Florida State University FSU
Florida State University Seal
Physics Department Physics

Remembering Edward Desloge

Ed. D. by Natalia Andreeva, 2010
Ed. D.
by Natalia Andreeva
Oil on Linen canvas
2010
Edward Desloge's photo
Professor Edward A. Desloge (1926-2020) received a BS in Electrical Engineering from The University of Notre Dame under a Naval World War II program. His studies were interrupted by his service in the Navy after which he finished his degree at Notre Dame. He then attended Saint Louis University to receive his PhD and began his teaching career at Yale University. In the Fall of 1959 he joined the FSU Physics Department and became one of the founders of its graduate program which was just beginning to flourish. While Ed enjoyed his colleagues, his biggest joy was his interactions with students.  He taught primarily upper level undergraduate and graduate courses and his insights into physics were captured in his four textbooks: Statistical Physics, Thermal Physics and Classical Mechanics volumes 1 and 2.   These textbooks were different from most others in that they explored fundamental topics such as time and entropy as well as the subject’s normal material.  He was a superb instructor who never stopped working to make solutions to problems easier to visualize.  To this day his students remember well how he taught them not just to solve problems but to understand the meaning of their results. He was also a full participant in departmental activities, serving on its various committees and providing thoughtful, calming comments during what at times were heated departmental meetings.  His comments and contributions were always valued by all in the department.

	

Colleagues and Students Remember

	
We remember Ed as an outstanding physicist, author of a number of graduate textbooks and also as a wonderful person, humble, smart, and kind.
 - Natalia Andreeva, artist, and Alexander Volya, Nuclear Theory Professor 
	

●     ●     ●

At the age of about 30, I found myself sitting in Edward Desloge’s undergraduate E&M course, staring at the big, red “22” written at the top of the first course exam he had just returned to me.  My last name begins with the letter B and as he worked his way through the alphabet returning papers to the other students, I sat desperately trying to hold back tears and questioning a good many of the life choices I had made that had brought me to this moment.  Upon handing back the last paper and in preamble for our review of the exam, he announced that the class average for this exam was 20.  Yes, I remember Ed Desloge.  I found his ability to draw a perfect circle on the chalk board by hand somewhat inhuman, his use of perfect Palmer script when writing anything pedantically romantic, and his capacity for kindness inexhaustible.  Oh, and his exams challenging… 
 - Powell Barber, Technical/Research Designer 
	

●     ●     ●

Eddie Desloge was a senior member of the Physics Department’s family when I arrived at the department in 1986.  One of my earliest memories of Eddie had to do with a committee he was chairing.  The committee had been asked by the department chair at the time, Don Robson, to gather some information from the faculty.  Eddie sent an email to the faculty detailing what information was needed and then concluded the email with the exhortation “Do not fail me”.  That exhortation only works with a family-like group in which every member knows, respects and cares for everybody else.  Eddie related to his colleagues that way and in return, his colleagues thought of Eddie as an uncle – a really, really smart uncle.  It was a reflection of the atmosphere present in the department and the university in a simpler time.
 - Paul Cottle, Nuclear Experiment Professor 
	

●     ●     ●