La Jornada: Physicist Luis de la Peña Auerbach died

Luis de la Peña Auerbach, professor and researcher who dedicated seven decades to deciphering the mysteries of quantum mechanics and theoretical physics, died at the age of 94 last Sunday, reported the Institute of Physics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). His departure caused multiple expressions of regret among scientists and academics.

“Doctorate for the sake of honor of this house of studies, whose academic life contributed decisively to the development of physics in Mexico. His work, his teaching work and his commitment to scientific dissemination leave a lasting legacy for the university community and for Mexican science,” UNAM highlighted.

The researcher was a reference among the new generations of physicists, for his books Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, The Quantum Dice, The Emerging Quantum and more than 160 articles, which became required reading for scholars of this area of ​​knowledge.

Permanent work with students

One of the most relevant characteristics of his career was his permanent work with students, which allowed him to direct the training of more than 30 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral researchers and teach more than 150 courses in Mexico. But he was also a professor and guest researcher at several institutions around the world.

De la Peña Auerbach, born on July 23, 1931, in Texmelucan, Puebla, obtained the title of engineer in electrical and electronic communications at the Higher School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (ESIME) of the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) in 1953 and the doctorate in physical-mathematical sciences at the Lomonosov State University, of the Soviet Union, in 1964.

He was an emeritus researcher at the UNAM Institute of Physics since May 1994 and served as a member of academic commissions in institutions such as the IPN, the Mexican Physical Society, the Mexican Mathematical Society and the College of Professors of the Faculty of Sciences of the UNAM, among others.

He collaborated with the UNAM Universum Museum to build the room on quantum physics, and participated in the creation of the Museum of Light between 1995 and 1998.

He was a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences (formerly the Academy of Scientific Research) since 1967, of the National System of Researchers, level III, since 1984, and of the Mexican Society of Physics and the Third World Academy of Sciences.

Among the distinctions he received, the National Prize for Sciences and Arts in 2002 stands out, the National University Prize for Research in Exact Sciences in 1989, the Academic Medal of the Mexican Society of Physics in 1984 and the doctorate for the sake of honor from UNAM in 2015.

Colleagues and former students highlighted on social networks their ethical commitment to knowledge and their conviction that science should contribute to a more just society.