J Gunther Cohn

March 6, 1911—March 24, 2008

Dear Dad,

We now face the most significant challenge to the earth in our fight against climate change. Your leadership in the development of the first oxidation catalytic converter over half a century ago still remains a crowning achievement in the environmental movement. Your work provides the technology base allowing the advancement of new catalytic technologies for mitigating climate change. This supports your legacy as a leader in the current environmental movement. You would also be pleased to know that your patented invention of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is still the prime technology for eliminating toxic emissions of nitric oxides from power plants. Your patents on Selectoxo, for purifying hydrogen used in the production of fertilizers, is the lifeblood for feeding over 6 billion people on our planet.

You left us on March 26, 2008, but your success in developing the catalytic technology for environmental control remains an inspiration for the doctoral students, benefiting from the Dr. J.G> Cohn Memorial Fellowship.

You were a most loving, kind, generous and patient father, husband, uncle, friend and colleague. You are missed by us, especially by your daughter Vicki.