Jim Porter lands NSF grant to continue studying corals

Jim Porter lands NSF grant to continue studying corals

Jim Porter is a retired professor of Ecology at the University of Georgia, and the National Science Foundation just did something highly unusual: It funded a research grant to continue his studies on coral reefs in the Florida Keys.

Jim is unaware of anyone else who has received an “Individual Investigator” grant from NSF in retirement. His best guess about this accomplishment is this:  Because his long-term work is so timely in assessing the future of coral reefs, NSF and its expert panel of external reviewers decided to fund it regardless of the age or retirement status of its investigator.

New novel from Matt Flynn: Hunting Bernie Weber
|

New novel from Matt Flynn: Hunting Bernie Weber

As Amazon explains:  “Our math genius, Bernie Weber, is a high school student in Milwaukee who has the ability to deduce the prime factors of any large number. (FYI: modern cryptology is based on using large prime numbers, which computers cannot extract when they are used in encoded messages).

When Bernie performs as “Pryme Knumber” in a math circus at a Milwaukee college, an intelligence officer in the audience realizes the value of his innate ability and informs the CIA of this potential human resource. They test Bernie to see if his ability is authentic and decide to give him a thumb drive with an encoded message to crack. By mistake, they give him a top-secret message they have intercepted but have not been able to decipher….

Michael and Maureen Folz release several new songs
|

Michael and Maureen Folz release several new songs

Michael and Maureen are using their new editing / mixing equipment to perfect some new songs, which are publishing-ready.  (Watch for it on Spotify!)   Here are two of the latest recordings.  Check ’em out:

See also
More original music from Michael and Maureen”
and
Re-releasing your music using new digital editing tools

Daniel Duke’s latest novel: Pursuit of Happiness
|

Daniel Duke’s latest novel: Pursuit of Happiness

Dr. Daniel Duke, a professor emeritus at UVa, released a new novel, Pursuit of Happiness, in late June.  It joins two earlier novels — Man Camp (2022) and River of Dreams (2023).  His author profile explains that “his novels address important issues, ranging from what it means to be a man in the 21st century to whether pursuing happiness is worth the effort.” The Amazon “blurb” for The Pursuit of Happiness gives a peek into…

The Transformative Experience of Nature

The Transformative Experience of Nature

Editor’s Note: Chris Hoffman recently published the following essay and offers it to classmates for both enjoyment and feedback.

When priest and earth scholar Thomas Berry was about ten years old, he had a transformative experience upon seeing a certain meadow for the very first time. He says: the sight of that meadow in early May, “together with the sounds of the insects – the crickets, the birds – all of this somehow struck me in such a way that ever since then that meadow has become my norm of reality and value…If we don’t have certain outer experiences, we don’t have certain inner experiences or at least we don’t have them in such a profound way. We need the sun, the …

Reunion: Saturday Dinner

Reunion: Saturday Dinner

The early birds started to party on Thursday evening. The delicious buffet on Friday was a great welcome for the arriving majority. But the Saturday Dinner was the true culinary apex of the weekend.

The crowd happily visited with old friends, made trips to the bar and restrooms as needed, and stopped on the way to greet and catch way up with even more old friends.

The music program was very different from prior reunions … and quite successful. And the formal parts of the evening were short and very sweet, with recognition …

Silhouette of Tree Photo
|

Reunion: Miscellaneous Pictures

Editor’s Note:This will be a spot where reunion attendees can contribute miscellaneous pictures — of close friends (as Derry does next), of meaningful places or activities they explored (as Brad does below) , or … basically ANY interesting, relevant pictures.

We aren’t sure about the final layout yet — check out the Gallery so far. Then just send any of your pix to support@Yale1969.org!

Memorial Service Remembers Those Who’ve Passed
|

Memorial Service Remembers Those Who’ve Passed

The Class convened in Battell Chapel on Saturday afternoon to share remembrances of the 45 classmates who have passed away during the prior 5 years. The Rev. J. Douglas Ousley ’69 officiated. Eliot Norman and Dick Williams organized the musical portion of the program. Dan Seiver read off the names (see slides below, one per person) and attendees shared stories and memories of the deceased.

Reunion: Climate and Energy Panel

Reunion: Climate and Energy Panel

Class Program

A panel of ’69ers with some serious climate bona fides reported

  • results from the class survey on our views of climate change (Tom Guterbock),
  • a framework discussing timeframes for science, the public and the economy to react to the reality of a changing climate (Eugene Linden),
  • the latest scientific reports on the extent of the damage so far (Skip Hobbs) and
  • what we Boomers can do about (Wayne Willis).

A robust discussion followed in the Q&A. Click through on the links and resources offered by the panel.

Norman Jakob Resnicow, May 4, 2024

Norman Jakob Resnicow, May 4, 2024

from Norman’s 50th Reunion Essay:

“…. Beyond these headstrong episodes, I’ve realized what a lucky life has been granted me. After our parental generation’s 16 years of economic depression and world war (my mother’s family escaped Germany in 1939), I was born in the right place at the right time. It was a given our generation would advance and prosper beyond our parents. (Not a given now.)

I had the luck to apply to Yale just when the Ivy League broadly opened up to boys of my background; to enter the law firm world just when top tier firms likewise opened up; and to begin practice when there was a fair shot to grab the prized partner ring. Timing does matter and, for me, has made a strong difference. …”

Simon Newcomb Whitney, Jr., November 14, 2023

Simon Newcomb Whitney, Jr., November 14, 2023

Simon’s Yale years were interrupted twice (once for the 67-68 school year, once later), for reasons he explained in his reunion essays in both 1994 and 2019 (see below):

From his website: “Simon Whitney, MD, JD is a family physician and ethicist. He taught at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, for twenty-two years. He is retired from the practice of medicine but continues to publish and teach about medical ethics.

… Dr. Whitney has studied the Institutional Review Board system, including its origins, its triumphs, and its failures, since 2007. … In 2023, he published From Oversight to Overkill: Inside the Broken System That Blocks Medical Breakthroughs—And How We Can Fix It (Rivertowns Books). This book brings to life how scientists struggle …”

Help needed blackboard sign held up by man against blue sky background

Reunion Reports: Help Needed!

I’m working on reunion stories and need your help.  If you found any reunion events particularly remarkable, PLEASE send your “reunion reflections” to support@Yale1969.org.  It could be thoughts on a lecture, tour or conversation.  It might be pictures.  E.g., I went to “Architecture and the City,” by Dr. Elihu Rubin ’99, a Vincent Scully protégé.  I took Scully’s course on Modern Architecture, and Professor Rubin nailed it: It was magical, energizing. I will write up a “Reunion Reflection” for that.

To jog your memory, see this list of YAA lectures and tours.  See also the receptions, exhibitions, and other special events.  And don’t forget the Class Programs. Please submit anything by end of June.

Boominar: The Women’s Revolution, 6/19 @ 4p Eastern

Boominar: The Women’s Revolution, 6/19 @ 4p Eastern

This is a “Yale Boom” offering from the Class of 1967.

Reminder — the Yale Boom Group (Classes of ’67-’73) share some of their webinars with neighboring classes.

How has the changing role of women affected our lives?

Women have become a dominant force in every aspect of American life. Not admitted to Yale when we were there, more women than men now graduate from high school, college, and professional schools. Register now – June 19th, 4 pm EDT.

Our “Class Programs” at Reunion: Truly Exceptional

Our “Class Programs” at Reunion: Truly Exceptional

The Reunion committee for the Class of ’69 winnowed ideas generated by a steering committee of 18 classmates and then recruited true stars to lead them. The results are extraordinary — a reason to attend all by itself!

Click through to see the final CLASS ONLY PROGRAMS as of May 1st. (See also the full program online for any late-breaking updates.)