The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today adjourned its meeting in honor of Dr. Carl Grillmair, a distinguished Caltech astrophysicist and longtime Antelope Valley resident who passed away tragically on February 16 at the age of 67. The adjournment was moved by Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
“Dr. Carl Grillmair was a brilliant scientist and a proud member of our Antelope Valley community,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “His life’s work expanded humanity’s understanding of the universe. Today, we pause to honor his extraordinary legacy and to extend our deepest condolences to his wife and all who loved him.”
Dr. Grillmair served as an associate scientist at the California Institute of Technology’s IPAC—formerly the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center. There, he dedicated his career to unraveling some of the most complex questions in modern astronomy. His research focused on dark matter, galactic structure, stellar populations, and the detection of exoplanets.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Dr. Grillmair contributed to landmark missions including the Hubble Space Telescope and the infrared Spitzer Space Telescope. In 2011, NASA recognized his contributions with the Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, one of the agency’s highest honors.
A native of Canada, Dr. Grillmair earned his bachelor’s degree in astrophysics from the University of Calgary, a master’s degree in astronomy from the University of Victoria, and a doctorate in astronomy and astrophysics from Australian National University. He went on to build a celebrated career at Caltech’s IPAC, where his research left a lasting imprint on the field.
Beyond the lab, Dr. Grillmair was known in the Antelope Valley community as a man of wide-ranging passions. He was an avid pilot, cyclist, alpine hiker, and helicopter skier. These hobbies reflected the same sense of adventure and exploration that defined his scientific life.
Dr. Grillmair is survived by his wife, Louise.