Professor Emeritus Paul Roth. Image provided by the Universität Duisburg-Essen.
Professor Emeritus Paul Roth, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Germany, passed away on 17 March 2017. A longtime member of The Combustion Institute, Roth’s research in the formation of soot particles and his pioneering work in the targeted production of nanomaterials in flames greatly influenced the course of combustion research worldwide. He was one of the first scientists in the world to recognize that the knowledge of particle formation can also be used to influence other scientific fields and technology development.
As published in a Universität Duisburg-Essen press release, Prof. Roth studied mechanical engineering and received his doctorate (Dr.-Ing) at RWTH Aachen University, and then worked as a research associate for the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Roth joined the university as a Professor in 1974. In 1985, Roth founded and was appointed Chair of the Institute for Combustion and Gas Dynamics (IVG) at the university. The institute has become an internationally renowned center for scientists from all over the world. In the same year, Roth was also appointed Dean of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Prof. Roth devoted much of his time and expertise to the international combustion community. He served as Associate Editor of Combustion and Flame (2000-2006). He also worked to ensure the success of several International Symposia on Combustion, serving as a scientific reviewer and speaker. In 1992, Roth was honored with the Silver Combustion Medal during the 24th International Symposium on Combustion at the University of Sydney, Australia. Roth et al. received the medal for the paper, High temperature oxidation of suspended soot particles verified by CO and CO2 measurements.
For more than 20 years, Prof. Roth served as a spokesman for two special research areas: Material and energy transport in aerosols (1982-1997), and Nanoparticles from the gas phase (1999-2004). In 2004, Roth was named Professor Emeritus and remained active. He continued his important combustion research and worked as a consultant. Known as a committed and passionate scientist, Roth supported his colleagues at the Center for Nanointegration Universität Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE) as a member of the advisory board. In 2007, he was nominated for the German Future Prize.
For more information about the life and work of Prof. Roth, read the Universität Duisburg-Essen press release. The Combustion Institute honors Roth’s accomplishments and the work of scientific leaders who make significant contributions for the advancement of many diverse communities around the world.