John J. Simonetti III *81

John Simonetti, an expert in materials science, died Dec. 24, 2009, at home. He was 60.

Simonetti received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1972 from Rutgers University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He then earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton in 1974 and 1981, respectively. For the next 27 years, he worked for Schlumberger, the international oil-field-services company.

Simonetti was well known and recognized for his expertise in materials science. He developed detectors for the Hubble Telescope and the Cassini Deep Space Probe. He also earned several patents in his role as a scientific adviser.

He is survived by his wife, Donna, and his mother, Philomena.  

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.