Robert E. Cohen, the Raymond A. (1921) and Helen E. St. Laurent Professor of Chemical Engineering, Emeritus, whose pioneering research helped shape the fields of polymers and soft matter while inspiring generations of students, passed away peacefully on July 9 following a long battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 79. "Bob Cohen was an innovator in every sense of the word: in his research, his approach to mentorship, and in every aspect of our community at MIT," says Kristala Prather '94, the Arthur D. Little Professor and head of the Department of Chemical Engineering (ChemE). "Bob combined extraordinary intellect with remarkable humility. As a teacher, colleague, advisor, and friend, he had a gift for making people feel respected, valued, and heard. That generosity shaped every part of his work and inspired everyone fortunate enough to know him." During more than four decades at MIT, Cohen continually reimagined how chemical engineering students should be educated. Recruited for...
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