Rice physicist Marjorie Corcoran killed in a train/bike accident on Friday. Big loss for #womeninSTEM, @APSphysics https://t.co/s1F30ZovGv — Timothy McKay (@TimMcKayUM) February 5, 2017

Saddened to hear of the passing of @RiceUniversity physicist, prof. Marjorie Corcoran. Loss in the physics community https://t.co/iv8UV5TV0b — APSDiversity (@APSDiversity) February 4, 2017

During her life, Corcoran was a role model to young women physicists, so much so that just last month she co-organized a conference for undergraduate women in physics sponsored by the American Physical Society. She made it a point to teach undergraduate classes so she could influence their career choices.

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She also worked with high school physics teachers during summers to show them exciting elements of physics to take back to the classroom and engage their students, according to her obituary. Corcoran believed that all children are born scientists, but by making math a science lesson plans less than exciting, educators fail in nurturing their natural talent.

Corcoran was a faculty member for 35 years at Rice University in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. During her employment she held many roles such as, the first Speaker of the Rice Faculty Senate and chair of the Physics and Astronomy Department.

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