Youchun Shi Obituary (1958 - 2012)

Dr. Youchun Shi, Director, Corning Research Center China, lost his courageous battle with cancer on Sunday, September 23. Youchun and his wife, Dr. Lin He, joined Corning in 1996. Before becoming Director of the Corning Research Center in 2006, Youchun was a member of the Thin Films and Surfaces research group. In 2005 he was named Research Associate in recognition of his significant contributions to coatings, materials and process developments for the Display Technologies, Corning Life Sciences and Specialty Materials businesses. Additionally, Youchun led the Stage I mercury abatement program and a project to identify alternative pore formers for the Diesel Aluminum Titanate project. Professionally, Youchun was recognized among his colleagues as a technical expert in glass substrate cleaning, surface modification, protective coating, sol-gel chemistry and self-assembled monolayer coatings. In 2006 he established the first research office in China, creating relationships with key research universities and institutes that led to several collaborative research opportunities. To keep the Technology Community informed of the progress in China, Youchun established the China S&T newsletter. In June of 2011, Youchun was instrumental in negotiating an agreement with the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences' (SICCAS) resulting in Corning's first joint venture laboratory on the Chinese mainland. The facility, located in the Chinese Academy of Science Park in Jiading, Shanghai, is exploring new high-performance materials for future Corning products. Youchun was an active member of the Corning Chinese Association and worked to foster and develop personal and professional relationships between his colleagues in Asia and those in Corning. In May of this year, Youchun and Lin returned to the United States to seek medical treatment for his aggressive form of cancer. Youchun will be remembered as a warm, bright, caring, conscientious man who valued his work, his personal and professional relationships, his family and his community. He will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him. Our thoughts and prayers are with Lin and her extended family during this most difficult time. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, September 27 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Corning Radisson, in the Carder Room, 125 Denison Parkway, Corning, NY. A reception is scheduled following the service from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Lin Buffet, 1020 Center Street, Suite 10, Horseheads, NY (607-739-3339).