Thomas Branson (1953–2006)

Thomas BransonWe are deeply saddened to report that Professor Tom Branson suffered a heart attack and passed away Saturday, March 11. The visitation will be at the Lensing Funeral Home at 605 Kirkwood Ave, Iowa City on Wednesday from 4-7PM, and the service will be at St. Mary's on 302 Jefferson Street, Iowa City on Thursday at 1:30 PM.

Tom was born October 10, 1953 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the son of Gordon and Patricia (Wolf) Branson. On June 7, 1991 he married Susanne Hansen in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Tom received his BA and MS in Mathematics from the University of Chicago. In 1979, he received his PhD in Mathematics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He had taught at Purdue University from 1979-1985 and was an Associate Professor at the University of Iowa from 1985-90.

In 1990, he became a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Iowa, where his research interests include the spectral theory of partial differential operators, mathematical physics, differential geometry, analysis and representations of lie groups and automated symbolic computation.

His honors include the University Scholar and the Paul Cohen Prize, for outstanding graduating senior in Mathematics, from the University of Chicago and the Faculty Scholar Award from the University of Iowa.

Tom was a well-known mathematician with over 70 published scientific papers. His research interests spanned a large area of modern mathematical physics and differential geometry, and he made several important contributions to these subjects. He found new classes of wave equations analogous to those for zero-mass particles and made profound studies of their geometric properties; he introduced a new curvature invariant now important in quantum field theory, and he was a leading expert in calculating explicitly many other invariants associated with differential equations arising in physics and geometry.

Tom cherished the time spent with his wife, daughters and his siblings. He enjoyed running, working out, and making pancakes for Sara and Eva.

He is survived by, his wife Susanne; two daughters Sara and Eva; his six siblings, Mary (Timothy) Konop, Bill (Kelly) Branson and Dick (Diane) Branson, all of La Crosse, WI, Jim (Mary Woo) Branson of San Diego, CA., Pat (Nancy) Branson of Appleton, WI, Mike (Milissa) Branson of Rochester,MN.; his mother-in-law, Lissie Hansen of Copenhagen, Denmark, sister-in-laws, Jane (Ivan) Jensen of Viby Sj., Denmark and Linda (Carl) Abrahamsen of Roskilde, Denmark and numerous nieces and nephews. Tom was preceded in death by his parents and father-in-law.

If you would like to post a reminiscent note about Prof. Branson to the department's website, or would like to send a note to his family, please e-mail David Manderscheid at mander@math.uiowa.edu.