Prof. James Lloyd, astronomy, died on July 15 at age 55, according to the Cornell Chronicle. He taught in the College of Arts and Sciences and was a mechanical and aerospace engineering faculty member for the Duffield College of Engineering since 2012.
Lloyd joined the department of astronomy’s faculty in 2004 and served as a principal investigator on multiple Cornell satellite missions. His research interests included extrasolar planets and the development of astronomical instruments.
“Jamie had a rare ability to move comfortably among astronomy, instrumentation and spacecraft engineering,” Prof. Mason Peck, astronautical engineering, told The Chronicle. “He brought an infectious curiosity and a determination to make ambitious ideas real. His generosity toward students, his loyalty to friends and colleagues, his delight in a difficult problem, and the energy and originality he brought to every conversation made Cornell a more imaginative and compassionate place.”
He earned his bachelor’s degree in physics at the University of New South Wales in 1994, and his Ph.D in 2002 from the University of California, Berkeley where he was recognized as a Fulbright Postgraduate Scholar. Lloyd then spent two years at the California Institute of Technology, where he earned the Robert A. Millikan Prize Postdoctoral Scholar, before coming to Cornell.
Lloyd was “the consummate caring professor,” Prof. Emeritus Jonathan Lunine, physical sciences, told the Chronicle. He taught several undergraduate courses throughout his time at Cornell and maintained the Hartung-Boothroyd Observatory as a teaching facility for upper-level courses.
“He dedicated his career both to cutting-edge research and to excellence in teaching – not only in the classroom, where he excelled, but also and most especially in the laboratory and observatory,” Lunine told The Chronicle.
Lloyd received several awards for his work, including the United States Navy Antarctica Service Medal with Gold Winterover Bar for his research in Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, the Cornell University Outstanding Educator award in 2009 and a NASA Group Achievement Award in 2018, according to the Chronicle.
He is survived by his wife, Aoise Stratford, a senior lecturer in performing and media arts, and his three children Rowena, Gwendolyn and Hugo. A memorial service to celebrate Lloyd will be held at a later date, according to the department of astronomy.
Individuals can have a diverse range of feelings, needs and reactions when facing loss. This information about Grief and Loss may be helpful to you or a friend. The Ithaca-based crisisline can be reached at 607-272-1616, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available throughout the U.S. Additional support resources are listed at mentalhealth.cornell.edu.
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Zeinab Faraj is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences and a senior editor on the 144th Editorial Board. She was a features editor and assistant sports editor on the 143rd Editorial Board and can be reached at zfaraj@cornellsun.com.
