UChicago News

Bertram Cohler, psychologist and esteemed teacher, 1938-2012

William Harms — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:54 -0500

Update: A memorial service for Bert Cohler will be held at 6 p.m. June 4 in Rockefeller Memorial Chapel.

Bertram Cohler, a UChicago psychologist and celebrated teacher who was an expert on family life and transitions, died May 9. Cohler, 73, was the William Rainey Harper Professor in the College.

Cohler’s primary appointment was in Comparative Human Development, with joint appointments held in Psychology, Psychiatry and...

Larry Sjaastad, scholar of international economics, 1934-2012

William Harms — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:12 -0500

Larry Sjaastad, professor emeritus of economics and a leading expert on trade in Latin America, died May 2. A resident of Hyde Park, he was 77.

Sjaastad made fundamental contributions to economics across a wide spectrum of topics including public finance, international economics and exchange rate theory.

“Larry’s teaching and the bonds he made with students have had a huge effect in Latin America,” said Jorge Garcia-Garcia, PhD’75, a senior evaluation...

Emmet Larkin, prominent scholar of Irish history, 1927-2012

William Harms — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:56 -0500

Update: A memorial service for Emmet Larkin will be held at 3 p.m. May 30 in Bond Chapel. A reception will follow in the Swift Hall Commons Room.

Emmet Larkin, a University of Chicago history professor and one of the nation’s leading scholars of Irish history, died March 19 at the age of 84.

Scholars in both the United States and Ireland credit Larkin with bringing important insights into the importance of the Catholic Church in Ireland...

Peter Novick, celebrated scholar of history, 1934-2012

William Harms — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:35 -0500

Update: A memorial service for Peter Novick will be held at 3 p.m. May 22 in Bond Chapel, with a reception to follow in the Swift Common Room.

Peter Novick, a University of Chicago historian whose specialty was the study of history itself, or historiography, died Feb. 17 at the age of 77. Novick, professor emeritus of history, used his formidable skills to explain how different views of the...

Paul Gitlin, beloved teacher of social work, 1926-2012

Julie Jung — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:26 -0500

Paul Gitlin, a beloved teacher and associate professor emeritus at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, died Jan. 23. He was 85.

Gitlin’s early experiences as a social worker helping school-age children informed his later work as an educator. He helped build SSA’s group work program along with Profs. Irving Spergel and Mary Lou Somers. The group work sequence, initiated in 1958-59 and directed by...

Herman L. Sinaiko, longtime College professor and Plato scholar, 1929-2011

Susie Allen — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:06 -0500

Update: A memorial service for Herman L. Sinaiko will take place Friday, Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. in Bond Chapel. Seating will begin at 3:30. Those who cannot attend the service may view it on cTV or at the UChicago Live page on Facebook.

Herman L. Sinaiko, a beloved teacher in the College and a scholar of Plato, died Sunday, Oct. 2 in Hyde Park after battling lung cancer...

James Bowman, expert on pathology and blood diseases, 1923-2011

John Easton — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:48 -0500

Update: A memorial service for the late Dr. James E. Bowman will take place at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, in Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave. Seating in the chapel will begin at 9 a.m. No cameras or recording equipment will be allowed in the chapel. A reception will follow at Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th St. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Bowman Society of the University of...

Paul Meier, statistician who helped change clinical research, 1924-2011

Steve Koppes — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 09:58 -0500

University of Chicago professor emeritus Paul Meier, who exerted a major influence on the application of statistics to medical research, died Sunday, Aug. 7 at his home in New York City. He was 87.

“Paul was a friend and colleague, as well as one of the most influential statisticians of an important era,” said Stephen Stigler, the Ernest DeWitt Burton Distinguished Service Professor in Statistics. “He left an indelible mark on us, and through his research on...

Vijay Dayal, head-and-neck surgeon and otolaryngologist, 1936-2011

John Easton — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:04 -0500

Vijay S. Dayal, professor emeritus of surgery and an internationally known authority on the neurophysiology of the auditory and vestibular nerves and on treatment of diseases of hearing and balance, such as Meniere’s disease, died June 30 at age 74.

As a physician, Dayal had a reputation for listening intently to his patients, advancing carefully and relentlessly toward a precise diagnosis and performing elegant operations. His colleagues, patients, friends and family...

Patrick Billingsley, probability theorist and actor, 1925-2011

Steve Koppes — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:58 -0500

Patrick Billingsley, an influential probability theorist who also became an accomplished actor of stage and screen, died Friday, April 22 in his Hyde Park home after a short illness. He was 85.

“He’s most known for his series of books in advanced probability theory,” said Steve Lalley, UChicago professor in statistics. “They are all models of exposition. They really are fine works of mathematical writing. Several generations of graduate students in both...