T. Gregory Guzik

T. Gregory Guzik died in the early morning of August 19, 2025 from cancer and effects of its associated treatment. He was born in Chicago, Ilinois on August 21,1952 to Patricia Anne and Rudolph Guzik at the University of Chicago Hospital and grew up in Frankfort, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Chicago with a BS in Physics in 1974, and obtained his Ph.D. in Physics also from the University of Chicago in June of 1980. His advisor was John A. Simpson, a group leader on the Manhattan Project. He offered Jane Goodman a ride when he spotted her walking home in a rainstorm from the LASR laboratory where they both worked, and they were married a year later in Bond Chapel on the University of Chicago campus.

In 1983, he started as a visiting instructor at Louisiana State University eventually becoming a Professor of Physics and director of the Louisiana Space Grant NASA EPSCoR (LaSPACE) programs. He received the 2020 NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal, one of NASA's most prestigious honors.

In the course of his career, he traveled to every continent of the world, including four times to Antarctica where he stayed at the research station in McMurdo, Antarctica, trying to detect cosmic rays by sending a specially designed instrument, ATIC, to the top of the atmosphere via a giant helium balloon. LSU students had an opportunity to participate, including a flight to McMurdo in a military cargo plane, and survival training in the ice and mountains of Antarctica. Subsequently, he participated in research with CALET, an instrument on the International Space Station investigating cosmic ray sources and building upon the scientific groundwork laid by missions like ATIC.

He enthusiastically promoted student and public involvement with science for more than 40 years. Working with BRAS and BREC, he brought the Highland Road Park Observatory—which houses a sophisticated digitally controlled telescope— to life in Baton Rouge. A minor planet discovered at the observatory, 85878 Guzik, was named after him. He started LaAces in 2003, giving Louisiana students the opportunity to launch and test micro payloads carried to the edge of space by balloon, and HASP in 2006 to accommodate more sophisticated payloads and nationwide student participation.

He is survived by his beloved family including his wife, Jane, twin sons, Glen Alexander Guzik, and Kyle Andrew Guzik, and daughter, Kelsie Anne Guzik (Sebastian Brumfield Mejía). His older brother, Rudolph Guzik died in Chicago in 2015. His sister, Leona (David Edwards) currently lives in South Carolina. He loved his family, his pets (especially the cats), and instilled a great appreciation for the wonder of nature and the desire to travel all over the world in his children. A private memorial service will be held for his family.