Stephan W. Koch
About Optica
In Memoriam: Stephan W. Koch, 1953 - 2022
12 September 2022
Stephan W. Koch, Optica Fellow and pioneering theoretical physicist, passed away on September 12 at the age of 69. Koch was known for his groundbreaking research on the consistent many-body theory and his seminal contributions to the optical and electronic properties of semiconductors, semiconductor quantum optics, and semiconductor laser designs. In addition to his research and publications, Koch’s impact on optics will continue through the numerous students he mentored during his career and his many scientific collaborations with colleagues around the world.
In 1977 Koch received his degree in Physics from the Goethe-Universität Frankfurt under the supervision of Harmut Haug. He completed his doctoral degree in 1979 and wrote his dissertation On the Theory of Electron-hole Droplet Nucleation in Strongly Excited Semiconductors. Koch went on to do a postdoc fellowship at IBM Research and then returned to Frankfurt to write his thesis on the Dynamics of First-Order Phase Transitions in Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium Systems. In 1985, Koch was awarded a Heisenberg Fellowship from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), which allowed him to join the faculty of the Optical Sciences Center at the University of Arizona. He would serve as a Professor of Optical Sciences and Physics at the University of Arizona from 1986-1993. In 1993, he returned to Germany and became a Professor of Physics at the Philipps-Universität Marburg, a position he would hold until he retired.
Koch received numerous honors and awards for his contributions. In 1995, the Institute of Engineering and Technology awarded him the J. J. Thompson Premium. Two years later, DFG awarded him the Leibniz Prize. In 1999, he received the Max-Planck Research Award. In addition to his work, Koch served on the Board of Trustees for the Physik Journal, Divisional Associate Editor of the Physical Review Letters (1997-2000), and Topical Editor of the European Physical Journal. His most cited works include the textbook with Hartmut Haug “Quantum Theory of the Optical and Electronic Properties of Semiconductors” published in 1990, the Physics of Optoelectronic Devices, and the Vacuum Rabi splitting in semiconductors.
During his career, Koch was dedicated to his research group and to the scientific community. He always found time to mentor young researchers and contribute to Optica, formerly OSA. Koch served as a member and Chair of the Nick Holonyak, Jr. Award Committee, a member of the Laser Science Program Committee, and a member of the Nonlinear Optics Advisory Committee and Program Committee. He also served on conference program committees including CLEO: Fundamental Science Program and Frontiers in Optics.
Koch’s passion and enthusiasm resulted in innovations that will have a lasting impact on the field of optics. He will be dearly missed by his many colleagues, friends, and students. Optica and the scientific community mourn the loss of Stephan W. Koch.
