Elizabeth Gierlowski Kordesch died May 17 at 59 years old.
Elizabeth Gierlowski Kordesch, a “vibrant, funny, hard-working” Ohio University professor of geological sciences, died May 17 at 59 years old, according to an OU news release.
Gierlowski Kordesch, a resident of The Plains, was an OU professor since 1989 and died unexpectedly at OhioHealth O'Bleness Hospital, according to the release.
“(She was) a remarkable person that has left a deep mark in this planet,” Dina López, professor and chair of geological sciences, said in the release. “I can only say that I have never known somebody with more love for science and knowledge than Beth. She lived for that, and was the most unselfish person with her time.”
In addition to her research and education at OU, Gierlowski Kordesch directed science fairs at middle and high schools around Athens County and was a member of several professional organizations, according to the release. She was a founding member of the Limnogeology Division of the Geological Society of America and president of International Association Limnogeology.
“Her love for science had no limits, and she wanted the kids to experience and love science and math,” López added in the release. “She was the one to go to schools in the area with her rocks and explain to the kids about geology. Teachers really liked her not only for the science fair but also for her collaboration and support.”
Gierlowski Kordesch also received a Fulbright Specialist Program grant to work with colleagues in Argentina for six weeks during Fall Semester 2014, according to the release.
“She collaborated with people all over the world: China, India, Spain, Argentina, Romania,”López said in the release. “She is the person that was willing to help non-English speaking researchers to produce good papers if the data was good. She invested thousands of hours of her time in that task. I really admired her for that.”
She was born Oct. 4, 1956 in Chicago, Illinois, and is an alumna of Lourdes High School, The University of Chicago and Case Western Reserve University, according to the release.
Gierlowski Kordesch is survived by her husband of 37 years, Martin Kordesch, a physics and astronomy professor at OU; her daughter, Alina Kordesch; and her two sisters, Regina and Theresa Gierlowski, according to the release.
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