As we went to press with INSIC’s new International Optical Data Storage Roadmap, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Hans J. Coufal (January 17, 1945 – September 19, 2006), who led the Technology Roadmap efforts for this roadmap study.

In addition to his contributions to INSIC's latest roadmap, Hans led the overall Technology Roadmap study for INSIC’s 2003 International Optical Data Storage Roadmap and the Volumetric Storage study for our 2000 Optical Disk Storage Roadmap.  Hans also served from 1996-2000 as co-Principal Investigator for INSIC’s twin research programs in holographic data storage, the Holographic Data Storage Systems (HDSS) and Photorefractive Information Storage Materials (PRISM) programs.  For his leadership efforts in the HDSS and PRISM programs, he was a recipient of our 1999 Annual Leadership Achievement Award.

All of us at INSIC feel that we were privileged to have worked with Hans Coufal over the years.  We always found him to be a world-class expert, a consummate professional, a tireless leader, a true gentleman and a genuine friend.  We will miss him.

The following was published in the San Jose Mercury News on September 24, 2006:

Hans J. Coufal

Hans Juergen Coufal passed away on September 19, 2006.  Hans was born on January 17, 1945 in Ruhla, Germany, the son of Hans Bernhard Coufal and Eleonore Mathilde Coufal.  He attended school in Munich, Germany and received his PhD in Applied Physics from the Technical University of Munich.  Afterwards, Hans spent several years on the faculty.

Hans and his family moved to San Jose in 1981, where he joined the research staff at IBM in their Almaden Science and Technology area.  During his 25 years with IBM, as a researcher and a manager, he managed a wide variety of projects associated with everything from holographic data storage research to spintronics.  In 2005 Hans became the founding director and technical group leader of the Nanoelectronics Research Corporation, a program of the Semiconductor Industry Association which sponsors university research in nanoscale technologies.  He helped found three new centers for nanotechnology research during his tenure with the NRC.

During his distinguished career, Hans authored or co-authored more than 150 technical publications, authored or edited ten books, held 14 patents, and won many awards, including the Bundesverdienstkreuz, the German counterpart of the Order of Merit.

Hans is survived by his wife of 33 years, Lore Hedwig Coufal, by his three children Nicole, Michelle, and Hans Thomas Coufal, and by his brother, Heinz Dieter Coufal.

A celebration of Han's life was held on Thursday, September 28, 2006 at Darling & Fischer Campbell Memorial Chapel, 231 E. Campbell Avenue, Campbell, CA. Memorial donations may be made to the Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Additional biographical information can be found at:

http://domino.research.ibm.com/comm/research_people.nsf/pages/coufal.index.html