UC Berkeley professor emeritus of chemistry and former director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, or Berkeley Lab, David Shirley died March 29 at the age of 87 due to age-related illnesses. Remembered by friends and colleagues as being someone with great scientific passion, ceaseless generosity and immense devotion to his students, Shirley made great contributions to his field throughout his time on campus. Among other achievements, Shirley helped pioneer research on electron spectroscopy and initiated the creation of Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source, according to a campus press release. “He had a generosity of spirit and was always looking out for his community,” said UC Berkeley Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Paul Alivisatos, a former colleague of Shirley. “That was the type of man he was.”