Stanley Ruttenberg, Secretary General of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics (IAMAP, now IAMAS) from 1975-1987, passed away in Boulder, Colorado USA on 12 February, 2017.

Born on 12 March, 1926 in St. Paul, Minnesota, he received his Bachelor of Sciences degree in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1946 and his Master’s from UCLA in 1951.

Stan’s career began at the National Academy of Science in Washington, D.C. where he was Technical Advisor and production team member of the award winning series “Planet Earth” in 1960-62 (updated in 1980-85). Stan was Head of the Program Office for the U.S National Committee for the International Geophysical Year (IGY) and was Executive Secretary to its follow-on program, the International Year of the Quiet Sun (IQSY). Through the IGY, he became acquainted with Dr. Walter Orr Roberts, who invited Stan to work at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. At NCAR, Stan served as assistant to its first few directors and organized many international workshops. Stan was assistant to the Joint Planning Staff for the Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP)and from 1970-1972, helped to administer the program from the WMO offices in Geneva, Switzerland. Upon his return to the US, Stan oversaw the student program in the GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE). Starting in 1983, Stan was Scientific Advisor to the NASA Advisory Council’s Earth System Science Committee (ESSC), which identified key research questions and priorities for studying climate change. Stan also served as the Chairman of the Panel on World Data Centres of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). Stan retired from NCAR in summer of 1994, but continued to stay involved in the scientific community.

Music was a significant part of Stan’s life. He never missed a chance to attend a symphony or opera performance wherever his travels took him. As he eased out of work travel, he began to organize travel around specific performance events, and racked up many a Wagner Ring cycle. He served as President of the Colorado MahlerFest and held that position for fifteen years. Stan enjoyed many adventures with his wife, Patricia Lee, for nearly 50 years. They had two daughters, Alison and Rebecca, and shared a love of classical music, gourmet cooking and learning about the world. Stan is remembered for his diplomacy and mentorship in all of his spheres of influence, and for his boundless energy in ‘getting things done’. He leaves as his legacy his vision and ability to ‘think outside the box’.

This obituary was written by Ms. Rebecca Ruttenberg, and shared by her permission.