Obituary -- Dale E. Sayers

Dale E. Sayers, physics professor at North Carolina State University, died on November 25, 2004 at the age of 60 from complications following a heart attack while exercising at the gym. He was a world leader in X-ray absorption spectroscopy. He came to fame with the publication of the first EXAFS paper, in 1971. With it, he opened up a new field of research, which is now about to celebrate its twelfth bi-annual meeting in 2003 in Sweden. Professor Sayer's work using synchrotron radiation led him into a broad variety of research topics including investigations of amorphous materials, biophysical specimens, contaminated soils, nanoscale structures, and cancerous tissues. Professor Sayers was a recipient of the Bertram Eugene Warren Award (American Crystallographic Association); the Case Centennial Scholar Award (Case Western Reserve University); and the N.C. State Alumni Association Outstanding Research Award. His family would appreciate contributions to the Dale E. Sayers Scholarship Fund, PAMS Foundation NCSU, c/o Anita Stallings, College of PAMS, 116 Cox Hall Campus Box 8201, North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC 27695-8201.