Peder Jan Estrup, PhD

Died on September 18, 2025 at the age of 94 in Santa Barbara, California. He was a world-renowned scientist in both chemistry and physics who spent most of his career at Brown University as the Newport Rogers Professor of Chemistry, Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Professor of Physics, then Dean of the Graduate School and Research at Brown until his retirement in 2004.

He published over 100 papers and received numerous awards and accolades.  He was invited by the Nobel Prize Committee to submit proposals in both chemistry and physics.

Peder was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and earned a Fulbright Scholarship to Yale University where he completed his PhD in Physical Chemistry in just 3 years.

He moved to Santa Barbara, CA in 2004 where he became a Visiting Researcher at UC Santa Barbara in the Chemistry Dept.  He loved classical music, opera, history, politics and travel.

He leaves behind a loving extended family in the US, Denmark, England, Lebanon and Austria, along with hundreds of admiring and inspired graduate students.  He will be remembered for his kindness, brilliance, wisdom and humor.

You are invited to a memorial service to be held on November 6th at 1:30pm in Santa Barbara in the Theatre at Valle Verde, 900 Calle de los Amigos, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the PBS Foundation at https://foundation.pbs.org/ways-to-give/memorial-honor-gifts/.