Passing of Former PASSCAL Program Manager Jim Fowler
Jim Fowler passed away on February 25, 2014 after a lengthy battle with cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Jim began his career at IRIS consortium (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology) in 1985 as Chief Engineer in Washington, DC, and later became the first manager for the PASSCAL portable instrument program. In 1999, after New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology was selected to operate the IRIS/PASSCAL Instrument Center, the nation’s sole lending library for research seismological instrumentation, Jim moved back to his home state of New Mexico. Jim stepped down as the PASSCAL Program Manager in October 2010 after 25 years in that position, but continued as Senior Advisor for Engineering and Instrumentation until he retired in February 2013 and moved back to Maryland.
Jim is survived by his wife, Cynthia Fowler of Annapolis, Maryland; sons, David Fowler and wife, Amber Fowler, of Hughsville, Maryland, and Jeffrey Fowler and wife, Lea Fowler, of Victoria, BC. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Dakota and Sierra Fowler of Hughsville, Maryland and Romi and Milada Fowler of Victoria, BC.
On March 28th, 2012, staff from the IRIS/PASSCAL Instrument Center, Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS), as well as the US Geological Survey, Sandia National Labs, and students, assembled for the dedication of the IRIS/PASSCAL Instrument Center seismometer testing vault at New Mexico Tech. This world-class vault, used for testing of exquisitely delicate seismometers, was named the “Jim Fowler Seismometer Testing Facility” in his honor.
More information:
- Seismology Community Mourns the Passing of Jim Fowler
- IRIS/PASSCAL Celebrates Career of Jim Fowler
- IRIS/PASSCAL Dedicates Seismometer Testing Observatory to Jim Fowler
- IRIS President David Simpson's Remarks at Dedication of Observatory
- Seismometer Testing Facility Dedicated to Former IRIS PASSCAL Program Manager
