Former longtime physics professor Ivan Rouse passes away

 

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- La Sierra University deeply regrets to announce the death of Ivan Rouse, esteemed physics professor for 39 years in the College of Arts & Sciences. He was 76 years of age.

<p> Dr. Ivan Rouse in the physics lab with students at La Sierra University in 2014. (Photos: Natan Vigna) </p>

Dr. Ivan Rouse in the physics lab with students at La Sierra University in 2014. (Photos: Natan Vigna)

Dr. Rouse died on Saturday, July 29, at Riverside Community Hospital following a massive brain hemorrhage resulting from a stroke that occurred on July 28.

Rouse was born on January 13, 1947, in Dayton, Ohio, and spent his early years in Coulterville, California, near Yosemite National Park. His life experiences took a dramatic turn when at age 7 he and his family, including his younger brother Glenn, moved to Pune, India to serve as missionaries. His father taught physics and machine shop at Spicer Memorial College, now Spicer Adventist University. The family lived in India for five years before returning to the United States on a freighter to settle in Pendleton, Oregon.

Rouse earned his undergraduate degree in physics in 1970 from Walla Walla College, after an initial first pursuit of engineering. While there he met Beverley Becker who would become his wife in 1971.In 1974 he earned a Ph.D. in condensed matter physics from Washington State University in Pullman. He then taught physics and geophysics at Union College, Lincoln, Nebraska, from 1974 – 1978 where his son, Ryan, was born during his last year at the school.

Rouse’s next move in 1978 took him to the La Sierra campus of Loma Linda University to serve as an associate physics professor. He taught full-time in La Sierra’s physics department for the next 37 years, during which time La Sierra transitioned away from Loma Linda to form its own institution in 1990.

Rouse served on numerous university committees and boards over the years, including as chair of the University Rank and Tenure Committee and the Faculty Handbook Reorganization Task Force, and also as physics department chair. He was also a member of Buildings and Grounds at the time of his retirement. He segued to part-time instruction in 2015 and into full retirement in 2017.

Rouse received multiple awards during his academic tenure including the Thomas and Violet Zapara Excellence in Teaching Award from the Education Department of North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists as well as the G. T. Anderson Award for Excellence in Teaching, both in 1991.

As a researcher, Rouse’s principal interests involved analysis of rare earth crystals to understand their energy level structure at very low temperatures in liquid helium. He conducted this research using electron paramagnetic spin resonance (ESR) which used 35 GHz microwaves and high magnetic fields. In recent years his scholarship involved low energy gamma ray spectroscopy at the proton accelerator at Loma Linda University Medical Center.

Rouse was a lead author on a number of scholarly research publications including Activation Analysis of Cerrobend Produced by a 250 MeV Proton Accelerator and A Computer Controlled Photodetector System for Monitoring Rodent Movements in Experimental Observation Chambers, the latter of which published in the Journal of Microcomputer Applications.

“Ivan was the chair of the department when I was hired in the fall of 2012,” said Dr. Gary Case, associate physics professor and current department chair. “He was a wonderful mentor to me, both in teaching and in service to the university, and I learned a great deal about what it meant to be a professor at La Sierra. He had a gentle, kind spirit when it came to dealing with students, colleagues, and administration, and I admired the patience and wisdom he displayed. As a result, he was greatly respected by everyone, students and staff alike, and as the current chair of the Physics Department, I can say that Ivan left enormous shoes to fill. He will be greatly missed.”

Noted Dr. Sam McBride, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, “Dr. Rouse’s tenure in the college positions him as one of the champions in the struggle to develop a full-fledged university in the wake of the split from Loma Linda. His colleagues appreciate that contribution and will miss him greatly.”

Rouse is survived by his wife Beverley, their son, Ryan, and Ryan’s wife Melanie, two grandsons (Michael and Jacob), a granddaughter (Clara), and his younger brother, Glenn Rouse, MD, of Loma Linda. A celebration of life service will be announced at a later date.

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