May 9, 1997
Contact: Ellie Shick or Ann
Marie Deer Owens, (615) 322-2706
Twelve retiring faculty honored with "Emeritus" status
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Twelve members of the Vanderbilt faculty who
are retiring this year with the title "Emeritus" will be honored
at the May 9 Commencement exercises. They are:
Richard F. Arenstorf, Ph.D., professor of mathematics, to be
awarded the title of professor of mathematics, emeritus, effective June
1997.
Arenstorf earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Goettingen.
He earned the Ph.D. degree in mathematics at the University of Mainz, graduating
magna cum laude in 1956.
Prior to coming to Vanderbilt in 1969, Arenstorf's work was concerned
with the orbits of satellites in space. In 1962 he discovered new closed
space trajectories that pass arbitrarily near two celestial bodies periodically.
These are now known as "Arenstorf Periodic Orbits." In 1966 he
received the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement. During his
tenure at Vanderbilt, his research concentrated on celestial mechanics and
analytical number theory. He has been honored with two citations in "A
Panorama of Pure Mathematics as Seen by Nicolas Bourbaki," a book which
surveys the most important results of mathematics.
Edward Farley, Ph.D., Drucilla Moore Buffington professor of
theology, to be awarded the title of Drucilla Moore Buffington professor
of theology, emeritus, effective June 1997.
A noted authority in philosophic and systematic theology, Farley joined
Vanderbilt's Divinity School in 1969. His classic publication, "Theologia,"
laid the foundation for nationwide reconsideration of the aims and purposes
of theological education. It was the most widely read book on the subject
of theological education in the history of the Association of Theological
Schools. In addition, he has published eight other books, including two
within the last year.
At Vanderbilt he has been instrumental in reforming the Divinity School
curriculum, which has been lauded by theological scholars throughout the
nation. In 1991, Phi Beta Kappa gave him an award for excellence in research
and three years later, he was elected a lifetime Fellow at Clair College
at Cambridge University.
Charlotte F. Fischer, Ph.D., professor of computer science,
to be awarded the title of professor of computer science, emerita, effective
September 1997.
A native Canadian, Fischer obtained a B.A. degree in mathematics and
chemistry from the University of British Columbia in 1952 and her M.A. in
mathematics in 1954. She subsequently attended Cambridge University, where
she was awarded a Ph.D. in applied mathematics and computing in 1957.
A pioneer in the area of computational science, Fischer became the
first woman scientist to be awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship at Harvard
University. She is internationally known for her research in atomic structure
theory and for her atomic structure calculations software. In 1991 she was
elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society, in part for her role
in discovering negative calcium.
Fischer retired in August, after serving Vanderbilt with distinction
for 16 years.
H. Jackson Forstman, Th.D., Charles G. Finney professor of theology,
to be awarded the title of Charles G. Finney professor of theology, emeritus,
and dean of the Divinity School, emeritus, effective June 1997.
In his almost 30 years at Vanderbilt, Forstman served as chair of the
Graduate Department of Religion from 1969 to 1972, chair of the Faculty
Senate in 1978-79 and dean of the Divinity School from 1979 to 1989.
As dean, Forstman enlarged support for the Divinity School in an era
of high inflation and rapidly expanding costs. His work as a teacher and
scholar in the history of Christian thought prepared him for the task of
articulating the intellectual and religious foundations of the school. In
1993 Forstman received the Thomas Jefferson Award for Distinguished Service
to Vanderbilt through extraordinary contributions as a member of the faculty
and government of the University.
Paul Harrawood, Ph.D., professor of civil engineering, to be
awarded the title of professor of civil engineering, emeritus, and dean
of the School of Engineering, emeritus, effective June 1997.
Harrawood came to Vanderbilt in 1967 as associate dean, twice served
as acting dean and, in 1978, was named dean. During his seven-year tenure,
he increased administrative efficiency, communication, student enrollment,
research productivity and morale within the school. Outside funded research
rose from $750,000 to $4.5 million during his final year.
In 1986 Harrawood resigned as dean and returned to teaching in the department
of civil and environmental engineering. He introduced numerous innovations
into his senior courses to prepare students for the professional engineering
environment beyond graduation.
Barry D. Lichter, Sc.D., professor of mechanical engineering,
professor of materials science and professor of management of technology,
to be awarded the title of professor of mechanical engineering, emeritus,
professor of materials science, emeritus, and professor of management of
technology, emeritus, effective June 1997.
Lichter came to Vanderbilt as an associate professor of mechanical engineering
in 1968 and was promoted to full professor in 1972. A noted authority in
thermodynamics and electrochemistry, Lichter related the consequences of
science and technology to general society.
A member of numerous University committees, Lichter chaired the Faculty
Senate in 1986 and 1987. Active in community service, he co-founded the
"Rap House" Crisis Intervention Center and served on Nashville's
Human Relations Commission.
Lichter also was a Fellow of the National Project on Philosophy and
Engineering Ethics, the National Humanities faculty and the Netherlands
Organization for Science.
Milan Mihal, Ph.D., associate professor of fine arts, to be
awarded the title of professor of fine arts, emeritus, effective June 1997.
Since joining Vanderbilt in 1968, Mihal worked to increase the University's
Far Eastern Art slide collection from about 300 to 30,000 images, making
it one of the finest of its kind in the nation. To share the Asian art collection,
Mihal curated 11 exhibitions at Vanderbilt and several at the Cheekwood
Museum of Art and the Cumberland Science Museum. He has led international
tours and lectured nationwide to alumni groups in connection with special
exhibitions and received the Alumni Association Education Award in 1992.
In 1975 he received the Madison Sarratt Prize for Excellence in Teaching.
He was also recently honored with an award for his service to the Asian-American
Students Association.
David A. Nunnally, Ph.D., associate professor of biology, to
be awarded the title
of professor of biology, emeritus, effective June 1997.
A member of the faculty since 1960, Nunnally received numerous research
grants from the National Institutes of Health. After receiving the Ellen
Gregg Ingalls Award for teaching in 1966, Nunnally made a total commitment
to teaching and service to students in the College of Arts and Science.
He served as director of undergraduate studies the past several years and,
last year, received the Earnest Jones Undergraduate Advisor Award.
He also served on numerous University committees including the Advisory
Committee on Health Professions from 1974 to 1992, the Committee on Teacher
Education for six years, the Board of Honor Council advisers for eight years
and faculty adviser for the Skull and Bones Pre-Medical Society for 13 years.
Arthur L. Reesman, Ph.D., associate professor of geology, to
be awarded the title of professor of geology, emeritus, effective June 1997.
Reesman joined Vanderbilt in 1968 and served as chair of the Department
of Geology from 1976 to 1979. Reesman's research has focused on the chemical
processes by which the Earth's surface is modified. Investigations include
the geochemistry of clay minerals and water quality in Tennessee and faults
and fractures in Tennessee and their relation to water flow and composition.
His work in Tennessee led him to investigate the uplift of the southwestern
U.S. that lay beneath Lake Bonneville during the last glacial episode.
For 18 years, Reesman coordinated the Middle Tennessee Science Fair.
He also served as director of undergraduate studies for the past 14 years.
Reesman taught 10 courses at Vanderbilt, including his signature course,
Marine and Coastal Environments. His last student completed his degree in
August 1996.
Vernon H. Reynolds, M.D., professor of surgery, to be awarded
the title of professor of surgery, emeritus, effective July 1997.
Reynolds began his premedical education at Vanderbilt in 1944 and because
of military service, did not complete his medical education here until 1955.
After completing his residency in Boston, Reynolds returned to Vanderbilt
in 1962 as a Markle Scholar in academic medicine and as an advanced clinical
fellow of the American Cancer Society.
During the last 30 years, individuals from all over the world have come
to study and work with Reynolds, particularly those interested in malignant
melanoma. Realizing that surgery was not sufficient, Reynolds pioneered
the development of an Ambulatory Chemotherapy Service. His development of
infusion catheters for cancer chemotherapy and his delineation of the place
of adjuvant therapy for cutaneous melanoma, in addition to surgery, has
become the standard around the world.
Joseph C. Ross, M.D., associate vice chancellor for health affairs
and professor of medicine, to be awarded the title of associate vice chancellor
for health affairs, emeritus, and professor of medicine, emeritus, effective
July 1997.
Since his graduation from the Vanderbilt School of Medicine in 1954,
Ross has established himself as a world leader in academic medicine. Although
his training in pulmonary medicine and his research in pulmonary physiology
were done largely at other institutions, Ross' service as vice chancellor
at Vanderbilt made him invaluable to the medical center during a period
of rapid development.
Ross has served as a member of the Board of Governors of the American
Board of Internal Medicine, president and member of the Board of Regents
of the American College of Chest Physicians, a member of the National Academy
of Sciences Space Sciences Board and was appointed by former President Nixon
to the National Advisory Panel on Heart Diseases.
James J. Wert, Ph.D., George A. Sloan professor of metallurgy
and professor of mechanical engineering, to be awarded the title of George
A. Sloan professor of metallurgy, emeritus, and professor of mechanical
engineering, emeritus, effective June 1997.
During his 35 years at Vanderbilt, Wert established the M.S. and Ph.D.
programs in materials science and engineering. He contributed to the proposal
that led to a $4.9 million Olin Foundation grant to fund construction of
Olin Hall. He was the principle investigator of approximately 18 research
grants.
Revered by students, Wert received the Tau Beta Pi award for Undergraduate
Teaching Excellence in 1971 and 1978. He also was instrumental in organizing
the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering Center for Materials Tribiology,
which helps attract industrial associate members. Wert was elected Fellow
of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Society
of Metals.
-VU-
Vanderbilt University is a private research university of approximately
5,800 undergraduates and 4,200 graduate and professional students. Founded
in 1873, the University comprises 10 schools, a public policy institute,
a distinguished medical center and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center.
Vanderbilt offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences,
education and human development, engineering and music, and a full range
of graduate and professional degrees.
For more news about Vanderbilt, visit the News and Public Affairs home page
on the Internet at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/News.
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Document updated May 27, 1997