Celebrating UCSB Department of Physics and CCS Teaching Professor Emeritus Francesc S. Roig (1944-2024): His Love for Physics and His Transformational Impact at the College

The Architect of CCS Physics, known for his unwavering commitment to teaching and mentoring generations of Physics students

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our exceptionally kind and brilliant colleague, Professor Francesc S. Roig, on August 2, 2024.  A pillar of the College of Creative Studies (CCS) and the Department of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), Francesc's positive impact on the College of Creative Studies and the lives of countless students will be felt for generations to come.

Professor Roig joined UCSB in 1980 as a split appointment between the Department of Physics and CCS Physics, taking on the formidable challenge of building the CCS Physics program. With only two students at the outset, Francesc thoughtfully crafted a curriculum that not only covered the five core areas of physics but also resonated with the College's commitment to experiential learning. His approach transformed the program, helping it grow to over seventy students and graduating 12-15 annually by the time of his retirement.  Francesc's teaching style was characterized by clarity, rigor, and a deep passion for physics. His weekly problem-solving seminars became a true hallmark of the program, challenging students to present and defend their solutions, fostering critical thinking and deep understanding and helping to strengthen our community.

Francesc was an incredibly dedicated mentor and advisor.  The care and education of our students was always foremost on his mind.  He guided students from their first year through graduation and well beyond, helping them navigate upper-division and graduate-level courses into successful careers in both industry and academia. His efforts in recruitment for the college were tireless, personally reaching out to prospective students and advocating for the unique opportunities offered by the CCS Physics program, always bringing his joyful nature to every interaction.  Professor Sathya Guruswamy noted that “His students adored him, reveled in his lectures and he responded by assigning challenging and fun problem sets” and that his courses "carry the joy of someone discovering for himself the many curiosities of the inner workings of nature.”

David Cannell, Department of Physics Professor Emeritus, remembers: “Putting it simply, Francesc is the best physics instructor I have known, and he has had a huge impact on student after student, and not just in CCS. His instruction is characterized by being rigorous, but with the rigor and difficulties always presented in a truly caring and encouraging manner.”

Even after his retirement in 2010 as Teaching Professor Emeritus, Francesc's commitment to education continued. He taught special topics classes annually, and a summer research fellowship was established in his name, supporting undergraduate physics students in their research endeavors.  Francesc’s passion for physics, dedication to his students, and love and dedication to the work of the College of Creative Studies have shaped our shared future together so much for the better.  Throughout my time here, so many people have shared with me just how important Francesc has been to them that I know he will be very deeply missed.  The values he helped to instill here extend far beyond CCS Physics and are a core part of our being now—and both our college and our lives are exceedingly richer for it.

Our thoughts are with Francesc's wife Kathy, his family, friends, colleagues, and the many students whose lives he touched. We invite the community to share their memories and celebrate the life of this exceptional educator and human being. In lieu of flowers, Kathy requests people who wish to honor Francesc's memory could contribute to the Francesc Roig Summer Undergraduate Research Fund or to their parish (San Roque Catholic Church).

UCSB Chancellor Henry T. Yang honored Professor Roig by having the campus flag at half-staff on August 29, 2024.

Those interested in providing a story or testimonial to post on the CCS website in loving memory of Professor Roig, please send it to Jasmine Moreno (jasminemoreno@ucsb.edu).

With profound appreciation and condolences. 

—Timothy Sherwood, Interim Dean, College of Creative Studies

CCS Teaching Professor Emeritus Francesc S. Roig: The Architect of CCS Physics

“I have always sensed this invisible hand guiding my life.”

—Francesc S. Roig, UCSB Department of Physics and CCS Teaching Professor Emeritus

Francesc S. Roig recalled in a recent conversation with CCS that he could not quite piece together how he ended up in the United States. “I have always sensed this invisible hand guiding my life,” said Francesc as he reflected on his journey across the Atlantic from his roots in Catalonia, an autonomous region in northeastern Spain known for its spectacular beaches in Costa Brava, world-class gastronomy, famous Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, and the works of famous artists, including Gaudí and Dalí. His father had sent Francesc to school in Spain to become a chemical engineer, but one day a friend gave him a book about physics and he knew that was what he wanted to continue to study. Upon completion of his training as an engineer, he promptly enrolled at the University of Barcelona to pursue physics. Physics continued to be on his mind. While not being able to explain it to his parents, family, friends, or himself, Francesc recalls, “I was fascinated with physics, the general analysis of nature and through it understanding how the universe behaves. I knew I had to go.” His journey to the United States included a US Fulbright Program travel grant that allowed him to pursue a doctorate at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he received a Ph.D. in physics in 1977. “And…that is also where I met my wife Kathy. That invisible hand once again!” said Francesc beaming at Kathy across the room.

“A great deal of the national reputation of CCS as a source of nascent physicists can be attributed to Francesc’s long instructional tenure. We all owe so much to this remarkable gentleman who has given so generously of his heart, intellect, and time over so many years of dedication.” 

—Bruce H. Tiffney, CCS Biology Faculty Emeritus and UCSB Department of Earth Sciences Professor Emeritus; CCS Dean (2005-2016)

“I met David [Cannell, now UCSB Professor of Physics Emeritus] at some academic conference, and then he recruited me to come teach physics at UCSB. He took a chance on me. There was that invisible hand again,” grinned Francesc. Francesc took a teaching position split equally between the College of Letters & Science (L&S) and CCS. Prior to his arrival on the UCSB campus in1980, Francesc had a teaching position at the Catholic University of Puerto Rico and then taught at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  

Professor Cannell presented Francesc with the challenge to rebuild the CCS Physics program. “Well, I was not sure what that meant, but I liked the challenge, I loved physics, and I was not deterred that there were only two CCS Physics students in the program at the time,” said Francesc. Francesc meticulously developed the first two years of the curriculum for the Physics program, and took into consideration the five major branches of physics as he developed it. More importantly, he wanted to build a unique program that resonated with the College’s experiential learning. “Any physics program integrates the natural sciences with mathematical analysis, and gets students trained in the core principles of physics as well as theories about the nature of the universe, but that was not going to be enough for CCS or its students,” recollects Francesc.

“Francesc’s name is synonymous with CCS Physics.”

—Sathya Guruswamy, CCS Physics Faculty

“When Francesc arrived and took a teaching position split equally between the College of Letters and Science (L&S) and CCS physics programs, the CCS Physics program consisted of myself and [now late] Professor of Physics Stan Peale, spending an hour or so with the CCS Physics majors, grilling them about the physics they were learning from the L&S physics classes,” reminisced Professor of Physics Emeritus David Cannell.  Continuing, David remarked: “There was really no CCS Physics program beyond that. Now look at the CCS program with classes full to bursting with young people who could go pretty much anywhere they chose. You can, and should, attribute that incredible transformation to Francesc Roig. What an amazing legacy.”

“Dr. Roig himself is the biggest reason why I look back so fondly on my time in CCS.”

—Gregory S. Maskel ‘00 (CCS Physics), Technology Licensing Officer, Columbia Technology Ventures

While rebuilding the CCS Physics program’s curriculum, and recruiting and mentoring students, Francesc was also teaching, of course. The early courses included Mechanics; Electromagnetism, Optics; Modern Physics; Mechanics, Fluids, Waves, and Heat; Tensor Analysis and General Relativity; and Tensors in Classical Physics and in Relativity, among many other courses. Francesc gradually introduced new courses over the year, such as Tensors in Curved Spacetime, Newtonian Physics, Waves, Kinetic Theory, and Relativity, and Quantum Physics. The number of courses he introduced into the CCS Physics program and taught is quite an extensive list.

“He [Francesc] was also a legend for his classroom presentations, especially his ability to write on a chalkboard with lightning speed.”

—Roger Freedman, UCSB Department of Physics Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus

“Francesc’s name is synonymous with CCS Physics,” notes CCS Physics Faculty Sathya Guruswamy. Sathya continued: “He single-handedly developed the core theoretical course sequence in the curriculum to create what is arguably one of the best physics programs in the country. He knew instinctively what would separate a garden-variety honors program from a program that would capture the essence of the College and went about boldly creating the curriculum, perfecting it layer by layer over the years, challenging his students a little higher still, and delighting in their insatiable appetite for learning. I truly do not think there is any other such program in the entire United States. Francesc likes to call it a ‘super honors’ program. It is a monumental achievement and a legacy that is unlike any other."

“Every day I come to work at this amazing place I see the lasting impact of Francesc’s talented hands. So many lives have been touched by his dedication, kindness, and passion!  His first thoughts are always towards helping those around him whether they are students, colleagues, friends, or family.  The values he helped to instill here extend far beyond CCS Physics and are a core part of our being now—and both our college and our lives are exceedingly richer for it.”

—Timothy Sherwood, CCS Interim Dean

Well, rebuilding CCS Physics did not end with Francesc crafting its core theoretical course sequence. Francesc poured countless hours in recruiting students to the CCS Physics program. Over the years, his efforts in recruiting and mentoring students yielded remarkable results. Francesc spent numerous evenings and weekends personally calling potential students and being an ambassador for the program through word-of-mouth. Despite stiff competition from top schools across the country, by the time Francesc retired in June 2010, the program was at its peak and flourishing, growing to over seventy students. Throughout his time at UCSB, Francesc took his involvement with the students up a notch, way beyond his responsibilities. He and Kathy frequently invited students to their home to share a meal and exchange stories. Francesc cared about each student and created a community among them.

“Putting it simply, Francesc is the best physics instructor I have known, and he has had a huge impact on student after student, and not just in CCS. His instruction is characterized by being rigorous, but with the rigor and difficulties always presented in a truly caring and encouraging manner.”

—David Cannell, UCSB Department of Physics Professor Emeritus

Over the years, Francesc conducted research. His research publications included Decoherent histories for a particle coupled to a von Neumann apparatus, Time-extended measurement of the position of a driven harmonic oscillator, and The longitudinal electrical conductivity of metal matrix composites at cryogenic temperature in the presence of a longitudinal magnetic field, among his other publications. 

“I enjoyed research, but my passion is teaching physics,” commented Francesc. Whether through his weekly two-hour problem-solving seminar where students presented and defended their solutions, or preparing students to conduct their own research alongside esteemed physics faculty members at UCSB, Francesc’s dedication to the program and the students permeated throughout the College. Francesc fostered a collaborative and innovative learning environment that went way beyond the CCS Physics program. Throughout his tenure on campus, one of Francesc's profound joys has been witnessing the transformation of physics students who initially were challenged with the rigorous program, but with perseverance, were able to meet and, at times, exceed expectations. Francesc was chosen professor of the year twice and won teaching awards as well. Students throughout the years in class evaluations have praised Francesc, not just for his teaching, but also for the humor he brings into the classroom: 

• “Incredible professor! He is hilarious to watch and is incredibly knowledgeable. He made physics fun and knows how to explain everything. You have to be an active learner and ask him questions or else he'll blast through the material. Easily the best professor I've had at UCSB.”  

• “After taking courses from other physics professors, I actually think he's the best physics professor at UCSB.”  

• “Very smart, definitely knows what he's talking about. He's funny and his questions make you think. I could see his classes being difficult for somebody who doesn't like physics, however. I've had him as a teacher for 3 classes now and would choose him over most other physics professors here.” 

• “Roig is such a funny professor, he will make your day!”  

• Great professor, the material was hard, but that's the material. Otherwise, he's one of the few researchers that really tries to teach, and he does a pretty good job at it.” 

• “I have only 1 word to describe him: He is GOD. He is one of THE BEST profs of UCSB! ...nuff said!” 

• “Best professor ever!” 

• “Prof. Roig is awesome! He is very clear in his lectures. He goes out of his way to make sure you know the material and will often tell you specific things that will be on the tests. He has a great sense of humor also!” 

• “In many ways, Francesc was like no other teacher I have had since. His sense of excitement, preserved through teaching the same material, year after year, to every group of impertinent kids, was something to behold and there was no boredom during the long physics classes. I did sleep through other classes. The other thing, it was his caring that really made a difference. He cared about each student, not just their learning but their well-being as a person. Hoorah to a great teacher!”

Following Francesc’s retirement in June 2010, the same passion for molding future physicists that guided his time on campus, led Francesc back to CCS yearly to offer a rotation of advanced courses, including Vector Analysis with Applications to Physics, Tensor Analysis, Quantum Mechanics, and Path Integrals as recently as 2023, among others.

“I first knew him [Francesc] as his [CCS Physics] student and later as a colleague [teaching in CCS Physics], and during that time he had the greatest impact on my early career of anyone I know…I have now been a faculty member for over 20 years, and to this date I've never met another university instructor as dedicated to their students and to the art of teaching and education as Francesc.”

—Ilan Ben-Yaacoc ‘99 (CCS Physics) ‘02 (MS Electrical and Computer Engineering) ‘04 (Ph.D. Electrical Engineering); Former CCS Physics Faculty; UCSB Teaching Professor, Electrical and Computing Engineering

To honor Francesc for his outstanding academic contributions to CCS and UCSB, influence on generations of students and physicists, and commitment to mentoring undergraduates and building a scientific community, the UCSB Department of Physics and CCS collaborated to establish the Francesc Roig Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Fund in 2013. The fund supports summer research fellowships—named Roig Fellows—that allow aspiring CCS physicists to focus on research under the close guidance of UCSB faculty.  In a UCSB article focused on the CCS Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program, Francesc was quoted as saying, “Students have the opportunity to see real life research and work alongside professors with international recognition. There are not many places where undergraduates can do that.” Mai Rajborirug ‘19 (CCS Physics), who was featured in that article, was a student of Francesc.

Francesc’s unwavering commitment to physics and nurturing curious minds over the span of decades on the UCSB campus continues to have a transformative impact, ensuring a strong foundation for grooming future physicists and leaders in their fields and communities. The College was honored to feature Francesc as one of 50 stories during the College’s 50 anniversary in 2017-2018.

Francesc has left CCS a much better place than he found it! With gratitude to Francesc for letting his invisible hand guide him to Santa Barbara.

Stories + Memories + Kudos from Colleagues, Alumni, Students, and Friends

Whether through his role as a mentor, teacher, colleague, researcher, or friend, Professor Roig’s impact knows no bounds. Below are reflections from those who have had the privilege of knowing and working with Professor Roig, showcasing the magnitude of his impact within and beyond the College and UCSB. Those interested in sharing a funny memory or how he moved you personally or professionally can contact CCS communications and media coordinator Jasmine Moreno (jasminemoreno@ucsb.edu). In addition, please pass along any photos of your time with Professor Roig for CCS to post.

 

"Throughout my time with CCS, I was consistently inspired by the admiration his colleagues had for him, as well as the countless times I witnessed him rise above and beyond the call of duty. His colleagues in the Physics program made sure I understood how fundamental Prof. Roig was in shaping the curriculum and supporting its rigorous implementation. During the pandemic, he graciously filled in wherever needed as we navigated the chaos. Prof. Roig made it clear through his participation and enthusiasm that he cared deeply for the Physics program and its students. I hope he never questions how much we all appreciated him."

—Gerardo Aldana, UCSB Department of Chicano and Chicana Studies Professor; CCS Associate Dean (2014-2016); CCS Dean (2020-2022)

 

​​”Francesc is the reason I chose UCSB and CCS Physics. He called me when I was a senior in high school and he spent at least an hour on the phone telling me about physics at CCS. I was fascinated by the program and his enthusiasm really resonated with me. I went to Santa Barbara for a visit and he spent the better part of an afternoon walking me around campus. Now that I am a faculty member and my own children are applying to college, I realize that what Francesc did for me was incredibly unique. He spent so much time and energy recruiting the best and most talented physics students. My cohort was amazing and we were so fortunate to get Francesc as our professor for the two years of the CCS Physics curriculum. 

I can confidently say that he is the best professor I ever had. His enthusiasm, his energy, his passion, and his dedication to his students knows no bounds. He was also my faculty mentor and he worried about me because I didn’t want to take the recommended general education courses. I wanted to carve my own path focusing on Latin American history, politics, and anthropology. It was the “Magic, Religion, and Witchcraft” course that he was really worried about and would not pass muster. Luckily, he let me forge that path. When I decided that I wanted to switch fields for graduate school, he also encouraged me to follow my passion. My undergraduate career was formative and Francesc’s role is, undeniably, one of the most important factors contributing to my own career as a scientist and professor. I have continued to keep in touch with Francesc and his amazing wife Kathy who were always so kind to me when I was an undergraduate. They are my extended family and I’m deeply grateful for how much they have touched my life.”

—Magdalena Bezanilla ‘94 (CCS Physics), Professor of Biological Sciences; Ernest Everett Just 1907 Professor; Professor in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Dartmouth College

 

"I've known Francesc for 30 years since I moved to Santa Barbara to attend UCSB. I first knew him as his student and later as a colleague, and during that time he had the greatest impact on my early career of anyone I know. I first met him when I came to visit UCSB as a prospective student, and while originally I had no real intent to attend UCSB, after meeting with him and seeing the CCS Physics program I decided UCSB was the place for me. During my 4 years in CCS Physics, he was my advisor, and I can say on behalf of myself and my classmates that he was absolutely adored by all of us. A few years after completing my Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering at UCSB, I began teaching in the CCS Physics program with him, where we worked together for about 6 years up until his retirement. I have now been a faculty member for over 20 years, and to this date I've never met another university instructor as dedicated to their students and to the art of teaching and education as Francesc. 

The CCS Physics program that Francesc developed placed a huge emphasis on student/faculty interaction and student presentations via problem solving sessions that he ran. Throughout my career I've never found a model that works better for developing critical thinking and presentation skills. Since working with Francesc in CCS, I've built and run a senior Capstone projects program in the UCSB ECE department, and am currently working on building an online masters program in the UCSB College of Engineering. And while these offerings are substantially different from the CCS Physics program courses, I've incorporated many of these elements into all of them. And in my opinion, of everything I've implemented into my teaching over the years, these continue to have the greatest impact on students.

Probably the most important thing I learned from Francesc, and something that I've attempted to emulate in my career and in life, is that whether an individual was performing well or not at a particular moment in time, Francesc always believed in them and had the utmost confidence in their ability to do well and be the best version of themselves. I know of many students of his for whom this is what got them through college and ultimately led to their success. Thank you Francesc for all that you have done."

—Ilan Ben-Yaacoc ‘99 (CCS Physics) ‘02 (MS Electrical and Computer Engineering) ‘04 (Electrical Engineering); UCSB Teaching Professor, Electrical and Computing Engineering

 

"When I arrived at UCSB, I felt quite lost about how to guide the CCS Mathematics program, especially since my department wanted to undergo a renewal process. Many people pointed me to Francesc, saying he had the best CCS program. I visited him in his office soon after, and he was incredibly welcoming and open to sharing his wisdom with me. Despite being a complete stranger, he was humble, warm, and generous with his knowledge. Over the coming months and years, I witnessed his passion for teaching and his devotion to his students. He embodies the true TEACHER, someone who cares deeply about younger generations and has devoted every single day of his life to improving his work. He was a great role model, and many of the successes of the CCS Mathematics program are due to his original inspiration and guidance."

—Maribel Bueno Cachadina, CCS Mathematics Faculty and UCSB Department of Mathematics Teaching Professor

 

“Francesc has had a huge impact on the College of Creative Studies, and of course, in particular on the Physics program within CCS. When Francesc arrived and took a teaching position split equally between the the College of Letters & Science (L&S) [Department of Physics] and CCS Physics programs, the CCS physics program consisted of myself and Professor Stan Peale, spending an hour or so with the CCS physics majors, grilling them about the physics they were learning from the L&S physics classes. There was really no CCS Physics program beyond that. Now look at the CCS program, with classes full to bursting, with young people who could go pretty much anywhere they chose. You can, and should, attribute that incredible transformation to Francesc Roig. What an amazing legacy.

Putting it simply, Francesc is the best physics instructor I have known, and he has had a huge impact on student after student, and not just in CCS. His instruction is characterized by being rigorous, but with the rigor and difficulties always presented in a truly caring and encouraging manner. Time and again, I have seen him take a CCS freshman class and teach them so well that within two years, the best of them are ready to try graduate level work.  

The fact that CCS Physics has thrived, as it has, is not just a tribute to his teaching, but also a direct result of innumerable hours spent on the phone with prospective majors, hours spent showing families the promise of UCSB and CCS, and his charm and wit.  It is not just the gifted physics majors of CCS who have benefited, either. Many-a-terrified pre-medical students have discovered under Fancesc’s tutelage that perhaps physics isn’t really so impossible after all. You can imagine the confidence boost this can give a young potential doctor.”

—David Cannell, UCSB Department of Physics Professor Emeritus

 

“Professor Roig is highly respected among students and faculty alike. He embodies and inspires the true "spirit" of CCS—lifelong learning, curiosity, and a heartfelt desire to make a difference, which he certainly has over these many years.”

—Kathy Foltz, CCS Biology Faculty Emerita and UCSB Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) Professor Emerita; CCS Interim Dean (2016-2018)

 

"Francesc was a legend for his dedication to the CCS Physics program. Despite any number of obstacles, he succeeded wildly in his goal of creating a program that is unique in the nation. Generations of accomplished CCS Physics graduates have been the beneficiaries of his vision and determination. He was also a legend for his classroom presentations, especially his ability to write on a chalkboard with lightning speed. One day after class, a student commented to Francesc that chalk dust stayed suspended in the air for fifteen minutes after one of his lectures. In response, Francesc just smiled, touched the chalkboard, and said "Feel the board. It's still warm."

—Roger Freedman, UCSB Department of Physics Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus

 

“Francesc has been a huge influence on me as a teacher—his friendship which I cherish dearly—and the many conversations where he shared his own teaching experiences are the highlight of my early years at UCSB. He is a professional through and through in his interactions, a gentleman, physicist, and incredibly kind. He has a fantastic sense of humor.  In my early days at CCS, I once walked into his lecture, bringing a visiting prospective student.  The students seated in his lecture were laughing raucously as he delighted in telling a joke about an astronaut in orbit around the earth who had found someone the astronaut thought was annoying and dropped through a chute passing through the center of the earth, thinking he would never see this person again, only to see that person oscillating back and forth and appearing every time he went past the chute. The students adored Francesc, reveled in his lectures and he responded by assigning challenging and fun problem sets.

Along with David Cannell [UCSB Department of Physics Professor Emeritus], I organized a surprise retirement party for Francesc in 2010. It was heartwarming to see how many people—faculty, students, and alumni—showed up to share their admiration and affection for Francesc.  Some of his former students flew at their own expense from the East Coast and other locations to celebrate Francesc. Many of his former students have kept in touch with him, and decades later he still remembers where each one went to graduate school and details such as half the students in a particular cohort were admitted to Harvard! 

You can see the imprint of Francesc’s magic touch in any course he creates or teaches. He can lift the curriculum to transform what might otherwise be a solid course another outstanding teacher would teach to one taught by a true scholar, a true maestro, one that has the ability to inspire an abiding passion for the subject. Francesc’s notes carry his joy of someone discovering for himself the many curiosities of the inner workings of nature, even his notes for basic courses are simply sublime and I hope with his permission to one day personally embark on a project to preserve them for posterity.

Francesc is also without doubt the most generous of colleagues and one of the few people I know without an ego. His humility is particularly remarkable considering his legacy. He has shared his class materials with junior and senior faculty alike, and helped lift the quality of any new class they taught to new levels.” 

—Sathya Guruswamy, CCS Physics Faculty

 

“Francesc took on recruitment for the CCS Physics program in the early 80s. He and other faculty at CCS circulated tests in the key CCS disciplines to high schools in California. Students who did well were contacted by CCS faculty. I took these tests my junior year and was contacted for chemistry, but wanted to major in physics. So, Francesc contacted me. My parents set up an appointment with him. We drove from Orange County to UCSB to meet with him. During this meeting, I expressed my interest in theoretical physics research and wanted to know if I would start as a freshman or perhaps a sophomore. He replied very strongly: ‘Maybe you can start in 6 years! Accumulating a basis of knowledge and skill to contribute in theoretical physics is a long process. If you are that eager, you should focus on experimental physics!’

Francesc’s commitment to the recruiting process is a key reason that the program grew from graduating maybe 1 to 2 students per year to what it is now. It grew quickly enough in the 4 years while I was there that Roger Freedman [UCSB Department of Physics Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus] was brought on to teach.  

The famous (or infamous!) ritual for the classes was the weekly problem each student had to work out on the chalkboard in front of the whole class. During one of these problem sessions, one of my classmates kept writing “the centripetal force” on the board. After maybe 10 minutes of patient explanation from Francesc, the student kept doing which brought on: ‘The centripetal force doesn’t exist! Look at me. I am running in a circle! There is no invisible string keeping me going in a circle! The force is all coming from friction of the soles of my shoes to the floor! That friction force has to equal m*omega^2 *r directed to the center of rotation or else I will go flying off into the wall!’

I would see Francesc regularly every school year, even while I was in upper-division classes taught by others. He was eager to review homework problems from my thesis classes, especially the hardest ones. During my first year of graduate school at UC Berkeley, I was frequently at UCSB collaborating as a member of my new group with Professor Phil Lubin’s group. During this time, I would visit Francesc in his office. If another student came by his office while I was talking with him, he would stop and say: ‘If you study hard, you can write your ticket like Warren here did.’ I always appreciated his compliments at the time. Now, given the number of excellent students who have gone through the program, it is a great, great honor to be held in this regard by him.”

—Warren A. Holmes ‘90 (CCS Physics)

"I am now a graduate student at UC Berkeley. I am so shocked and heartbroken to hear of the death of Dr. Roig. He is such an inspiration to me. I first met Dr. Roig in 2017. He allowed me—not yet a CCS student back then—to audit a CCS physics class. He filled my still-naive brain with tensor product and ortholinear general coordinates when he ran out of class materials only in the 8th week—all his classes seemed to run ahead of schedule. His recommendation later helped me transfer into CCS. My journey into physics would be so much different without him; I cannot thank him enough. His PHYS CS 140 lectures each spring were always exciting to me, the density of knowledge over the short 10 weeks is unparalleled.

His enthusiasm, kindness, and dedication are such inspiration to me. To all of us who were students of [CCS Physics Faculty} Sathya Guruswamy, Dr. Roig acted like an "academic grandpa." He allowed and encouraged (perhaps unknown to Guruswamny!) for us to use Mathematica to calculate integrals instead of doing it by hand. He was really surprised to learn that I was an experimentalist: "You could do theory," he said which made me so proud and happy! Dr. Roig had an amazing sense of humor. He once drew a depiction of the Dirac sea in LaTeX with two fish swimming inside. He showed it off to me, a fellow LaTeX enthusiast, "I spent the last night making this and used LaTeX only!" he said. May he rest in peace and have fun fishing in the Dirac sea."

—吕源祺 | Yuanqi Lyu '20 (CCS Physics)

“Dr. Roig was a devoted teacher and mentor to so many CCS students. He had high expectations but always fostered a warm and supportive environment throughout the first two years of physics instruction. He always provided sound career advice and was an important mentor for me. Dr. Roig himself is the biggest reason why I look back so fondly on my time in CCS."

—Gregory S. Maskel ‘00 (CCS Physics), Technology Licensing Officer, Columbia Technology Ventures

 

"I remember seeing a [CCS] class on Relativistic Quantum Mechanics in Spring 2021. In the description of the class, it said that he [Professor Roig]  would use the book of Dirac, a book that I wanted to work on for a long time. I wasn't in the CCS program, but I emailed him and told him that Dirac was my science hero, and I couldn't be more excited to attend his classes and study with him. Little did I know that Dirac was also his science hero. What I love about Dirac, I also see it in him. His love for physics was so pure. So pure that it shredded away the mundanity of life that encaged my interest in physics since the pandemic. Each lecture was filled with humor and passion, reigniting the fire that was laid dormant in me. By the end of the course, that fire in me burned so bright. And, it gave me a newfound energy to keep moving onward in this physics journey. All thanks to a pure and passionate man."

—Vy Nguyen '23 (L&S Physics)

 

"As an incoming CCS Physics student, I contacted Professor Roig last spring to ask how he built the CCS Physics program after Professor David Cannell. We talked over Zoom for around an hour, and he provided many insights about CCS Physics. I could tell that he was very passionate about the program, and from its reputation I feel that he succeeded in making it one of the best, if not THE best, physics undergraduate programs in the world. Prior to the Zoom call, I found out about Professor Roig's health condition. During the call he seemed to be doing fine. He told me that he had gone into remission, and he seemed hopeful to return to teaching in Spring 2025. For that reason, the news I received from his wife Kathy came as a great shock. I can only imagine what she is going through right now. Regardless, as a man of faith myself, I know that Francesc Roig was also one, and that he is now at peace. I greatly appreciate him taking the time to talk to me. I will cherish the hour we spoke for the rest of my life, and I look forward to starting at CCS this coming fall. I do wish that I could have met Professor Roig in the flesh, in the classroom. Even so, he has left an undeniable legacy in the CCS Physics program, and I'm eternally grateful to be a part of it." 

—Ian Sackin ‘27 (CCS Physics) 

 

“Francesc is a stalwart of the ethos of CCS. He was the core of CCS Physics when I first became aware of the College, the epitome of an instructor nurturing junior colleagues with rigor, compassion, and mentoring in both life and science. A great deal of the national reputation of CCS as a source of nascent physicists can be attributed to his long instructional tenure. A colleague who surfed the web told me at one point that they ran across a post from a Ph.D. student in physics at Harvard who noted that his fellow colleagues included graduates from Princeton, Stanford, CalTech and other such universities…and then noted this coterie of individuals from …. ‘whaaaa? … College of Creative Studies at UCSB? What’s that?!’  Well, we know, and Francesc was at the very core of that response. Even after he retired in 2010, he came back yearly to offer a rotation of advanced courses on Tensor Analysis, Vector Analysis, Relativistic Quantum Mechanics, and Quantum Mechanics and Path Integrals as recently as 2023. It was a three-way street—the students loved Francesc, he loved CCS and its insightful and motivated students—and they all loved physics and pushing the boundaries. We all owe so much to this remarkable gentleman who has given so generously of his heart, intellect, and time over so many years of dedication.” 

—Bruce H. Tiffney, CCS Biology Faculty Emeritus and Department of Earth Sciences Professor Emeritus; CCS Dean (2005-2016); CCS Interim Dean (2018-2020, Summer 2022)