Dr. Ronald C. Davidson, Professor of Astrophysical Sciences, Emeritus at Princeton University, passed away Thursday, May 19th at his home in Cranbury, NJ. Ron was a devoted family man and an esteemed member of the international plasma physics scientific community and will be greatly missed.
Ron was born on July 3rd, 1941 in Norwich, Ontario, Canada where he grew up on his family’s dairy farm. He was the son of Annie and Crosby Davidson and younger brother to Walter Davidson. On the farm, Ron learned his uncompromising work ethic, which propelled him throughout his life. His academic life started in a one-room schoolhouse on the corner of his family farm that served grades 1-8. Despite these humble beginnings, Ron excelled academically while also contributing greatly to sustaining the family farm. In 1961, Ron met the love of his life, Jean (Farncombe) Davidson, the guiding force that kept him both inspired and grounded throughout his richly productive and joyous life. After graduating from McMaster University in 1963, Ron and Jean married and moved to Princeton, NJ where he received his PhD in Astrophysical Sciences in 1966 from Princeton University.
From his studies at Princeton, Ron was catapulted into a 50 year long career dedicated to the evolution of plasma physics and fusion research that took him across the country and globe. During this time, he made numerous fundamental theoretical contributions to several areas of plasma physics. He also educated and inspired generations of students, both through direct supervision and through the four graduate-level textbooks that he authored.
During Ron’s distinguished career, he served as director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) from 1991 -1996 and as director of the MIT Plasma Fusion Center from 1978 to 1988, and is author or co-author of more than 500 journal articles. Additionally he chaired the American Physical Society’s Division of Plasma Physics and Division of Particle Beams, and has participated in numerous national and international advisory and review committees on plasma physics and fusion research. Among his many recognitions and honors, Ron was awarded the James Clerk Maxwell Prize in Plasma Physics, the highest honor in plasma physics awarded by the American Physical Society.
Despite these accolades and his towering influence within the scientific community, Ron was consistently a humble and unassuming man who placed respect, family and friends above all else. He was a natural leader, generous mentor and kind soul.
Ron is survived by his wife of 53 years, Jean Davidson; daughter, Cynthia Premru and her husband, Greg Premru, of Groton, MA; son, Ronald Crosby Davidson, Jr. and his wife, Soo Mee Kwon, of Princeton Junction, NJ; four grandchildren, Will and Maddy Premru and Crosby and Cayley Davidson; nieces, Arlene Steele of Cambridge and Nyla Jayne Kooman of Virginiatown, Ontario; and nephews, Robert Davidson of Petersberg and Bill Davidson of Toronto, Ontario.
Visitation for friends and family will be held on Wednesday, May 25th 2016, from 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm at the Saul Colonial Home, 3795 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Square, NJ 08690.
A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, May 26th 2016, at 1:30 pm at the Princeton United Methodist Church, 7 Vandeventer Ave., Princeton, NJ 08542.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Ron’s memory to the “Prof. Ronald Davidson Memorial Scholarship Fund” at Princeton University. Contributions can be made on-line at makeagift.princeton.edu/MakeAGift.aspx. Please note the fund’s name in the comments box.
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