Honors: Selected Outstanding Faculty member of University of Alaska Fairbanks, conferred the title of Professor Emeritus of Statistics and Mathematics upon first retirement in 1988, Alaska State Legislature passed resolution commending me for my work for the state in 1988. I was named Outstanding Faculty member in the Military Programs for five consecutive years. After the fifth year, I was told I could not be nominated again in order to give other faculty the opportunity.I have served on several boards including the Fairbanks school board, Tanana Valley State Fair and Chena Goldstream Fire and Rescue. As a volunteer I served as a Scout leader, superintendent of the 4 H section at the State Fair, where I helped institute an auction for the animal and fowl section and served as the Cooperative Extension leader. I received the State of Alaska, Governor’s award for volunteer service to the state.
Hobbies/Activities: At present I am enjoying woodworking, photography and travel. Spent a summer biking in the Netherlands and another summer hiking and touring the Tuscany area in Italy.
What I am reading: I am reading biographies – Eleanor Roosevelt, Golda Meier, Wright Brother’s and Thomas Edison are some I have read. I am taking a Great Courses on the “Night Sky” to renew my knowledge of the Astronomy course I took while at Central College.
Future aspirations: I would like to attend the graduation of my 2.5 year-old grandson upon the completion of his PhDPresent “employment”: Providing and enjoying childcare for our grandson as his mother is establishing her medical practice.
Memorable Central College moments: The love of mathematics and its beauty from Dean Pietenpol when after a difficult problem or after the proof of a theorem he’d remark in hushed tone “Oh my how beautiful”, while his face glowed with ecstasy.
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Art Downey
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12:32 pm on September 5, 2015
Hi Phil. Having been a student of yours at Central in statistics, and that general math course that included spherical trig with a slate globe, it was great to hear about you again. I remember fondly your explaining the grading our papers by having your son toss them down the stairs with grades awarded in the order they landed. Then there was the picture of the “White swan eating pop corn in a snowstorm (plain white paper). [I also remember a bit of the math we learned].
In case my name doesn’t ring a bell, you also knew me as “Sakini” as you and Mr. Creighton inspired me with laughter night after night in “Teahouse of the August Moon”.rehearsals.\!