

Outside of academia, he served as an adviser to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy/National Institute of Standards in Technology Materials Genome Initiative program, and as a consultant to General Electric, Eastman Kodak, Google, and many pharmaceutical and drug-discovery companies, all of which contributed to his election to the American Chemical Society.

But it’s worth keeping in mind that Curt spent most of his career at RPI. He started as an assistant professor of chemistry in 1989, was named head of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in 2012 and was appointed dean of the School of Science in 2015, a position he held for the remainder of his life. Curt’s passions for knowledge, exploration, and mentorship can be felt in every corner of our community.

Everyone who worked with him recalls his warm personality, his easy-going sense of humor, and his willingness to chip in wherever he could. What might be surprising to those who knew him casually is just how wide his range of interests – which included flying, pyrotechnics, skydiving, and shortwave radio – was, and the clever ways he found to combine them. For example, he once used his decades of experience as an airplane pilot to make a video of himself flying over Lake George to give us a bird’s-eye view of the Darrin Fresh Water Institute’s work. Along with his “cameraman, producer, and director” – his beloved wife, Mimsy Pye – he not only provided stunning images of the project, but gave an in-depth overview of its work in real-time.

That interest in flight and his pursuit of science were inspired by watching the Apollo 11 moon landing as a boy and his enjoyment of science fiction. He credited the love of science fiction, and particularly Star Trek, for his lifelong belief that art, science, and engineering arise from the same creative impulses and remain inextricably linked. This belief has always been a part of RPI’s culture, and as we reaffirm it in our new strategic plans, Curt’s life and accomplishments will serve as a guidepost.

According to his obituary, relatives and friends may call at Bryce Funeral Home in Troy on Saturday, December 7, 2024, from 1 to 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, his family suggests that donations to Camp Fowler or your charity of choice would honor Curt's memory. You can also share memories and send condolences here.

A celebration of Curt’s life will be held at RPI in January, and we will announce the date, time, and location as soon as details are finalized. 

I will miss Curt deeply, and I know that many of you will, too. Our hearts go out to Mimsy and her siblings, nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and -nephews, as well as Curt’s stepsons, Jason and Matt Rocker. At the same time as we mourn his passing, we know that his achievements and legacy will always remain a part of this community.