In Memoriam: Winter 2023
Robert O. Swanson ’58
Robert O. Swanson ’58, honorary trustee, died on Aug. 18, 2021, at the age of 84. Swanson was a retired executive vice president and director of Mobil Corporation and Mobil Oil Corporation. He was an active member of the Rensselaer Board of Trustees from 1997 to 2001, and served as an adjunct trustee from 2001 to 2011.
Swanson and his wife, Cynthia Shevlin, were strong supporters of the Institute, and members of the esteemed Stephen Van Rensselaer Society. They were major benefactors of the establishment of the O.T. Swanson Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory, a distinctive, first-class facility that enables students to work in cross-disciplinary teams on a variety of industry and service organization-sponsored and entrepreneurial projects. They have also provided generous scholarship support for women and minority students majoring in engineering and science, and are loyal supporters of the Rensselaer Annual Fund.
We honor the contributions Robert Swanson made to the Rensselaer community and to the world. He will be greatly missed.
Shyam Murarka
Shyam Murarka, professor emeritus, died on Oct. 20, 2021 at the age of 81.
Murarka joined Rensselaer in 1984 as professor of materials engineering. He served as the director of the Center for Integrated Electronics and Electronics Manufacturing, and technical director of the New York Sematech Center of Excellence.
His work was widely published in scientific journals, and he served as co-editor of seven books for the Materials Research Society.
Prior to joining Rensselaer, Murarka was a supervisor in materials technology at Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey, 1972-84.
We honor the contributions Shyam Murarka made to both the Rensselaer community and to the world. He will be greatly missed.
Vincent J. Miller ’42, BCH, Chemical Engineering
Dr. Richard F. Schwartz ’44, BEE, Electrical Engineering; ’48, MEE, Electrical Engineering
Edmund C. Oertel ’45, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Peter A. Richter ’45, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Alfred V. Crain ’46, BX
Stuart Soyster ’46, BCH, Chemical Engineering
Joseph P. Chernoch ’47, BS, Physics
Peter Klosky ’47, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Douglas R. Lord ’47, BAE, Aeronautical Engineering
Robert S. Christie ’48, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Dr. James H. Downing ’48, BS, Chemistry
Ralph Splittberger ’48, BME, Mechanical Engineering
John J. Bundschuh ’49, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Norman T. Hansen ’49, BCH, Chemical Engineering
Royal E. Howes ’49, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Robert J. Lysiak ’49, BME, Mechanical Engineering
William D. Addy ’50, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Benjamin E. Beavin Jr. ’50, BCE, Civil Engineering
Dr. Arthur Gerstenfeld ’50, BMG, Management Engineering
James H. Gledhill Jr. ’50, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Robert G. Howland ’50, BMG, Management Engineering
Jack Jaglom ’50, BCH, Chemical Engineering
John Rigas ’50, BMG, Management Engineering
Russell S. Schell ’50, BCE, Civil Engineering
Norman L. Taylor ’50, BS, Physics
Ronald E. Turner ’50, BMT, Metallurgical Engineering
Russell S. White ’50, BMG, Management Engineering
Richard E. Zauner ’50, BCH, Chemical Engineering; ’56, MMG, Management Engineering
Arnold A. Zimmer ’50, BCE, Civil Engineering
Stanley Adamiak ’51, BME, Mechanical Engineering
John F. Donovan Jr. ’51, BMG, Management Engineering
Herbert B. Fishman ’51, BCE, Civil Engineering; ’53, MS, Metallurgical Engineering
John E. Reeves ’51, BCE, Civil Engineering
J. Hibbard Robertson ’51, BMG, Management Engineering
J. William Schweiker ’51, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Eugene V. Valehrach ’51, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Norman Y. Zelvin ’51, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Robert B. Abernethy ’52, BME, Mechanical Engineering; ’58, MMG, Management Engineering
Donald W. Banton ’52, BAR, Architecture
Ronald G. Ferrell ’52, BCH, Chemical Engineering
Donald A. Forstrom ’52, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Gilbert N. Kleiner ’52, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Guy C. Ligon Jr. ’52, BEE, Electrical Engineering
William G. Lillis ’52, BCE, Civil Engineering
Willard E. Marcley ’52, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Theodore Sapino ’52, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Sune Edgar V. Timour ’52, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Comdr. Dexter M. Welton ’52, BCE, Civil Engineering
Donald D. Wenk Jr. ’52, BX
Dr. Olof L. Anderson ’53, BAE, Aeronautical Engineering; ’56, MAE, Aeronautical Engineering; ’67, MS, Management
Frank A. Corradi ’53, BX, Civil Engineering
Victor L. Dowdell Jr. ’53, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Edwin James Kazanovicz ’53, BCE, Civil Engineering
Ivan M. Kerzner ’53, BMT, Metallurgical Engineering
Lawrence A. Michaels ’53, BAR, Architecture
Paul Schwartz ’53, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Richard R. Signore ’53, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Kerwin C. Stotz ’53, BEE, Electrical Engineering; ’58, MEE, Electrical Engineering; ’63, Ph.D., Electrical Engineering
Peter M. Watts ’53, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Edward L. Williamson Jr. ’53, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Glenn D. Breuer ’54, MEE, Electrical Engineering
John P. Cresco ’54, BX
Dr. Sonja Krause ’54, BS, Chemistry
Charles S. Kubik ’54, BCE, Civil Engineering
Jack K. Many ’54, BAE, Aeronautical Engineering
William F. Mertins ’54, BMT, Metallurgical Engineering
S. Joseph Ruocco ’54, BMG, Management Engineering
Alan R. Schrade ’54, BMG, Management Engineering
Robert M. Hirshson ’55, BEE, Electrical Engineering
James F. Ingle ’55, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Dr. Lawrence J. Kashar ’55, BMT, Metallurgical Engineering
Dr. Donald R. Buckner ’56, MMG, Management Engineering
Gilbert M. Dunne Jr. ’56, BS, Physics
Sherman Leonard Golub ’56, BS, Physics
Kenneth G. Marti ’56, BME, Mechanical Engineering
John W. Pedersen ’56, BEE, Electrical Engineering
John S. Becker Jr. ’57, BS, Geology
Oluf Braren ’57, BCH, Chemical Engineering
Henry D. Chaplin Jr. ’57, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Frederick D. Herdt ’57, BME, Mechanical Engineering
James R. Julian ’57, BMG, Management Engineering
Dr. E. Dale Martin ’57, BAE, Aeronautical Engineering; ’58, MAE, Aeronautical Engineering
Richard H. Pratt ’57, BMG, Management Engineering
Ivan N. Schatz ’57, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Raymond R. Seidlitz ’57, BX
William G. Urso ’57, BMT, Metallurgical Engineering
Paul A. Adler ’58, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Maj. Richard V. Bratton ’58, BAR, Architecture
Sheldon Dolinger ’58, MAE, Aeronautical Engineering
Dr. Harvey Heinz Happ ’58, MEE, Electrical Engineering
Joseph C. Hofler Jr. ’58, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Silvio F. Nativi ’58, BMG, Management Engineering
Willard E. Roberts ’58, MS, Communication & Technical Writing
Robert O. Swanson ’58, BCH, Chemical Engineering
George S. Maniatty ’59, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Harry P. Mann ’59, BAE, Aeronautical Engineering
George R. Royer ’59, MMG, Management Engineering
Jerrald C. Shifman ’59, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Charles R. Spencer Jr. ’59, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Henry W. Tarring II ’59, BCH, Chemical Engineering
H. Dale Wunder ’59, BS, Mathematics
Kenneth P. Zeman ’59, MS, Metallurgical Engineering
Cmdr. Bruce M. Dutton ’60, BMG, Management Engineering
John E. Hempstead ’60, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Gerald B. Morse ’60, MS, Physics
G. Ware Travelstead ’60, BAR, Architecture
Philip A. Withers ’60, BCH, Chemical Engineering
Dr. William P. Francis ’61, BS, Physics
Joseph J. Gawarkiewicz ’61, BCE, Civil Engineering
Paul Grande ’61, MS, Engineering Science
Dr. George H. Lee II ’61, BCH, Chemical Engineering; ’65, Ph.D., Chemistry
James Roger Lyons ’61, BS, Civil Engineering
Dr. Sanford S. Sternstein ’61, Ph.D., Chemical Engineering
Lance M. Yamato ’61, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Horace W. Goodwin ’62, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Warren H. Schoenfisch ’62, BS, Biology
Dr. Theresa F. Schwarzer ’62, BS, Geology; ’66, MS, Geology; ’69, Ph.D., Geology
Gilbert D. Wechsler ’62, BX
Dr. Gene M. Goodwin ’63, BMT, Metallurgical Engineering; ’68, Ph.D., Metallurgical Engineering
Ralph Lawson III ’63, BMG, Management Engineering
Laurence P. Manzi ’63, BS, Physics
Daniel B. Murphy ’63, MS, Mechanical Engineering
Walter J. Treadway ’63, MMG, Management Engineering
James R. Bogard ’64, MS, Environmental, Science & Technology
Gerald L. Mills ’64, BCH, Chemical Engineering
David L. Piper ’64, BEE, Electrical Engineering
James H. Spencer ’64, MME, Mechanical Engineering
Walter A. White ’64, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Paul R. Wolfe ’64, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Dr. John F. Cassidy Jr. ’65, BEE, Electrical Engineering; ’67, MEE, Electrical Engineering; ’68, Ph.D., Electrical Engineering
John L. Rich ’65, BCH, Chemical Engineering
Andrew J. Burke Jr. ’66, BCH, Chemical Engineering
Carl F. Foehrenbach ’66, BMG, Management Engineering
Richard A. Kendall ’67, MS, Natural Science
Donald Robohm ’67, BEE, Electrical Engineering
Dr. Lowell L. Sperry ’67, Ph.D., Metallurgical Engineering
Joseph L. Zinker ’67, BMG, Management Engineering
Lawrence H. La Chance ’68, BS, Geology; ’78, MBA, Management
Steven S. Russell ’69, BS, Electrical Engineering; ’70, ME, Electrical Engineering
Dr. Robert Sherman Wolff ’69, BS, Physics
Leslie Sheldon Abercrombie ’70, MS, Management
Timothy W. Coleman ’70, BX
Robert J. Cox ’70, BS, Chemistry
Rand James Edwards ’70, BS, Engineering Science
Paul D. Hoffmann ’70, BS, Mechanical Engineering
David J. Swota ’70, BS, Mechanical Engineering
William Michael Koles ’71, BS, Management
Barry Ilberman ’72, BS, Nuclear Science; ’73, ME, Nuclear Science; ’77, MBA, Management Engineering
Dr. David Warren Knudsen ’72, DE, Electrical Engineering
John Edward Lennox ’72, MS, Operations Research & Statistics
Jeffrey Taylor Williamson ’72, BS, Language and Literature
Thomas H. Dixon ’74, MS, Natural Science
Barry Charles Eggers ’74, BS, Mechanical Engineering
Carter S. Ward ’74, MS, Engineering Science
Dr. Edward J. Arcuri ’75, MS, Biology; ’78, Ph.D., Biology
Kenneth C. Bruley ’75, MBA, Management
Stuart Alan Freudberg ’75, BS, Environmental Engineering
Jill M. McPhee ’75, BS, Mechanical Engineering
Kenneth M. Mosig ’75, BS, Chemical Engineering
David P. Bray ’76, MS, Computer Science
William E. Eager ’76, MS, Computer Science
Roger W. Gibbs ’76, MS, Mechanical Engineering
James William Hansgate II ’76, BS, Environmental Engineering; ’77, ME, Chemical Engineering
John A. Vaughan Jr. ’76, BS, Civil Engineering
Christopher Booth ’77, BS, Physics
Rodger Lee Pfeiffer ’77, MS, Management Engineering
Jerry Richard Siemian ’77, BS, Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Leonard Martin Gaines ’78, BS, Interdisciplinary Science; ’80, MS, Urban Environment Studies; ’97, Ph.D., Urban Environment Studies
John F. Hennessy III ’78, BME, Mechanical Engineering
Alden Leslie Perry ’78, BS, Chemistry; ’79, MBA, Management
Rodgers G. Cheeks ’81, MS, Urban Environment Studies
Edward D. Greenwold ’82, MBA, Management
Mariana Palacios ’82, MBA, Management
Briant Patrick Regan ’82, BS, Electrical Engineering
Norbert James Hepfinger ’83, BS, Electrical Engineering
Kurt W. Newbrand ’83, BS, Physics; ’83, MS, Computer Science
Thomas Michael McHugh ’84, MS, Management
Robert Joseph Graveline ’85, MS, Management
Steven N. Kosusko ’85, BS, Building Science
Robert William Patterson ’85, BS, Electrical Engineering
Tat S. Chan ’86, MS, Mechanical Engineering
Glenn C. Dow ’86, MBA, Management
Mark O. Mirolli ’86, MS, Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Charles A. Francis ’88, MS, Physics; ’02, Ph.D., Physics
Allen Mattedi ’88, BS, Computer Science
David Anthony Liscinsky ’89, ME
Dr. Gary M. Renlund ’89, Ph.D., Materials Engineering
Amy Lesser Roebelen ’90, MS, Computer Science
Michael Robert Velcheck ’91, BS, Electrical Engineering
Andrew A. Fulchiero ’92, MS, Electrical Engineering
Lisa Elaine Rubin ’92, ME, Management Engineering; ’96, MBA, Management
Ted Brotsis ’97, MBA, Management
Thomas Michael Jennings ’98, BS, Physics; ’00, MS, Physics
Charles Chiarelli ’06, MS, Management
Adam P. Carboni ’07, BX, Biochemistry & Biophysics
