Dr. Jarrad Wagner Joins the Walkby David Zellmer August 2, 2001 
With so many of our Walk members either retired or nearing retirement, there was real concern that this forty-year-old tradition might be in jeopardy. Today we are pleased to announce a new official member of the walk. Please welcome Dr. Jarrad Wagner. (He's the one without dark glasses.)
Dr. Wagner has just joined the Chemistry Department as a Forensic Scientist and will be doing teaching and research in both analytical chemistry and biochemistry. He'll be spearheading our new programs in forensic science that will be coming on-line as the new State Crime Lab is constructed on our campus. His background in law enforcement includes employment both as a reserve police officer and as a forensic scientist, so if we encounter any crime scenes while on The Walk, he should be ready with the yellow tape. He told us that he saw The Walk web site while considering our offer to him. With Dr. Wagner in the picture are (left to right) Dr. Stanley Ziegler, currently Acting Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. Stan will be retiring in just a few days, but he'll continue the Walk as a FERPer for the foreseeable future. Next to Stan is Dr. Sy Mack, President of the Walk, and Professor Emeritus of Geology. On the right we have Dr. Bruce Blackerby, also retired from the Geology Department (now known as the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences). Dr. Wagner and I will soon be the only non-retired regular members of The Walk. With Dr. Wagner now on board, we expect the tradition to carry on into the 21st century. 
In other news of The Walk, we must sadly report that the Original Tree and The Other Tree have been sent to the great forest in the sky. All that remains are some patches of sod where the grass has not yet grown back properly. We knew this day must come, since both trees were showing serious signs of decay. While standing under the Other Tree, we were careful not to stand beneath certain large branches in case a strong wind came up. Our current tree (Tree Three) is a bit further South of our traditional stopping point, but The Walk has adapted to other changes. We will adjust to this one as well.
August 2, 2001 |