David C. Montgomery *59

David died of Parkinson’s disease Dec. 12, 2023, in Hanover, N.H.

Born March 5, 1936, in Milan, Mo., he earned a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1956 and a Ph.D. in physics from Princeton in 1959.

On the faculties of the University of Maryland, the University of Iowa, William & Mary, and Dartmouth, David taught undergraduate and graduate physics classes at all levels. He received visiting teaching and research appointments at universities and laboratories in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Europe, and Japan. David’s specialty was plasma physics. He published two books, Plasma Kinetic Theory with Derek Tidman and The Theory of the Unmagnetized Plasma, and nearly 200 papers in scientific journals.

To mark David’s 60th birthday, the Journal of Plasma Physics published a special issue on nonlinear plasma physics, a topic he pioneered. He was awarded an honorary degree by the Technical University of Eindhoven for his work in two-dimensional hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics.

David’s interest in social justice led to his serving on the support committee of the American Friends Service Committee.

David is survived by his wife of 66 years, Shirley; daughters Elizabeth and Kathleen; and grandchildren Wynn and Scott.

Graduate alumni memorials are prepared by the APGA.