In January, the Department of Applied Mathematics recently learned of the passing of high impact alumnus,聽John Richard聽鈥淛ack鈥澛燱oodhull. Jack graduated from 欧美口爆视频 Boulder with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in engineering physics in 1957 and in 1960, returned to 欧美口爆视频 to earn a master鈥檚 degree in Applied Mathematics after serving聽as a Lieutenant聽in the U.S. Navy.聽聽
Woodhull鈥檚 involvement with the U.S. Armed Forces was a theme throughout his career, as he would find success in the private sector, serving as president and CEO of defense sector heavyweight,聽Logicon, Inc.聽Jack held this position from 1969 until 1998 when Northrop Grumman merged with Logicon, a billion-dollar acquisition when adjusted for inflation. Logicon was a leader in providing advanced technology systems, hardware, software, and other services to the Department of Defense, the Navy, the聽Air Force,聽the Department of Justice, and other government agencies.
Woodhull鈥檚 involvement with the University of 欧美口爆视频, and especially the Applied Math Department, did not end upon his graduation. He was an active member of the 欧美口爆视频 community, serving on the University of 欧美口爆视频 Foundation Board of Directors and the Engineering Advisory Council.聽聽In fact, he was Chairman of the Engineering and Applied Science College鈥檚 Centennial Campaign that raised over $57.5 million dollars in the early 1990s.聽
Of particular note was that Jack spearheaded an investment in the newly created Applied Mathematics program on the Boulder campus. He created an endowment fund that survives to this day as the J.R. Woodhull/Logicon Teaching Professorship, the first of its kind on the Boulder Campus.聽聽Dr. Anne Dougherty is the current teaching professor, and Professor Jim Curry held the position from 1999 to 2012. The purpose of the professorship is to support undergraduate applied mathematics education, as Jack believed that engineering students would be best prepared with dedicated applied mathematics education that addressed real world problems that would be supplementary to a student鈥檚 engineering education.
Professor Curry, in a statement made about his tenure as APPM Department Chair explained and Woodhull鈥檚 visionary investment in the undergraduate education of engineers:聽聽
鈥淓ach year I wrote a summary of the department's accomplishments and the ones I remember were to accelerate undergraduate research opportunities, with the help of a major grant from the National Science Foundation and helping to raise the ranking of the Department in the National Academies of Sciences ranking of Applied Mathematics department. I attribute these foundational accomplishments and transformation to the strong support of Mr. "Jack" Woodhull and especially his love and support of future generations of engineering student's excellence.鈥�
Professor Curry continued on, explaining that Woodhull was 鈥渁damant about supporting undergraduate students,鈥� and that the J.R. Woodhull/Logicon Teaching Professorship was instrumental in pushing the department and the students forward -- 鈥淛ack Woodhull nudged the department in the direction of student excellence 鈥� [his] insights and gift to 欧美口爆视频 Boulder continue to transform the future!鈥�
The Department mourns the passing of a strong and impactful聽member of the 欧美口爆视频 family who was a major contributor in the history of Applied Mathematics and whose generosity survives to this day. His legacy will live on for the students who benefit from his vision.聽聽More information about the life and successes of Jack Woodhull can be found in his聽.