Obituaries

Chappaqua Resident Robert Dirks Among Victims in Metro-North Tragedy

Born in Thailand, Dirks was a research scientist with a PhD in chemistry.

Robert Dirks, 36, of Chappaqua was identified as one of the victims killed in the Metro-North tragedy when a train collided with an SUV in Mount Pleasant.

Dirks was identified by authorities late Wednesday.

A research scientist at D.E. Shaw Research in New York City, Dirks earned his bachelor’s degree from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN in 2000. He went on to earn his PhD in chemistry from California Institute of Technology, according to his Linkedin page.

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According to various media outlets, Dirks was married with two young children aged 2 and 5. He grew up in Spokane, WA where he attended Lewis and Clark High School where he was valedictorian, according to the Spokesman-Review. He was born in Bangkok, Thailand, where his mother is from.

Image Screenshot via CBS

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