Br. Robert E. Novak, CFC, Ph.D.,'72 Endowed Rowing Scholarship

Br. Robert Novak C.F.C, Ph.D., ’72 served Iona students for more than four decades as a member of the faculty beginning in 1976. He accepted the role as Physics Chairperson in 2002. He also served as a member of the Iona Alumni Board Association, and in 1980 was the faculty moderator for the Iona rowing teams.

A passionate scientist, he earned a BS in physics from Iona in 1972, an MS in physics from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1977 and his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1980.

Br. Novak’s work with NASA brought him and several of his Iona students to the Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii to observe the atmosphere of Mars through NASA’s 120-inch infrared telescope. In 2018, he reflected: “Getting students involved in research with NASA and exposed to some of science’s top minds has been one of the highlights of my career.”

In total, he made over 20 trips to the Mauna Kea Observatory and brought more than $500,000 in grant money from NASA and the National Science Foundation to Iona. He published over 35 articles and presented dozens of papers nationally and internationally. His discovery of methane in Mars’ atmosphere was a significant finding, leading NASA to place a methane detector on the Mars rover.

In the early 1990s, Br. Novak became an active member of “Cosmos and Creation,” a group of active scientists who are also very active in their religion. Their pursuit of science is seen in the larger picture of obtaining a better understanding of God’s Creation, and likewise, a better understanding of God. In 2008, Br. Novak and 12 other members of this group took an eight-day trip to Beijing, China, where they visited a location where the Jesuit Paleontologist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, lived, worked and wrote. His writings are among the most influential spiritual writings of the 20th century.

In the 1980s, the Brothers at Iona established a fund to support Brothers from other Provinces to study at Iona. Ten years ago, the Brothers Community decided to direct these funds to support the education of Brothers from Africa to attend Iona and finish their bachelor’s degrees and possibly stay for a master’s degree. Since then, several have returned from Africa. Br. Novak had been coordinating this program for the past 15 years.

Br. Novak was inducted into Iona's Arrigoni Hall of Fame in 2009 and presented with the Donald E. Walsh Award '66 Award in 2017 after serving as the rowing team's moderator since 1980.