Business & Education News - November 24, 2004

M. Judith Charles (1952–2004)

We wish to acknowledge the passing on October 4 of our colleague and friend, M. Judith Charles, assistant professor of environmental toxicology at the University of California, Davis. Judi published much of her work on mass spectrometric analysis of environmentally relevant chemicals in ES&T. Like many of her generation of environmental scientists, Judi’s education and research were characterized by an expertise in technology that was not an end in itself but was driven by the need to understand or solve a particular environmental issue. Her contributions included the analysis of novel contaminants in water, the detection of previously unknown atmospheric pollutants, and the quantification of trace concentrations of DNA adducts.

For us, however, Judi’s legacy is in how she taught many of us the importance of remembering the human side in our work. She humbled us with her courage, perseverance, and dignity in an often unkind academic world and in her long, fierce battle with breast cancer and its debilitating treatments. She reminded us of life's true priorities, thus enriching our lives and the lives of others fortunate to have called her a friend. Judi, you are tenured in our memories.

—MICHAEL D. AITKEN AND RICHARD M. KAMENS
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL