Neil Holmes (1948-2023)

Neil Holmes passed away in his home with loved ones on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.

Neil was born on September 27, 1948, in Oakland, California. In his early childhood, he developed a love of science, astronomy, photography, music, and the outdoors, passions he nurtured his entire life. After graduating from Caltech with a B.S. in Physics, Neil completed a Ph.D. at Stanford University in Electrical Engineering. He then spent 42 years at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researching condensed matter shock physics and contributing to our national security. Neil was an exceptional experimental scientist. He developed novel shock physics techniques and investigated extreme states of matter, as evidenced by his more than 250 publications. Neil was deeply invested in advancing the physics community, generously sharing his time to collaborate with colleagues (both domestic and international), supporting their career development, and mentoring numerous early career scientists. Neil led the effort to build the Joint Actinide Shock Physics Experimental Research (JASPER) Facility – a pillar of the NNSA stockpile stewardship program. His peers elected him as a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 1998, an honor reserved for 0.5% of the society membership. He was a cherished and deeply appreciated colleague to a multitude of scientists around the world. His research helped keep our world safer while also deepening our knowledge of the matter from which it is made.

Although Neil made major scientific contributions, those around him often remarked on his passions outside the laboratory. He was an avid photographer, poet, music lover, and chef. He shared his talents with friends (personal and professional) and enriched the lives of all who had the honor of knowing him. A visit with Neil wouldn’t be complete without listening to some records, a few quotes from Shakespeare, Rumi, or Rilke, and some cookies for the road. His second home was camping under the stars. He loved the shape of trees, rocks, and flowering dogwood. He lived life fully and passed along his joy to those around him, including his daughter, Laura, and his granddaughters, Alanna and Selena.

Private services will be held. If you wish to honor his memory, consider donating to the San Francisco Symphony, wondering about the stars, drinking tea, or listening to birdsong while walking someplace beautiful and wild.

(Contributed by W. J. Evans, LLNL, USA)