An Ohio native, Philip G. Roos played for Ohio Wesleyan University as a tackle from 1957-59. Described as an “outstanding lineman,” the three-year letterman was second-team United Press International All-Ohio, and he claimed second-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors his senior year. Roos proved his versatility as an athlete on OWU’s lacrosse team, where he also earned three letters and second-team All-Midwest Lacrosse Association honors. Roos’ athletic achievements earned him induction into the Ohio Wesleyan University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.
Roos graduated summa cum laude and first in his class from Ohio Wesleyan. He earned a cumulative GPA of 3.79, and he carried a 4.0 in his major, Physics. During his time as an undergrad, Roos belonged to Pi Epsilon, a national honorary mathematics society, and he received the ARMCO gift for outstanding physics student. After graduating from OWU in 1960, Roos attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he obtained his Ph.D. in Physics in 1964.
Upon earning his Ph.D., Roos became a Visiting Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland. After one year, he took a leave of absence to perform research at the Oak Ridge Isochronous Cyclotron in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Roos would return to his career at Maryland after three years, where he now serves as a Professor Emeritus and Senior Research Assistant. As a professor, Roos twice won the UM General Research Board Semester Research Award. He is an American Physical Society Fellow and a member of Sigma Xi, a scientific research society.
Roos served on several physics committees throughout his career, including the Indiana University Cyclotron Committee from 1976-79, the National Science Foundation/Department of Energy Nuclear Science Advisory Committee from 1983-85 and the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility Program Advisory Committee from 1984-88. He chaired several boards as well, including the Indiana University Cyclotron Users Groups from 1982-82 and the Large Electron-Position Collider subcommittee from 1984-88. Roos was also a member of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility Board of Directors from 1996-98.
In 2009, Ohio Wesleyan University honored Roos with the George Gauthier Award, which recognizes “graduates of Ohio Wesleyan University for exemplary, widely recognized and sustained contributions to the Ohio Wesleyan athletics department, as an undergraduate on the playing fields, in the classroom, and as an alumnus providing lifelong support, interest and leadership.” Roos retired in 2005 and now lives in Hilton Head, S.C.
