August 29, 2014

Emeritus is an honorary title for a retired faculty member which recognizes distinguished past service to the institution.

It is conferred in writing by the provost upon the recommendation of the department chair and dean and may be given to a retired faculty member of any rank.

This year, seven faculty members were awarded emeritus status in the School of Medicine. They retired in 2013.

 

Cheryl Hanna, M.D.
Clinical Professor Emerita
Pediatrics

 

In his letter of recommendation, Stacy Nicholson, M.D., MPH, professor and chair of pediatrics wrote, “Dr. Hanna first joined OHSU in 1977 as a Pediatric Resident. She completed a Fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology at OHSU from 1979 to 1982, joining the Department of Pediatrics as a Pediatric Endocrinology faculty member in 1982. Her entire faculty career has been at OHSU culminating with her appointment as a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics in 2010. Dr. Hanna’s record is one of over three decades of dedicated service to OHSU and to the children of our region. She has been a superb pediatric endocrinologist, and has made remarkable contributions both within OHSU and in the general community. In addition to her long-standing dedication to care provided at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, she has played a major role in the development of outreach clinics throughout Oregon and beyond our state’s borders. She brought state-of-the-art endocrine and diabetes care to children throughout the state twho couldn’t travel to Portland. In 2006, Dr. Hanna extended this expertise further and became a Pediatric Endocrine Consultant to Alaska Native Medical Center with the goal to fill a pressing clinical need for endocrinology services for Alaska Native children in Alaska.  She also has been a great educator to an entire generation of pediatric residents and pediatric endocrinology fellows.”

 

Per-Olof Jarnberg, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

 

In his letter of recommendation, Jeffrey Kirsch, M.D., professor and chair of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine, wrote, “Shortly after joining the full-time permanent OHSU faculty, he was appointed as the Director of Research in Anesthesiology. He has served as Interim Chair of Anesthesiology on three separate occasions (July 1992 to June 1993; November to December 2000; July 2002 to December 2002). He served as the Clinical Director/Clinical Vice Chair for 18 years. I have had the pleasure of working closely with Dr. Jarnberg since my arrival to OHSU in 2002. I have found him to be an outstanding clinician, and a collaborative leader with outstanding ethical standards and communication skills. Even after stepping down as the Clinical Vice Chair in 2011, Dr. Jarnberg continues to serve on the department promotions and tenure committee, the hospital credentials committee and OHSU animal care and use committee.”

 

Zhi-Gen Jiang, M.D., Ph.D.
Research Professor Emeritus
Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery

 

In their letter of recommendation, Paul Flint, M.D. professor and chair of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery, and Alfred Nuttall, Ph.D., professor of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery and vice chair for research, wrote, “Dr. Jiang joined the Vollum Institute as a visiting scientist in 1988 from his professor position in a Chinese medical school and has continued his academic career continuously at OHSU from that time, first as an Associate Scientist in the CROET, then as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Research Professor in the Oregon Hearing Research Center/Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery. Since joining OHSU, Dr. Jiang has devoted himself to biomedical research, the education and training of international scholars and medical students and OHSU academic activities, including service in the Faculty Senate. He has published 31 papers, many of them internationally renowned journals. In addition to his accomplishments at OHSU, Dr. Jiang has been able to extend his scientific influence to national and internal domains. Dr. Jiang is a motivated and talented scientist who contributions in the department and to OHSU will have long-lasting influence.”

 

Alfred Lewy, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
Psychiatry

 

In his letter of recommendation, George Keepers, M.D., professor and chair of psychiatry, wrote, “Dr. Lewy was recruited to OHSU by Dr. Joe Bloom, then Chair of the Department of Psychiatry, in 1981. Dr. Lewy, an M.D., Ph.D., graduate of the University of Chicago, initiated his work in circadian rhythm disturbances at NIH. He was the first to develop a reliable melatonin assay utilizing mass spectrometry. Using this technique he began investigations of human circadian rhythm at NIH. He has continued this work at OHSU over the last 3.5 decades and is internationally recognized as one of two or three top investigators in the world in this field. Dr. Lewy was the first to describe seasonal affective disorder and was the discoverer of the circadian basis of this mood disorder. He developed the key measure (Dim Light Melatonin Onset) that allowed circadian researchers to determine the presence of circadian rhythm disturbances in patients with bipolar disorder, SADS, jet lag and most recently in non-seasonal depression. In short, Dr. Lewy is one of the most distinguished scientists ever to hold a faculty appointment at OHSU, and his accomplishments have been recognized with numerous awards.”

 

Donald Sauser, M.D.
Professor Emeritus
Diagnostic Radiology

 

In his letter of recommendation, Fergus Coakley, M.D., professor and chair of diagnostic radiology, wrote, “Since he joined the OHSU faculty in 1991, Dr. Sauser has been a role model for outstanding service and teaching, and has always been the "go to" musculoskeletal radiologist for challenging cases and procedures. His work ethic is impeccable, and he is unsurpassed as a dedicated and loyal OHSU faculty member. He served as Vice-Chair of Diagnostic Radiology from 1992 to 2000. He was Section Chief of Musculoskeletal Radiology from 1991 to 2011. He has also served on the Departmental Executive, Quality Assurance, and Promotion and Tenure Committees. At the University level, he has served on the Finance Committee and the University Medical Group Board of Directors. While Dr. Sauser has demonstrated outstanding clinical and administrative service throughout his career at OHSU, his most substantial contribution has been in education. Few radiologists measure up to Dr. Sauser in dedication to quantity and quality of teaching on a consistent basis. He has always provided several lectures in addition to the scheduled curriculum. When Dr. Sauser lectures or has interactive case showing sessions, regardless of when they occur, the residents attend and are engaged. Dr. Sauser has been selected for the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award four times by the radiology residents.”

 

Mark Silen, M.D.
Professor Emeritus
Surgery 

 

In his letter of recommendation, John Hunter, M.D., professor and chair of surgery, wrote, “Dr. Silen was appointed Adjunct Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics in 1999 and appointed Professor of Surgery in 2000. Dr. Silen served as co-chair of the Executive Committee, was a member of the Executive Management Committee, Medical Staff Committee, QA Committee, OR Committee, Pediatric Surgical Specialists Marketing Committee at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, OHSU Finance and Funds Flow Committee and Faculty Senate. Dr. Silen is the author or co-author of 38 publications and six books. Dr. Silen is a great teacher. He mentored pediatric surgery fellows, general surgery residents, medical students and pre-med college students. He was the educational director for the pediatric surgery fellowship program and the training program director of the pediatric surgery program.”    

 

M. Susan Smith, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita
Physiology and Pharmacology/Oregon National Primate Center

 

In her letter of recommendation, Nancy Haigwood, Ph.D., ONPRC director and adjunct professor of molecular microbiology and immunology, wrote, “Dr. Smith has served OHSU since 1994, when she was recruited as ONPRC Director. As ONPRC Director, she oversaw the evolution of ONPRC as a major Center within OHSU, strengthened research and infrastructure at ONPRC through judicious recruitment and organizational changes, and increased the national recognition of the scientific excellence of the Center through her own research as well as that of other Core Scientists that was facilitated by her effective leadership. In addition to her duties as Center Director, she fulfilled many responsibilities related to the teaching and education missions of OHSU. These included her mentoring of students, fellows and junior faculty, founding of the OHSU Center for Women’s Health, active participation in the operation of the MRF, the Women’s Circle of Giving and a number of other local and university committees and organizations. Dr. Smith’s national leadership achievements, included serving as president of the Endocrine Society, treasurer of The Hormone Foundation and service on a plethora of NIH and other review panels and editorial boards, reflecting her stature in the scientific community and enhancing the reputation of the ONPRC and OHSU.”