Donor profile: Robert A. Eisenstein

With an “infectious” enthusiasm, one APS donor gives back locally and through APS

Robert A. Eisenstein, a longtime APS donor, says he remains a supporter of the Society because it holds a special place in his heart.

“I support what APS does, and it needs to remain strong to survive,” he explains. As a Loyal Donors Circle member, Eisenstein stands among a dedicated group of visionaries who have championed the Society for more than a decade of continuous giving.

His ongoing support is equally fueled by the organization’s dedication to access and inclusion.

“APS has demonstrated prominently that supporting these programs is a significant goal,” he says, adding that science flourishes when diverse perspectives are represented. Guided by his trust in APS’ vision, Eisenstein chooses to provide unrestricted donations, empowering the Society to make the best decisions on how to support the organization.

“I believe in APS’ mission, and I trust them to do what’s best,” he says.

Eisenstein’s penchant for giving can be traced to his self-described moniker of "problem-solver" — a drive to step in wherever help is needed, whether through time or resources.

Two decades ago, he joined forces with Santa Fe science teacher Susan McIntosh to co-found the Santa Fe Alliance for Science, an organization that connects the brilliance of retired Los Alamos Laboratory scientists with Santa Fe’s K-12 students striving for academic success.

“We want to connect an enormous resource — these talented people — with a group of students who seriously need help,” he says.

The volunteers tutor students from kindergarten through high school, sponsor science fairs, and engage students in hands-on activities and field trips.

As Eisenstein wrote in a 2013 APS Back Page opinion piece, “We want to illustrate to students and parents that engineering, math, and science are interesting, valuable, and accessible career prospects.”

Bruce Abell, a former alliance president, describes Eisenstein as a catalyst for action.

“Bob’s enthusiasm is infectious,” Abell notes. “Just one meeting with him will turn you into a volunteer.”

Raised in St. Louis with four siblings, Eisenstein grew up in a household where education was paramount. His father, a doctor, championed science, while his mother nurtured the family’s intellectual spirit. The family’s supportive environment clearly left an indelible mark: four of the five Eisenstein children earned science Ph.D.s.

“Two of us are physicists — my brother Jim and myself,” he says. His brother, Rick, is a nutritional biochemist, and his sister, Sylvia, is a retired epidemiologist. Eisenstein’s sister, Lesley, is a retired counselor with expertise in Medicare and other health-related issues. Jim is also a 2007 winner of the APS Buckley Prize that recognizes theoretical and experiential contributions to condensed matter physics.

The family’s scientific legacy continued into the next generation. Eisenstein and his wife, Karolyn, a chemist, met at Yale University in 1964 and have been married for nearly 60 years. Their son, Daniel, is a renowned astrophysicist, professor at Harvard University, and winner of the Shaw Prize, an international award that recognizes outstanding work in astronomy, and other science and math fields. Their other son, Bill, is an environmental planner with the firm River Partners, a non-profit organization devoted to restoring California’s rivers and floodplains for the benefit of the state’s wildlife, water system, and communities.

“I’m close with my family, and we are very supportive of each other,” he says, adding that he’s proud of their accomplishments.

After graduating from Oberlin College and earning his Ph.D. from Yale, Eisenstein shared his passion for physics as a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Illinois. His leadership reached new heights from 1992 to 2002 at the National Science Foundation (NSF), where from 1992-97, he directed the physics division, and from 1997-2002, served as NSF’s assistant director for mathematical and physical sciences, overseeing the agency’s astronomy, chemistry, materials science, mathematics, and physics divisions.

His leadership was immediately tested at NSF during a crisis involving the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). Faced with congressional dissatisfaction over the project’s management, Eisenstein and his colleagues were tasked with getting the project back on track.

“Congress made it pretty clear that they had to shape up or ship out,” he recalls.

Embracing his role as a problem-solver, he collaborated with Caltech and MIT to forge a sustainable path forward. This collective effort not only saved the project but paved the way for the groundbreaking observation of gravitational waves, which was celebrated with the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics.

“I was glad to be there,” he says of the challenging time. “We worked together to find a reasonable solution.”

During that same period, he also led NSF’s collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy that provided the nation's funding contribution to the Large Hadron Collider facility at The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) — the world’s leading high energy particle accelerator where researchers discovered in 2012 the famous Higgs Boson, a subatomic particle that explains how other particles get their mass.

Eisenstein brings that same spirit of service to APS. He’s a member of the Division of Astrophysics, Division of Gravitational Physics, Division of Nuclear Physics, and the Forum on Education. His past roles include chairing the Panel on Public Affairs (POPA) and serving on the APS Council of Representatives.

“Being on POPA was one of the most fun things I’ve done,” he reflects. “The people were very committed to doing something positive.”

These days, Eisenstein serves as an adviser to the LIGO project and notes he’s guided by an enduring principle: the desire to be helpful.

“Making a situation better is a major motivation for me,” he says.