Bill Text: VA HJR239 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of Robert Peter Morgan.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-03-06 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ239ER) [HJR239 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HJR239-Introduced.html
WHEREAS, Robert Peter Morgan, a highly respected educator and engineering professional who inspired others to strengthen their communities through the practical application of engineering and the proper use of new innovations, died on June 26, 2023; and
WHEREAS, Robert "Bob" Morgan grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and was a dedicated fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers; he earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City; and
WHEREAS, Bob Morgan continued his education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from which he received a master's degree in chemical and nuclear engineering, and at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he earned a doctorate in chemical engineering; and
WHEREAS, in 1968, Bob Morgan joined the faculty of the School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis; he was a pioneer in solving real-world problems through engineering and established the university's Department of Technology and Human Affairs, where he espoused the importance of addressing existing challenges without creating new ones; and
WHEREAS, Bob Morgan chaired the Department of Technology and Human Affairs until 1983 and was the first recipient of the Elvera and William Stuckenberg Professor of Technology and Human Affairs endowment; he ultimately taught at Washington University for 30 years; and
WHEREAS, Bob Morgan also offered his insights to the Brookings Institution as a science public policy fellow and was a fellow of the National Academy of Engineering; he also served on advisory committees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation and was a member of a commission on research grants at the Office of Technology Assessment of the United States Congress; and
WHEREAS, outside of his career, Bob Morgan had a lifelong love of classical music and took up playing the cello as a member of several local symphonies, including the Georgetown Symphony, at the age of 40; he also took up running in his 40s and was an avid traveler who enjoyed frequent trips to England; and
WHEREAS, predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Nancy, and one son, Thomas, Bob Morgan will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his son, Jonathan, and his family, and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Robert Peter Morgan; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Robert Peter Morgan as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.
