It sounds like a cliché, but I literally could not find the words to express how much I admired Sid, valued our friendship, and will miss him. He was, put simply, one of the finest human beings I have ever known. So I will draw upon a wise man’s quotations to try to find the right words.
Abraham Lincoln said that “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.” Lincoln would have approved of Sid’s life. Far too few, his years were truly filled with life.
His record as a researcher, scholar, teacher, and mentor was truly exemplary by every measure.
- Including undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs, Sid guided the research of nearly 70 young scientists, leaving a lasting legacy
- Sid quietly and effectively achieved a record of excellence rarely matched. While he brought in millions more in funding than most faculty, I never once heard Sid brag about it.
- He leaves an amazing record of research and scholarship with about 100 articles, chapters, and books, an equal number of published abstracts, and a long list of invited lectures.
Sid’s achievements did not go unnoticed.
- Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America
- Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Visiting Professor, Cambridge University
Even more impressive were the countless ways in which Sid gave back to his community of scholars, serving on committees in the department, college, university, and professional societies. If Sid failed at anything, perhaps it was learning to say no.
If an organization is lucky, there will be a few exceptional go-to individuals who are always willing to step up to a challenge when needed, who invariably get the job done, and who do it to the highest standards. Sid was one of the college’s go-to guys. Knowing this, I was delighted when Sid agreed to become dean of the natural sciences and help put together a college leadership team that would challenge traditional hierarchic structure and assure that every major decision benefited from input from the social sciences, humanities and natural sciences.
It was working together on a daily basis as members of this dream team of deans that I came to really know Sid and to take the measure of this remarkable man. We gained each other’s complete trust as we faced difficult challenges and decisions and realized that we shared in common a vision for the college as well as the same values and principles.
Everyone cites principles to justify their decisions. But the real test of principles is when you stand by them when it costs you something or makes your life more difficult. Without needing to say anything, we were unanimous in keeping our principles intact and always trying to do the right thing.
At the end of our term we were unanimous in regarding our five years together as the most rewarding experience of our professional lives. To be a part of that special team and to work so closely with people that you so deeply admire is a rare gift.
Sid’s great intelligence, analytical skills, and budgetary finesse were invaluable to our team as we weathered a series of administrative and budgetary challenges. As remarkable as these talents were, what really impressed me was Sid’s character.
- Every decision, policy and calculation he made was tempered by Sid’s humanity. A negative impact on students, faculty or departments trumped an answer that would have made our lives as deans easier.
- Sid had an unwavering sense of fairness. While his units prospered, he was as sensitive to the needs of English or political science as he was to his own units.
- Sid’s sense of humor got me through some of our most difficult moments. A knowing glance, an inside joke, or a few well-chosen words under his breath in a meeting, often undetected by others, would bring a smile to my face and renew my courage.
- But most of all, I drew inspiration and strength from Sid’s honesty and integrity that were simply beyond reproach.
Turning to President Lincoln again, he said that “Nearly all men can withstand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” For the past 19 months, Sid met more adversity than any man should face and, true to style, did so with courage, dignity and grace that inspired those around him. Given great power as dean, Sid’s character passed Lincoln’s test with flying colors. His fairness, integrity, unwavering sense of right and wrong, and his wisdom and humility always put the general welfare ahead of his own and contributed more to the college than others will ever know.
I conclude with one last bit of wisdom from Lincoln, who said “Whatever you are, be a good one.” Sid was a loving husband and father, a scientist, a researcher, a scholar, a teacher, a mentor, a professor, a dean, a leader, a colleague, a team player, and a friend. And he was a good one.
