Obituary: Gregory E. Poirier

Gregory E. Poirier, 39, a physical chemist in CSTL’s Process Measurements Division, died Sept. 15. He joined NIST in 1991 as a National Research Council postdoctoral research associate working with CSTL’s Steve Semancik in the study of chemical sensing thin films.

Poirier was recognized both inside and outside of NIST as one of the world’s foremost experts in using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to investigate a class of ultrathin organic film known as self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). SAMs spontaneously form on many metal and semiconductor surfaces and are studied for applications in chemical sensing, lubrication, and molecular electronics.

“Greg’s STM studies of SAMs are widely regarded as unparalleled in terms of their scientific impact and pure beauty,” says Process Sensing Group Leader Michael Tarlov. “Using an STM instrument that he designed and constructed, Greg obtained ultrahigh resolution images of SAMs where individual molecules could be seen. Through careful and rigorous interpretation of these images he unlocked structural details of SAMs and gained an understanding of the molecular forces that govern the assembly of SAMs. He was the first to observe many different SAM structures and successfully interpret these in terms of two-dimensional phase transitions.”

Poirier was knowledgeable about many different areas of science, say colleagues. He was engaged in research collaborations outside of his STM specialty and was valued by colleagues for his advice on new and ongoing projects. A sought-after speaker, he presented lectures on his work at conferences, universities, and national laboratories throughout the United States, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and Japan. In addition, his STM images frequently graced the covers of scientific journals, e.g., Langmuir, and his publications have been cited nearly 1,000 times. He won the CSTL Technical Achievement Award in 1996 and in 2000 he was honored as the NIST Sigma Xi Young Investigator of the Year. He was a member of the American Physical Society and the American Vacuum Society.

Outside of work, Poirier enjoyed Cajun and Zydeco dancing and was expert at carpentry and other skills associated with renovating his house. His generosity, gentleness, and passion for science will be missed by his many friends both inside and outside of NIST.

He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Austin where he studied the surface science of single crystal transition metal oxides and earned bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and mathematics from Indiana University.

Survivors include his parents, two sisters, and two brothers.