University of Texas
Sacha Elmer Kopp
October 3, 1967–August 15, 2024

 

 

Obituary from Pacific Northwest Cremation and Funeral, August 21, 2024

Sacha E. Kopp, 56, of Spokane, Washington, died suddenly at home on Thursday, August 15, 2024. Sacha E. Kopp passed into the mystery of God’s eternal love on Thursday, August 15, 2024. Taken by a sudden cardiac event, he was held by his wife, attended by gifted paramedics, and carried onward by the voices of his beloved children.

Sacha was born into the extraordinary love and care of Anita Rolaz on October 3, 1967 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Jay P. Kopp — a Loras College physics professor — entered their lives when Sacha was two years old, while Jay was on sabbatical in Zurich. He and Anita married and moved across the pond to Dubuque, Iowa. And so began a family that reared Sacha around a table filled often with neighbors, friends, colleagues, conversation, occasional costumes, great laughter, much love, affordable wine, good cheese, good bread, and the most sublime meals, compliments of Anita’s culinary arts.

Sacha attended Nativity grade school and Dubuque Wahlert High School and took classes at Loras College during his Wahlert years. He managed to graduate high school, a feat nearly imperiled by avoiding Physical Education until the bitter end. He read voraciously, took French lessons reluctantly, sketched effortlessly, and played trumpet loudly and in the wee hours, a choice not unnoticed by neighbors. He was baptized in a Catholic parish and served as an altar boy for Church of the Nativity and for the Sisters of the Visitation — communities whose prayers joined those of his godparents and flanked Sacha for decades thereafter. When Jay and Anita’s spousal partnership ended after Sacha’s departure for college, their family expanded to include Anita’s partner Rosemarie Bucher and Jay’s wife Jane Giellis.

Over eleven years in Chicago, Sacha earned an A.B., S.M. and Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Chicago. In the first of those years, a most loyal and lasting friendship began between Sacha and Simon Allentuch — a friendship lived out mostly through leisurely weekend phone conversations, deconstructing the world’s woes, debating issues and savoring music, film and reading recommendations. The friendship sustained them both through every season of life.

Amid a famed Chicago ice storm in 1992, Sacha met Gretchen Olson while answering phones for the WBEZ public radio fundraiser. And so began a great love. They married in the snow and bitter cold of November 12, 1995 in Syracuse, New York. Their fortunes in love were great. Their timing for weather, not so much. During their fifteen years in Austin, Texas, they welcomed two precious children — Eleanor and Elias. Sacha loved them fiercely through humor and hugs, games and guidance, movies and moral support, patience and prayers. He was so proud of them and loved showering generosity upon them.

His greatest aspiration was to live a life of integrity, humility, and service that would inspire their own. His professional calling in higher education took the family across the country — five years as a post-doc and visiting assistant professor at Syracuse University; nearly fifteen years at the University of Texas at Austin as a professor of physics, associate chair for undergraduate affairs in the physics department, and later as Associate Dean of the College of Natural Sciences; nearly five years at Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, NY) most as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; three years at the University of Nebraska at Omaha as Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and two years at Gonzaga University (Spokane, WA) as Provost and then Professor.

Wherever Sacha’s family went, a faith community became family. He cherished these close relationships from First English Lutheran Churches (Syracuse and Austin), Setauket Presbyterian (Setauket NY), The Urban Abbey and Kountze Memorial Lutheran (Omaha), and Salem Lutheran and St. Mark’s Lutheran (Spokane). He is indebted to these communities for the love with which they held him and sustained his family.

His impact as a physics professor, an elementary particle physicist, and a higher ed administrator are extensive and are best pondered with your favorite beverage while reading his LinkedIn page. Yes, he served on collaborations that both discovered the top quark and confirmed that neutrinos have mass; he led lobbying efforts to fund basic research, authored articles and text books, and launched and stewarded countless strategic plans, creative partnerships, institutes and degree programs, always sensing an opportunity or need and meeting it with collaboration and courage. But in his heart, Sacha was an an advocate of the liberal arts who believed every student should have real opportunity to grow as a scholar and a person into the fullness of their purpose. He saw capacities in institutions and people which at times they may not have seen in themselves and relished the role of mentor. In the end, he gave all he had to remove barriers and support the flourishing of the underdog, to foster a world in which what is right, good and true would triumph.

When not pouring himself into work with his formidable work ethic, he savored time with Gretchen and the kids, dove into a good presidential biography, cherished his LP collection, opted for simplicity and order when it came to possessions, and truly prized the chance to share a meal and conversation with family, friend or colleague. His family will remember him as selfless, self-deprecating, kind, generous, driven, artistic, steady, and giving…always giving, with his signature leavening humor at the ready and a current of mischief running just under the surface. He will be sorely missed on this earth.

Sacha was preceded in death by his dad Jay P. Kopp and his godparents, Tom and Theresa Auge. He is survived by his mother Anita and her partner Rosemarie Bucher, Jay’s wife Jane Giellis, Sacha’s spouse and soulmate Gretchen Olson Kopp, his precious children Eleanor Kopp (age 24) and Eli Kopp (age 20), and his dear friend Simon.

 

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Former Gonzaga provost dies at 56

From The Spokesman-Review, Aug. 21, 2024 by Cannon Barnett

Former Gonzaga University Provost Sacha Kopp died in his home on Thursday. He was 56 .

The death, thought to be caused by a heart attack, occurred ;suddenly and unexpectedly, " Kopp's wife told Gonzaga.

Though only provost at Gonzaga for two years before stepping down in July, Kopp – who was a particle physicist by training—had more than three decades of experience in academia, as reported in the Gonzaga Bulletin.

Kopp grew up in Dubuque, Iowa, and received his bachelor;s, master;s and doctoral degrees in physics from the University of Chicago, he told The Spokesman-Review in 2022.

Getting his first faculty job at the University of Texas in 2000, he served as the associate chair of the physics department and associate dean for undergraduate education in the 15 years he spent with the university, he said in 2022. Kopp moved and became the dean of liberal arts at the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 2015, citing a desire to amass experiences with a variety of student bodies.

In 2019, he became the senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Two years later, he was appointed provost of Gonzaga. He said in 2022 the reason he came to Gonzaga was in large part due to the Jesuit model of the institution, which was reminiscent of the work of his father – a longtime faculty member at private Catholic Loras College in Dubuque.

;I;ve been an educator my whole life,; Kopp said in 2022. ;And I chose that calling because I really think an education is a life-changing experience for young people.

Although his budgeting work was controversial among Gonzaga faculty, according to reports by the Gonzaga Bulletin, a message sent out by Gonzaga President Thayne McCulloh said that Kopp ;spent countless hours tackling challenges and identifying opportunities that might help Gonzaga become a better and more effective university.

;He deeply appreciated the colleagues in the Provost;s Office with whom he worked, the faculty and staff with whom he partnered, and relished opportunities to participate in student events across the year,; McCulloh said in the message.

Kopp is survived by his wife Gretchen Olson Kopp, his children Eleanor and Eli, and his mother Anita. Messages of condolence for the family can be sent to either the Gonzaga;s Office of the President or Office of the Provost.

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Sacha Kopp, Ph.D. joins University of Nebraska at Omaha leadership team.

Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., chancellor of UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Tuesday announced the appointment of Sacha Kopp, Ph.D., as the University of Nebraska at Omaha;s senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. 

As UNO;s chief academic officer, the position provides strategic direction, in support of the chancellor, toward the advancement of UNO;s academic mission with a commitment to academic excellence as well as student access and opportunities.

;Dr. Kopp is a true leader in higher education with a demonstrated record as an effective educator and inspirational leader,; Dr. Gold said. ;I have the utmost confidence in his ability to build on our current efforts toward enhancing academic excellence and student-centered learning, fostering a culture of innovation, and implementing the key initiatives within our strategic plan.

;I am thrilled to be coming to Omaha,; Dr. Kopp said. ;It is clear UNO is a very special place. Its deep connection to Omaha is unlike anywhere else. I was also so impressed by the passion and care of every faculty and staff member I spoke with during my interviews and recent campus visit. I am honored and excited to join this exceptional, mission-driven institution.

The announcement follows a national search conducted in partnership between a 29-person UNO search committee and a leadership search firm. More than 70 higher education leaders applied for the position. Twelve participated in preliminary interviews and four advanced to extensive campus visits as finalists. Each finalist participated in a series of campus interviews with university stakeholders and a public forum. Feedback was accepted via online forms that were open to all members of the campus and the Omaha community. Hundreds of hours were dedicated to references and thoughtful input from the community. This recommendation has now been passed to University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds, Ph.D., and the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

;I cannot overstate my gratitude for the careful consideration and diligent work of everyone involved,; Dr. Gold said. ;This was a comprehensive search process that involved representation from students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni and community stakeholders at every level. I am so pleased with the level of engagement in this search. The vast number of questions and comments we received throughout the process speaks to just how highly we Mavericks value the academic excellence of this institution.

As senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, Dr. Kopp succeeds current UNO Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs B.J. Reed, Ph.D., who will retire May 31, after 36 years of service at UNO in both faculty and administrative roles.

 

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Sacha's University of Texas at Austin CV is included after the photo album below.

 

Sacha E. Kopp Photo Album

 

Sacha Kopp CV

"Education:
• Ph.D., The University of Chicago, August 1994 (Physics)
• S.M., The University of Chicago, June 1992 (Physics)
• A.B., with Honors, The University of Chicago, June 1990 (Physics).
Professional Employment:

• Provost of Gonzaga University, 2021.
• Senior Vice Chancellor for AcademicAaffairs at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, 2019
• Dean of Liberal Arts at the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 2015
• Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies, Department of Physics (2008 – 2010) The University of Texas at Austin
• Professor of Physics (2011 – ), Associate Professor (2006–2011), Assistant Professor (2000 – 2006), The University of Texas at Austin
• Visiting Asst. Professor (1997 - 1999), Postdoctoral Fellow (1995 - 1997), Syracuse University
• Graduate Research Assistant, The University of Chicago (1990-1994)
Teaching Interests:
• Created 4-semester NSC306J, NSC306K, NSC306L, NSC306M for Future Elementary Teachers
• Created undergraduate teaching assistant program for large lecture courses, UT-Austin
• PHY362L: “Quantum Mechanics III,” UT-Austin
• PHY355: “Modern Physics,” UT-Austin
• PHY110C: “How to be a physicist,” for freshmen majors at UT-Austin
• Created PHY398T: “Intro to Graduate Research” and the “Pizza Seminars” for 1st year grad students
• PHY396J and PHY396T: “Graduate Particle Physics,” UT-Austin
• General Physics I&II (PHY317K & L) for pre-medical students, UT-Austin
• Physics 771: “Graduate Particle Physics,” Syracuse University.
• Physics 102: “Science for the 21st Century,” for non-science majors, Syracuse University
Honors and Scholarships:
• College of Natural Sciences Teaching Excellence Award, UT-Austin, May, 2004
• Chancellor’s Vision Award, Syracuse University Center for Teaching and Learning, 1998.
• U.S. Department of Education G.A.A.N.N Fellowship (1990-1994).
• Swiss Consulate of Chicago Benevolent Society Scholarship (1986-1990).
Service Activities:
• Chair, Nominating Committee of American Physical Society DPF, 2008.
• Long-range Planning Committee for Fermilab, 2007-2008.
• Chair, Users’ Executive Committee of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, 2005-2007.
• Organizer of the 2006 Meeting of the National User Facility Organization
• Organizer of the “5th Int’l Workshop on Neutrino Beams and Instrum. (NBI2005),” July 7-11, 2005.
• Committee on University Collaboration with the Accelerator Division at Fermilab, 2004-2005.
• Committees in UT Physics: Undergraduate Studies, Undergraduate Advising, Teaching Awards Selection, Graduate Recruitment, Strategic Planning, Lecture Demonstration, Graduate Studies
• Committees in College of Natural Sciences: Course and Curriculum, Faculty Advisors
• Review panels for National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy
• Referee for Physical Review Letters, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear and Particle Science.
• Treasurer for $2M non-profit food pantry, clothes distribution, and church organization located at First English Lutheran Church, 501 James St., Syracuse, New York, 1998 – 1999.
• Assisted organizing Summer Minority Student Research program, Univ. Chicago, 1992 – 1993."

"Research Activities:
• Science Education Research (2008 – present)
- Study of in-service teacher content knowledge in science and impact on student achievement in 5th grade state-mandate testing in 5 school districts surrounding Austin, TX
- Development of inquiry-based integrated science (4 semesters) for pre-service elementary teachers
- Recruiting, retention, and persistence to a bachelor’s degree for physics majors
• The Minerva experiment, Fermilab (2009 – present)
• The NuMI/MINOS experiment, Fermilab (2000 – 2009)
• Accelerator R&D at Fermilab (2001 – present)
- Beam optics measurements with corrector magnet system in the 8 GeV Fermilab Booster Accelerator (collaboration with E. Prebys)
- Out-of-time Beam Measurements from the Fermilab 8 GeV Booster (collaboration with E. Prebys)
- Synchronization of Fermilab 8 GeV and 120 GeV accelerators for multiple batch injection (collaboration with B. Pellico and E. Prebys)
- Secondary Emission Monitors for the Main Injector and 400 MeV transfer lines.
• Large Hadron Collider Accelerator Research Project (LARP) (2005 – 2008)
• CLEO-III Ring-Imaging Čerenkov detector at the Cornell Electron Synchrotron Ring (1995 –1999)
• The Collider Detector at Fermilab: Proton-Antiproton Collisions at 1800 GeV (1987 – 1995)
Students & Postdoctoral Fellows Supervised:
• Melissa Jerkins, postdoctoral fellow, 2010 – present
• Laura Loiacono, postdoctoral fellow, 2010 – present
• J. Parker Cravens, postdoctoral fellow, 2008 – 2010, now at Raytheon Corp.
• Mikhail Kostin, postdoctoral fellow 2000 – 2001, now at Fermilab Beam Physics Dept.
• Randi Ludwig, 2009 – present, PhD topic: “The Hands-On-Science Curriculum”
• Nick Evans, 2008 – present, PhD topic: “The Mu2e Experiment at Fermilab”
• Laura Loiacono, PhD 2010: “Measurement of Neutrino Cross Sections on Iron”
• Meghan McAteer, 2008 – present, PhD project: “Ramped Corrector Magnets for Fermilab Booster”
• Ryoichi Miyamoto, PhD 2008, dissertation title: “An AC Dipole for the Fermilab Tevatron”
• Žarko Pavlović, PhD 2008, dissertation: “Neutrino Oscillations with the MINOS Detector”
• Jasmine Ratchford, 2005 - present, PhD dissertation project: “Neutrino Oscillations in Minos”
• Robert Stevens IV, 2009 – present, PhD topic: “Neutrino Scattering using Minerva”
• Robert Zwaska, PhD 2005 “Accelerator Systems and Instrumentation for the NuMI Beam""
Seminars, Colloquia and Conferences (previous 5 yrs):
1. “How to Recruit Physics Majors,” Physics Department Colloquium, Tufts Univ, April 2011
2. “How to Recruit Physics Majors,” Physics Department Colloquium, Univ. Nebraska, March 2011
3. “How to Recruit Physics Majors,” Amer. Assoc. Phys. Teachers Meeting, Jacksonville, Jan. 2011
4. “Neutrino Oscillations,” Physics Department Colloquium, University of Chicago, December 2010
5. “Neutrino Oscillations,” Physics Department Colloquium, Syracuse University, November 2010
6. “Review of Neutrino Oscillations,” Nufact2010 Conference, Mumbai, India, November, 2010
7. “The Minerva Experiment,” NuFact2010 Conference, Mumbai, India, November, 2010
8. “Neutrino Oscillations,” Physics Department Colloquium, University of Texas, September 2010
9. “Neutrino Beams,” lecture at International School on Neutrino Physics, KEK, Japan, Aug. 2010
10. “In Situ Measurements of Neutrino Beam Flux,” Int’l Conf. Neutrinos, Athens, Greece, May 2010
11. “Hands-On Science: An Inquiry-Based Integrated Science Content Course for Pre-service Elementary Teachers,” PTEC Conference, Austin, TX, May 2010
12. “Neutrino Oscillations,” Physics Department Colloquium, MIT, November 2009
13. “Review of Neutrino Oscillations,” Int’l Conf Leptons & Photons, Hamburg, Germany, Aug, 2009"

"14. “In Situ Measurements of Neutrino Beam Flux,” NuInt09 Conference, Barcelona, Spain, May 2009
15. “Review of Neutrino Oscillations,” Int’l Conf Flavor and CP Violation, Lake Placid, May 2009
16. “Neutrino Beams,” lecture at Int’l School on Neutrino Physics, Benasque, Spain, June. 2008
17. “Neutrino Results from Fermilab,” Physics Department Colloquium, Columbia Univ. April 2008
18. “Neutrino Results from Fermilab,” Physics Department Colloquium, Univ. Tennessee, Feb. 2008
19. “Neutrino Beams,” lecture at Int’l School on Neutrino Physics, KEK, Japan, May. 2007
20. “Determining the Neutrino Beam Flux,” NuFact2007 Conference, Osaka, Japan, May 2007
21. “Beam Flux Techniques for the Minerva Experiment,” NuInt07 Conference, Fermilab, May 2007
22. “Review of Neutrino Oscillations,” Neutrino Oscillation Workshop, Otranto, Italy, Nov 2006
23. “NuMI Muon Monitors,” Neutrino Beams and Instrumentation NBI06, Geneva, Switz., Nov 2006
24. “Neutrino Beams,” lecture at Int’l School on Neutrino Physics, Irvine, Calif., Aug, 2006
Refereed Publications (selected):
1. “Accelerator-based Neutrino Beams,” S. Kopp, Phys. Rept. 439: 101 (2007).
2. ""Properties of the W Boson from the Fermilab Tevatron,"" S. Kopp, invited review article, International Journal of Modern Physics A 10, 4413 (1995).
3. “Secondary Beam Monitors System for the NuMI Facility at FNAL,” S. Kopp et al., Nucl. Instr. Meth. A568:503-519,2006
4. “Parametrization of the driven betatron oscillation,” R.Miyamoto, S. Kopp, A. Jansson, M. Syphers, Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 11:084002 (2008)
5. “Beam-Based Alignment of the NuMI Target Station Components at FNAL,” R.Zwaska et al, Nucl. Instr. Meth. A568:548-560,2006
6. ""The Hadron Hose: Continuous Toroidal Focusing for Conventional Neutrino Beams,"" J. Hylen et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A498 pp 29-51 (2003).
7. “Construction, Pattern Recognition, and Performance of the CLEO III LiF-TEA RICH Detector,” Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A502, 91 (2003)
8. ""Undergraduate Peer Assistants in a Large Lecture Course,"" S. Kopp, J. Phys. Ed 35(6), 423 (2000).
9. ""CLEO-III Ring Imaging Cherenkov Detector,"" M.Artuso et al, Nucl. Instr. Meth. A461, 545(2001)
10. ""Beam Tests of the CLEO-III RICH,"" M. Artuso et al., Nucl. Instr. Meth. A441, 374 (2000).
11. ""The CLEO-III Detector,"" S. Kopp, Nucl. Instr. Meth. A384, 61 (1996) Selected publications with P. Adamson et al (MINOS Collaboration):
12. “Measurement of the neutrino mass splitting and flavor mixing by MINOS,” sub. to Phys.Rev.Lett.
13. “Search for sterile neutrino mixing,” Phys.Rev.D81:052004 (2010)
14. “Search for muon-neutrino to electron-neutrino transitions,” Phys.Rev.Lett.103:261802,2009
15. “First Measurement of ■❍ and ■e Events in an Off-Axis Horn-Focused Neutrino Beam,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 102:211801,2009
16. “Search for active neutrino disappearance using neutral-current interactions,” Phys. Rev. Lett.
101:221804,2008
17. “Measurement of Neutrino Oscillations with the MINOS Detectors in the NuMI Beam,” Phys.Rev.Lett.101:131802,2008
18. “A Study of Muon Neutrino Disappearance Using the Fermilab Main Injector Neutrino Beam,” Phys.Rev.D77:072002,2008
19. “Observation of muon neutrino disappearance with the MINOS detectors and the NuMI neutrino beam,” Phys.Rev.Lett.97:191801,2006
Selected publications with M.S. Alam et al (CLEO Collaboration):
20. ""Study of B (2S)K and B (2S)K*(892) Decays,"" Phys. Rev. D63:031103 (2001)
21. ""Study of Exlcusive Two-Body B0 Meson Decays to Charmonium,” Phys. Rev. D62:051101(2000)
22. ""Search for CP Violation in B+K+ and B+(2S)K+ Decays,"" Phys. Rev. Lett. 84:5940 (2000).
23. ""Measurement of the B0 and B+ Masses,"" Phys. Rev. D61:11101 (2000).
24. ""First Observation of the Decay BK,"" Phys. Rev. Lett. 84:1393 (2000)."

"Selected publications with F. Abe et al (CDF Collaboration): -
25. ""The e and ❍ Decays of Top Quark Pairs Produced in pp
Rev. Lett. 79, 3585 (1997)" "Collisions at s = 1800 GeV,"" Phys."
"26. ""Search for New Gauge Bosons Decaying into Dileptons in pp- Collisions at s = 1800 GeV,"" Phys."
"Rev. Lett. 79, 2192 (1997) -"
"27. ""Measurements of B(W e◆) and B(Z0 e+e-) in pp Collisions at s = 1800 GeV,"" Phys."
"Rev. Lett. 76, 3070 (1996). -
28. ""Search for New Charged Bosons Heavier than the W in pp
Rev. Lett. 74, 2900 (1995)." "Collisions at s = 1800 GeV, Phys."
"29. ""Observation of t-t
(1995)." "Production in pp-" "Collisions at s = 1.800 GeV,"" Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 2626"
"30. ""A Direct Measurement of the W Boson Width (W),"" Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 341 (1995).
31. ""Search for the Top Quark Decaying into a Charged Higgs Boson in pp- Collisions at s =
1800 GeV,"" Ph-ys. Rev. Lett. 73, 2667 (1994)."
"32. ""Evidence for tt Production in pp- Collisions at s = 1800 GeV,"" Phys. Rev. D 50, 2966 (1994);"
"Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 225 (1994). -"
"33. ""Measurement of the Ratio B(W e◆) / B(Z0 e+e-) in pp Collisions at s = 1800 GeV,""
Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 220 (1994); Phys. Rev. D52, 2624 (1995)"
"34. ""Measurement of the Ratio (W e◆) /(Z0 e+e-) in pp- Collisions at s = 1800 GeV,"" Phys.
Rev. Lett. 64, 152 (1990).
Non-Refereed Publications:
1. “Measurement and Manipulation of Beta Functions in the Fermilab Booster,” M.McAteer et al, Proc. 2011 Part. Accel. Conf.
2. “Nonlinear dynamics studies in the Fermilab Tevatron using an ac dipole,” R.Miyamoto et al, Proc. IEEE 2009 Part. Accel. Conf.
3. “Geometrical interpretation of nonlinearities from a cylindrical pick-up,” R.Miyamoto, A.Jansson, M.Syphers, S.Kopp, Proc. IEEE 2007 Part. Accel. Conf.
4. “Tevatron AC dipole system,” R.Miyamoto et al, Proc. IEEE 2007 Part. Accel. Conf.
5. “Tevatron Optics Measurements Using an AC dipole,” R.Miyamoto et al, Proc. IEEE 2007 Part. Accel. Conf.
6. “Cycle-to-Cycle Extraction Synchronization of the Fermilab Booster for Multiple Batch Injection to the Main Injector,” R. Zwaska et al, Proc. IEEE 2005 U.S. Part. Accel. Conf.
7. “Synchronization of the Fermilab Booster and Main Injector for Multiple Batch Injection,” Proc. European Part. Accel. Conf., Luzern, Switzerland (2004)."

 

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