William Joseph Gerace

William Gerace (1941-2022) was a distinguished professor of Physics at the University of North Carolina Greensboro who retired in 2021. His was previously an Emeritus Professor of Physics at University of Massachusetts Amherst, and the Past Director of the Scientific Reasoning Research Institute. His degrees were from Princeton (PhD Nuclear Theory) and MIT (BS Physics).

He loved to travel, and he shared this passion with many colleagues and students. He was able to combine his love of travel and Physics by partnering with researchers, teachers, and students in South Africa, Argentina, Cyprus, Uganda, Scotland, Singapore, and Switzerland. During this time he was a Fulbright Scholar, a Fulbright Senior Specialist, and a Fulbright Conference Speaker; and he served as a visiting lecturer at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba in Argentina and the University of Fort Hare in South Africa.

During one of Bill’s early visits to Johannesburg, he became concerned about the lack of educational opportunities for children in rural South Africa, and started funding quality education for a number of children in a township outside Johannesburg. Today, his compassion lives on in an IFGI program, ACCESS EDUCATION SOUTH AFRICA , which is IFGI ‘s oldest and largest program. We provide tuition, transportation, boarding, and other support for approximately 8 children each year. Bill’s concern for the educational opportunities of rural South African children inspired this program.

In 2023, we will also have BILL’S HOUSE — literally his house in Greensboro, NC — which will provide temporary housing to international students, faculty on foreign exchange, Fulbright scholars, and other students, faculty, and researchers who teach, learn, and contribute to their field of study.

Throughout his life, Bill’s constant concern was not for his own welfare or comfort, but for how he could help the people around him, especially those most vulnerable: children, students just finding their way into adulthood, teachers working in poor schools and difficult conditions, and others in particular need of affirmation, wisdom, financial support, or even a home.

Through IFGI and his family of physicists and others with a heart for helping others, Bill’s legacy lives on in ACCESS EDUCATION SOUTH AFRICA and BILL’S HOUSE. Please help us continue this important work of as we honor Dr. William Gerace.