In Memoriam: David Hartshorne
David Hartshorne, professor emeritus in the School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness, died May 9 at 87 years old. He is being remembered by colleagues for his internationally recognized research and sharp wit.
David Hartshorne, Professor Emeritus, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness
Hartshorne joined the university in 1978. His research focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms regulate cell behavior – specifically, how smooth muscle and other types of cells contract or move.
Over the course of his career, he was lead author on nearly 220 publications which have been cited more than 12,500 times. Hartshorne mentored dozens of doctoral students as well as other scientists at the U of A. His research was consistently funded by the National Institutes of Health for more than 40 years, and he served as an advisor to the NIH board in Washington, D.C. Hartshorne retired from the university in 2013.
Professor Emeritus Scott Going served as Hartshorne's department head for about a decade. While Hartshorne had "plenty to brag about," Going said, it was not his style.
"David was most often a quiet presence with a quick wit and a self-deprecating and often sardonic humor," Going said. "Besides his family, perhaps his greatest delight was the pleasure he found in needling his friends. He had no shortage of advice for those of us in administrative roles, always shared with a sly grin and a twinkle in his eyes."
Going said he will remember Hartshorne fondly for being "independent, irreverent and always warm-hearted."
Hartshorne is survived by his wife, Ingrid; daughters, Marcie and Wendy; and sons, Jay and Michael. Donations in his memory can be made to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona.