Message from Dean Garzione - October 2022 Newsletter

Dear students, colleagues, and friends,

With so many wonderful things going on during our homecoming events this weekend, I’d like to take this space to reflect on the past few weeks. Our Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, our College of Science community, and the wider community beyond our campus continues to grieve and process the tragic loss of Dr. Thomas Meixner to the shooting on October 5. We are heartbroken for the Meixner family and all of those who knew and had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from Tom.

Tom made a remarkable impact at the University of Arizona and beyond as a brilliant scientist, colleague, department head, teacher, and mentor. The Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences department and the College of Science have been heartened by incredible kindness and support from the campus community and the global community of scientists who knew and worked with Tom. His memory and approach to life and work has inspired many to continue to share his legacy and work towards building a stronger and more connected community that makes our world a better place.

If you would like to support the Meixner family, a GoFundMe effort to benefit Tom’s wife, Kathleen, and their sons, Sean and Brendan, has been created. Funds will help create a foundation for moving forward with living and educational expenses. To honor his memory at the University of Arizona, the Dr. Thomas Meixner Memorial Fund has been created with a crowdfunding page where donors can also share words of condolence. The Meixner family will direct these funds to a University of Arizona cause meaningful to them.

In several recent communications, President Robbins communicated his plans regarding campus security efforts. In that message, Dr. Robbins shared plans to retain recognized independent external experts in security and threat assessments to begin a comprehensive review of all aspects of our campus safety, violence prevention, and public safety response. The College of Science and the department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences are working with campus leadership to support this effort and to ensure that our campus is as safe as possible.

Please be sure to read the campus news, accolades, and more in this month’s newsletter. We are so proud of the many remarkable things happening across our College of Science community.

Sincerely,

Carmie Garzione
Dean, College of Science