J Gunther Cohn

March 6, 1911—March 24, 2008

Dear Dad, Climate change is in the news each day, reminding me of you and your scientific work in this field. You would be concerned about our climate and as President Joe Biden said this week “Climate change is the existential threat to humanity”
Climate and the environment were concerns throughout your career as a scientist. You developed and invented the catalytic converter in the late 1960’s for forklift trucks. Today catalytic converters are used worldwide. Moreover in 1970, Congress enacted legislation which resulted in the Clean Air Act of 1970, requiring emissions from moving vehicles to be clean. Your work at that time is being adapted to current environmental challenges. Columbia University has established a fellowship in your honor, providing scholarships to graduate students in your field of study to continue your work on the climate and environment. You had many interests and inventions. Another was NOX2 which is used in fertilizers to prevent emission of toxic fumes. Colleagues have described you as a gentle giant, kind and caring with a positive and cooperative attitude. You are missed by your family, friends and colleagues and especially by you daughter Vicki