Branco Weiss (1929 - 2010)

Society in Science shares the sad news that its donor Branco Weiss died on October 31 2010.

Branco Weiss was born on April 23 of 1929 in Zagreb, Croatia. He graduated in 1951 from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) with a M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and a PhD in Chemistry. Subsequently, he established a number of national and international high tech companies and in 2002 initiated Society in Science. The fellowship became his favorite past time during his last years. Knowing that his end was near, Branco Weiss took a number of steps to make sure that the fellowship will thrive for a long-time to come. Earlier this year he decided to donate the entire fellowship to ETH as of January 1, 2011. He has also decided to auction his substantial collection of constructivism art to the benefit of Society in Science.

During the annual meeting of Society in Science, which will take place on November 15 and 16, the Fellowship will commemorate its founder Branco Weiss and honor this exceptional personality. Prof. Ralph Eichler, the president of ETH, together with Prof. Olaf Kübler, former president of ETH and director of Society in Science, and representatives of the fellowship and Advisory Board will give farewell addresses to the memory of Branco Weiss.