Cesare Emiliani

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Barbara Lidz has forwarded this tribute regarding the passing of Cesare
Emiliani.

A Tribute:

      Dr. Cesare Emiliani, a
longstanding friend and colleague and one of the great geologists and
micropaleontologists of this century,  passed away unexpectedly on July
20, 1995.  A pioneer in oceanic research, Cesare earned his first doctorate
at the University of Bologna and then accepted a Fellowship to study at the
University of Chicago with Harold Urey.  Among many honors in his
distinguished career, Cesare won the Alexander Agassiz Medal of the
National Academy of Sciences and the Vega Medal from the Swedish Royal
Geographic Society for his isotopic studies on microfossils that showed how
ocean temperatures changed throughout the Ice Ages and our modern epoch of
more moderate climates began.
     As the senior author's mentor in micropaleontology more than 25 years
ago, Cesare inspired and instilled a sense of excitement for the potential
and many multidisciplinary ramifications, far removed from isotopic studies
and biostratigraphic dating, that planktic foraminifera hold for
deciphering the geologic record.  Through the years, he worked closely with
the senior author on many studies beyond those papers that bear his name.
Stimulated by the curious, mysterious, and unknown, Cesare commanded
incredible amounts of knowledge on any subject, scientific or otherwise,
yet answers to some questions frustratingly alluded him.  Indeed, only two
months before his death, the authors were last engaged with Cesare in a
vigorous poster session discussion about the probabilities and
impossibilities of the results presented here.  Following that meeting, he
traveled to Italy in June to accept an Honorary Doctoral Degree, awarded by
the University of Bologna, before returning to his home in Florida.
     Cesare's highest regard was for his family, to whom he was a devoted
husband, father, and grandfather, yet he had a genuine interest in and
concern for friends and colleagues.  His charismatic nature was imbued with
a wonderful sense of humor and an uncommon generosity.  These qualities
coupled with his gifted scientific foresight and expertise form an unusual
legacy fittingly symbolized by the uniqueness of the relic faunas
exemplified here, their implications for the paleotectonic, paleoclimatic,
and paleoeustatic record, and the unanswered questions they pose, every
element by which he was particularly intrigued.  Cesare was and will
continue to be a singular inspiration to all whose lives he touched.  He
will be sorely missed.

 Cesare, amicus nostrum, vale et vade in pace.


------------------------------------ -----------------------------------
Barbara Lidz                        | email  blidz@usgs.gov
USGS Center for Coastal Geology     |
600 4th St. South                   | voice  (813) 893-3100 x3031
St.Petersburg, FL  33701            | fax    (813) 893-3333
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