In Memoriam

Dr. Herb Rieth passed away at the age of 80 on December 22, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Rieth held the Audrey Rogers Myers Professorship in Special Education and was the former chair of the Department of Special Education, the capstone in a long career of advocating for students with disabilities. A respected expert in the field, his research impacted nearly 50 years of policy and has appeared in more than 60 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to his impactful work in special education, particularly with his advocacy of technology to improve learning for students with disabilities, Rieth is remembered for his sharp sense of humor and love of travel.

Dr. Paul Resta passed on Christmas Eve at the age of 91. Dr. Resta was the Ruth Knight Milliken Centennial Professor and Director of the Learning Technology Center at the COE. Resta was a pioneer in incorporating technology into classroom instruction; he was an early advocate for web-based learning, computer-assisted collaborative teaching and other methods that have become the standard in many modern classrooms, and his instruction prepared new generations of teachers to adapt to a rapidly evolving educational environment.

Dr. Harold “Bill” Kohl served as a professor of Epidemiology and as a research professor for the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education. A celebrated scholar and researcher, Dr. Kohl published more than 300 scientific papers in his career, wrote four impactful textbooks and defined key areas of research, including research into the physical inactivity pandemic that was published in The Lancet in 2012. Dr. Kohl was also the founder and inaugural president of the International Society for Physical Activity and Health and was a vocal and active advocate for increased physical activity plans and health education.