Regents adopt retirement memoirs for 21 faculty members

May 18, 2000
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ANN ARBOR—Twenty-one University of Michigan faculty members were given the emeritus title by the U-M Regents at their May 18 meeting.

Those retiring are William J. Anderson, professor of aerospace engineering; Spencer L. BeMent, professor of electrical engineering and computer science; William R. Dunham, senior distinguished research biophysicist; Sheila C. Feld, professor of social work; Yi-tsi Feuerwerker, professor of Chinese language and literature;

Jack L. Goldberg, associate professor of mathematics; Donald H. Gray, professor of civil and environmental engineering; Paul B. Hays, the Dwight F. Benton Professor of Advanced Technology, professor of aerospace engineering, and professor of atmospheric, oceanic, and space sciences; Sarah C. Humphreys, professor of history, professor of anthropology, and professor of Greek;

Mary L. Hunter, assistant professor of nursing; William Ingram, professor of English; Henry S. Kowalewski, professor of architecture; Joyce I. Lindeman, associate professor of kinesiology; Ronald J. Lomax, professor of electrical engineering and computer science; Khalil H. Mancy, professor of environmental chemistry and research scientist;

Kingsbury Marzolf, professor of architecture; Richard A. Potts, professor of chemistry at the U-M-Dearborn; W. Leslie Rogers, professor of internal medicine, senior research scientist, and professor of biomedical engineering; James C.G. Walker, professor of atmospheric, oceanic, and space sciences and professor of geological sciences; Patrick C. West, the Samuel T. Dana Associate Professor of Outdoor Recreation and associate professor of natural resources; and James O. Wilkes, professor of chemical engineering.

Anderson, who joined the U-M faculty in 1965,has made “distinguished contributions to the College of Engineering,” the Regents said. “He has been an effective and popular teacher who has guided large numbers of undergraduate and graduate students. Prof. Anderson has had a significant impact on the education of many engineering students who elected his courses on finite element analysis. These popular courses provided numerous students with the modern tools of finite element analysis and the knowledge to apply these tools to a wide spectrum of engineering structural analysis problems. In addition to his outstanding career as a researcher and educator, he has been very active in professional practice.”

BeMent joined the U-M faculty in 1963. “His research was in the areas of information coding and transmission in neural systems, bioelectrical properties of tissue, and neuroprosthesis. He developed a computer-based tutorial and computational program that was used as a self-contained teaching aid for system realization and simulation, and he introduced tutorial programs for model-based material in electrical biophysics. Within the department, he served as chair of the graduate affairs committee and of the curriculum committee, and was chief undergraduate program adviser.”

Dunham, who joined the U-M faculty in 1970, “has made contributions to research in biophysics, chemistry, geology, metallurgy, cardiology, and biochemistry. He is best known for his research on the structure and function of metalloproteins, beginning with his Ph.D. thesis, which demonstrated that the active site structures of a class of iron-sulfur proteins, the two-iron ferredoxins, could be determined by spectroscopic means alone. In July 1989, he was given the University’s prestigious Distinguished Research Scientist Award and granted the title of distinguished research scientist.”

Feld joined the U-M faculty in 1969 and served as assistant dean of the School of Social Work in 1971-81 and interim associate dean in 1991-93. Her research focused on social psychological theory and research and its impact on direct social work practice, especially related to aging. “Prof. Feld was renowned for her leadership within the University,” the Regents said. “She was active in the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs in several capacities and in 1999 was unanimously voted recipient of the annual Distinguished Faculty Governance Award.”

Feurerwerker, who joined the U-M faculty in 1962, is “a specialist in modern Chinese literature and was one of the first scholars to focus on the fiction of women authors. Her first book, ‘Ding Ling’s Fiction: Ideology and Narrative in Modern Chinese Literature,’ is a standard work in the field and has been translated into Chinese. She has compiled a distinguished record of service. She has been the teacher and mentor for many of the leading female scholars in the field and has a truly distinguished record as a skilled and dedicated teacher at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.”

Goldberg, who joined the U-M faculty in 1961, has been “an active and dynamic member of the department and the University. He was an associate chair (1975-77) of the mathematics department and has served on several University committees, including the Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics. He is best known as a popular, dynamic teacher involved in curriculum development and most recently active in bringing computers into the classroom. He has written four textbooks stemming from his teaching on linear algebra, matrix theory, differential equations, and other topics in applied mathematics.”

Gray, who joined the U-M faculty in 1966, was “one of the first engineering faculty to embrace an environmental stance in making engineering decisions. Early in his career, he studied the effects of the clear-cutting of mountainside forests on the stability of the slopes and erosion potential. He created a mini-forest slope in the greenhouse at the botanical gardens to study the effects of moisture, root reinforcement, and finally clear-cutting of the vegetation. These early research activities, along with outstanding teaching achievements, garnered for him the prestigious Class of 1938E Award of the College of Engineering.”

Hays, who joined the U-M faculty in 1967, served as director of the Space Physics Research Laboratory in 1991-92 and as chair of the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences in 1991-92. “Prof. Hays is one of the premier space experimentalists in the world. He is especially known for the brilliance of his innovative designs and for his penetrating understanding of the both experimental techniques and of the significance of the science being measured. He pioneered the use of Fabry-Perot interferometers in space to measure the dynamics of the upper atmosphere.”

Humphreys joined the U-M faculty in 1985. “Her research interests focused on Ancient Greek society. She has published important books and numerous articles and reviews on many aspects of classical Greece, including the ancient economy, kinship and family, the archaeology of death, and culture of Greek law. In her articles, she consistently emphasized the importance of familiarity with the classical tradition, comparative history, and the use of theoretical models. Her challenging publications have earned Prof. Humphreys a deserved reputation as an international leader in articulating the intersection between history and anthropology and as one of the most influential scholars of ancient Greece of the last half-century.”

Hunter joined the U-M faculty in 1973. “Her dedication to the field of nursing is shown by her commitment to make a difference in the future careers of student nurses,” the Regents said. “Since 1977, her teaching methods have been an integral part of the success of a number of senior level nursing courses at the U-M and for students at Washtenaw Community College, where she was a clinical instructor in 1992-95. In addition to her teaching, Prof. Hunter has also been a dedicated clinician. In 1985-92, she held the position of nurse manager of Urology/Otolaryngology Unit. She has also been active as a part-time staff nurse at U-M Health System since 1959.”

Ingram, who joined the U-M faculty in 1966, is “best known in this country and abroad as one of the preeminent historians of the Elizabethan theatre, having gained this reputation through numerous articles in leading journals and two highly regarded books. His scholarship is characterized by painstaking research in primary sources, mastery of the social and economic contexts of the Elizabethan theatre, and an imaginative grasp of the lives of those involved in the making and performance of the drama. He earned the respect and affection of hosts of undergraduate and graduate students who benefited from his expert teaching and his generosity.”

Kowalewski joined the U-M faculty in 1962. “Since his appointment to the architecture program, Prof. Kowalewski has taught design, construction, environmental technologies, advanced lighting, and building enclosure systems to undergraduates and mater’s degree students in the college. He has also been an active member of many program, college, and University committees. Widely recognized as an outstanding teacher, in 1989 Prof. Kowalewski received the student-sponsored ‘Nobody Does It Like You’ award for excellence in teaching. Over the years, many Michigan graduates had their first professional experience as employees of his firm.”

Lindeman joined the U-M faculty in 1968. “In addition to teaching many physical education courses, Prof. Lindeman coached the U-M synchronized swimming team in 1972-83 and directed six water shows. Her teams consistently ranked among the top three in the nation. She coached and managed several national team tours to Europe and the Pan American Games, the 1989 Olympic Festival, and the 1990 Goodwill Games. She served multiple years as vice president for olympic international, administration, and education for U.S. Synchronized Swimming (USSSI)in 1984-97 and is in that organization’s Hall of Fame.”

Lomax, who joined the U-M faculty in 1961, “has published in the areas of electron gun design, plasma simulation, microwave devices, finite difference and finite element simulation of solid-state devices, Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI), and electronic packaging. He has taught courses in physical electronics, integrated circuits, numerical methods, digital logic, and VLSI design. Within the department and the college, he was honored with the Service Excellence Award in 1991, and the Class of 1938E Award for Distinguished Service as an Engineering Teacher in 1985.”

Mancy, who joined the U-M faculty in 1965, is “recognized throughout the world for his wide expertise in a variety of fields, including water resources and water quality management, pollution control technology, marine pollution prevention, environmental exposure and health risk assessment, environmental quality monitoring, and toxic chemicals and hazardous waste management. He has published over 100 papers and reports and co-authored 11 books. He has advised more than two dozen doctoral students and scores of mater’s degree students. He has worked for many years with the National Sanitation Foundation International in developing voluntary environmental health standards.”

Marzolf, who joined the U-M faculty in 1963, has had “an outstanding career as an educator,” the Regents said. “In 1975-76, he received the Sol King Award for excellence in teaching and in 1995 he received the AIA Michigan President’s Award to recognize his outstanding contributions to the profession and community through education. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, Society of Architectural Historians, Historical Society of Michigan, and the Committee on the State Capitol. In his role as an ambassador for AIA Michigan and for the University, he has been host to hundreds of foreign faculty and students.”

Potts, who joined the U-M-Dearborn faculty in 1966, has left “an indelible mark on the chemistry program at the U-M-Dearborn. He was instrumental in securing accreditation by the American Chemical Society. He helped secure a permanent position of chemistry demonstrator to assist faculty in designing and performing chemical demonstrations and was responsible for developing a research-grade instrumentation laboratory. One of the early advocates of the use of computers in chemistry, Prof. Potts helped secure funding for microcomputers in general chemistry laboratories and successfully advocated for the installation of display projectors in lecture halls. He has been a leader in chemical education in the metropolitan Detroit area.”

Rogers joined the U-M faculty in 1970. “For over 30 years, he has been at the forefront of research on the development and characterization of novel radiation detectors and systems for emission imaging. He has contributed greatly to the understanding of the fundamental physics and engineering of radiation detectors and systems, including novel approaches to nuclear medicine imaging using Fresnel zone plates and a very imaginative family of coded-aperture imaging strategies which have challenged the conventional design of medical devices. Currently, he directs a project which is rethinking the overall design of the imaging instrumentation widely used in hospitals today.”

Walker, who joined the U-M faculty in 1980, “began his career by making fundamental contributions to understanding optical emissions and the energy balance of the Aurora Borealis. He then undertook ionospheric research through the use of backscattering radar, heading the Ionospheric Section at Arecibo. He is perhaps best known, however, for his studies on the origin and evolution of the earth’s atmosphere and the chemical composition of the oceans. He has made seminal contributions on the conditions necessary for the origin of life. His book, ‘Evolution of the Atmosphere,’ has been widely used by both specialists in the field and atmospheric scientists alike.”

West, who joined the U-M faculty in 1977, is “known for his teaching in natural resource/environmental sociology and outdoor recreation. His research focuses on the sociological aspects of resource development and protection in relation to economic development and rural poverty both in the United States and in developing countries, with a special focus on social justice and natural resource/environmental issues. Recently, he has conducted research on implementing measures to reduce risk to Afro-American anglers from toxic fish in the Detroit River and on natural resources based community development programs for the Ojibwa Village of Inger on the Leech Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota.”

Wilkes, who joined the U-M faculty in 1960, was “a pioneer in the numerical solution of partial differential equations and his research interests have focused on this area. He has been a prolific author or co-author of popular textbooks throughout his career. For extended periods beginning in 1967 and continuously from 1981-97, he shared responsibility for all required freshman computing courses in the College of Engineering, which directly impacted perhaps 30,000 Michigan engineering freshmen. In the classroom, Prof. Wilkes specialized in fluid mechanics and numerical methods. He has been recognized many times for his dedicated classroom teaching.”