Robert A. Duce (born April 9, 1935) is a pioneer in the study of atmospheric chemistry, and a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Texas A&M University. He has made significant contributions to the understanding of chemical exchanges between the atmosphere and the oceans, and the global cycle of trace elements. Dr. Duce received a B.S., chemistry (1957) from Baylor University and a Ph.D in the subject of inorganic and nuclear chemistry (1964) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was also a post-doctoral fellow. (1965) His thesis title was "Determination of iodine, bromine, and chlorine in the marine atmosphere by neutron activation analysis".
Dr. Duce served as Assistant, then Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of Hawaii from 1965 to 1970, when he move to Associate professor of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island. In 1973 he became full professor at the University of Rhode Island, and held that position until 1987, when he was promoted to Dean, Graduate School of Oceanography and Vice Provost for Marine Affairs. In 1987 he was appointed Dean, College of Geosciences and Maritime Studies at Texas A&M University. In 1997 he resigned his position as Dean, and remained at Texas A&M University as Professor of Oceanography and Professor of Atmospheric Sciences. He received the honor of University Distinguished Professor in 2006. He remains University Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences to the present.
The name Robert is a Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic *χrōþi- "fame" and *berχta- "bright". Compare Old Dutch Robrecht and Old High German Hrodebert (a compound of hruod "fame, glory" and berht "bright"). It is also in use as a surname.
After becoming widely used in Continental Europe it entered England in its Old French form Robert, where an Old English cognate form (Hrēodbēorht, Hrodberht, Hrēodbēorð, Hrœdbœrð, Hrœdberð) had existed before the Norman Conquest. The feminine version is Roberta. The Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish form is Roberto.
Similar to the name, Richard, "Robert" is also a common name in many Germanic languages, including English, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and Icelandic. It can be used as a French, Hungarian, Finnish, and Estonian name as well.
Robert, and also the name Joseph, were in the top 10 most given boys' names in the US for 47 years, from 1925 to 1972.
In Italy during the Second World War, the form of the name, Roberto, briefly acquired a new meaning derived from, and referring to the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis.
Robert may refer to: