In Memoriam: Winter 2023

Robert O. Swanson

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

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