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Contact:
Clayton Berry
Phone: 314.977.7117
berrycl@slu.edu

August 25, 2004

A memorial service will be held for Gandikota V. Rao, Ph.D., who passed away Saturday, July 31, 2004, at the age of 70. Rao was the chairman of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.

Gandikota V. Rao, Ph.D.

The memorial service begins at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, in Room 157 of DuBourg Hall.

A remembrance ceremony to highlight memories of Dr. Rao was held in August at the Mahatma Gandhi Center in Ballwin, Mo.

Known as “G.V.” to most, Dr. Rao recently was appointed chair of the department. He joined the SLU faculty in 1971 and was a greatly admired and truly beloved member of the University community.

Dr. Rao was born July 15, 1934, in Vizianagram, India. He became a U.S. citizen in 1977. Dr. Rao earned a master’s degree in physics from Andhra University in Waltair, India, in 1955. He earned a doctorate in meteorology from the University of Chicago in 1965. He was involved with several professional organizations, including the American Meteorological Society.

Dr. Rao’s research interests included tropical meteorology. Hurricanes and monsoons were among his areas of expertise. His teaching areas included convection, tropical meteorology and numerical methods. He was noted for his energy, excitement and forward-looking vision.

Rao is survived by a wife and two children.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the G.V. Rao Memorial Scholarship in Meteorology. Donations may be mailed to Saint Louis University Tribute Fund, P.O. Box 8005, St. Louis, MO, 63156-9950. Please indicate that the donation is for the Dr. Rao Memorial Fund. For more information, contact Lisa Suggs in development at (314) 977-2205 or suggslv@slu.edu.