Obituary
Osvaldo Goscinski (1938–2013)
Osvaldo Goscinski, retired professor of Quantum Chemistry at Uppsala University,
died on October 30, 2013, the day after his 75th birthday.
Osvaldo Goscinski grew up in Peron’s Argentina and received a classical education at the prestigious Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires, a special gymnasium
organized in collaboration with Universidad de Buenos Aires, which taught several
generations of famous authors, artists, scientists, and politicians.
With his first PhD. in Chemistry from the University of Florida, he arrived in
Uppsala in 1966, where he continued his graduate studies to a Swedish Fil. Dr. in
1970. In 1982 he became Per-Olov Löwdin’s successor on the chair in Quantum
Chemistry at Uppsala University. In addition to prominent international positions
like editorships, organizer of international meetings, collaborations and distinctions,
e.g., the Prize of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science in
1980, he served at important national duties as being a vice chairman of the
Swedish National Science Research Council and presiding over its program committee for Physics.
Osvaldo Goscinski’s main contribution to science was the development of
sophisticated quantum chemical methods and their application to contemporary
problems in theoretical chemistry. In particular, he was instrumental in extending
fundamental theories of his teacher and mentor Per-Olov Löwdin to modern
quantum chemistry. One of his objectives has been to increase accuracy and precision in analyzing the properties of various quantum chemical systems via model
independent investigations and analysis. His renowned recognition as an accomplished expert on propagator and perturbation theory led him to achieve unique
results in, e.g., the determination of van der Waals forces, excitation and ionization
energies, lifetimes, etc. His general passion for an erudite understanding of nature
xvii
Osvaldo Goscinski (1938–2013)
Osvaldo Goscinski, retired professor of Quantum Chemistry at Uppsala University,
died on October 30, 2013, the day after his 75th birthday.
Osvaldo Goscinski grew up in Peron’s Argentina and received a classical education at the prestigious Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires, a special gymnasium
organized in collaboration with Universidad de Buenos Aires, which taught several
generations of famous authors, artists, scientists, and politicians.
With his first PhD. in Chemistry from the University of Florida, he arrived in
Uppsala in 1966, where he continued his graduate studies to a Swedish Fil. Dr. in
1970. In 1982 he became Per-Olov Löwdin’s successor on the chair in Quantum
Chemistry at Uppsala University. In addition to prominent international positions
like editorships, organizer of international meetings, collaborations and distinctions,
e.g., the Prize of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science in
1980, he served at important national duties as being a vice chairman of the
Swedish National Science Research Council and presiding over its program committee for Physics.
Osvaldo Goscinski’s main contribution to science was the development of
sophisticated quantum chemical methods and their application to contemporary
problems in theoretical chemistry. In particular, he was instrumental in extending
fundamental theories of his teacher and mentor Per-Olov Löwdin to modern
quantum chemistry. One of his objectives has been to increase accuracy and precision in analyzing the properties of various quantum chemical systems via model
independent investigations and analysis. His renowned recognition as an accomplished expert on propagator and perturbation theory led him to achieve unique
results in, e.g., the determination of van der Waals forces, excitation and ionization
energies, lifetimes, etc. His general passion for an erudite understanding of nature
xvii