In Memoriam: J. Michael Walker (1951 - 2008)

I just received this email from the ICRS, authored by Heather Bradshaw, Susan Huang, and Ken Mackie.

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of J Michael Walker [Saturday, January 5] of heart failure.

Michael was the Linda and Jack Gill Chair of Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology at Indiana University. To all of us who knew him, Michael was an inspiration and a cherished colleague. Trained as a psychologist, he adroitly incorporated behavior, anatomy, electrophysiology, molecular biology, and mass spectrometry into an outstanding body of scholarship. Beyond his scientific contributions, Michael also had a deep and genuine interest in teaching and mentoring. Above all, he was a warm and generous human being. He will be dearly missed, but his legacy will live on—both in his creative endeavors as well as through his many accomplished students. Michael was an ICRS past President, was a distinguished researcher, mentor to many, created the endowed Kang Tsou lecture series and was always willing to help the Society. He made great contributions to the Society, often quietly. The ICRS will present a memorial to his life at the 2008 meeting.

Please visit Michael’s website at: http://www.indiana.edu/%7Ejmwlab/

If you would like to offer condolences to the family, please make contributions to the Kang Tsou Memorial Fund (a non-profit foundation founded by Michael, dedicated to neuropharmacology and education), c/o Misty Theodore, Indiana University, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 1101 E 10^th St, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA

Heather Bradshaw, Susan Huang, Ken Mackie and ICRS

He was taken from us too soon as he was only 57 years old. More may be read here. Resquiat in pace, Dr. Walker. It was an honour having met you.