Robert Maurer
About Optica
In Memoriam: Robert D. Maurer, 1924-2025
09 September 2025
Robert D. Maurer, recipient of the John Tyndall Award, passed away on 9 September 2025 at the age of 101. He was recognized by Optica in 1987 for contributions to the discovery and understanding of materials and techniques for the fabrication of glass fiber waveguides for optical communication. Maurer was the lead scientist on the team at Corning Inc., formerly Corning Glass Works, that produced the first optical fiber for telecommunications.
Robert D. Maurer earned a B.S. in physics in 1948 from the University of Arkansas, USA, and a Ph.D. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1951. His university studies were interrupted by service with the 99th Infantry Division in Europe. After one year of postgraduate work at MIT, Maurer joined Corning's research and development laboratory, advancing from research physicist in 1952 to senior research associate and manager of the fundamental physics department, and eventually becoming a research fellow in 1978. In 1970, Maurer and his colleagues designed and developed the first optical fiber with optical losses low enough for telecommunications use. He retired from Corning in 1989. Maurer was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1979.
Optica and the scientific community mourn his loss.
