In Memory

Derek Dunn

Derek Dunn



 
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04/16/14 01:42 PM #1    

J Terrell (Terry) Hoffeld

Wednesday, December 25, 2002

Obituary: Derek Dunn


Health officer sought to stop hearing loss

By Rebecca Billman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

[photo]
Mr. Dunn
 
 

FLORENCE, Ind. - Derek Dunn, acting associate director for science for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and captain in the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) died Friday from complications of surgery. The Florence, Ind., resident was 56.

During his 23 years with the USPHS, Capt. Dunn, a Cincinnati native, made outstanding contributions to the prevention of occupational hearing loss as well as to the development of other scientists through his mentoring.

Capt. Dunn wrote several publications on the etiology of noise-induced hearing loss and prevention of occupational hearing loss. In addition to serving as acting associate director of NIOSH, he served as section and branch chief, division associate director for science and division director.

In 1998, he moved to Washington to serve as executive assistant, working in the office of the U.S. Surgeon General. He received more than 20 awards for his work, including the USPHS Meritorious Service Medal, the Surgeon General's Exemplary Service Medal and NIOSH-Cincinnati Supervisor of the Year award.

Capt. Dunn was a two-term member of the Scientist Professional Advisory Committee and served as its chairman in 1991. He was named scientist category chief professional officer by the Surgeon General in 1995. In that capacity, he was instrumental in developing the Scientist Handbook, the Centers for Disease Control mentoring program, mentor and leadership training seminars and the USPHS bicentennial calendar.

In 2001 he was selected USPHS career scientist of the year.

Capt. Dunn was on several committees of the Commissioned Officer Association (COA) and on the national board of directors. Last August, he was given the 2002 Robert Brutsche Award, the highest COA service award.

One of Capt. Dunn's passions was mentoring students, scientists and officers. For the past several years, he was the primary liaison to the IMHOTEP program, personally overseeing recruitment and matching of minority students to summer organizations in Cincinnati.

He was a past organization head for the Boy Scouts of America Explorer Unit, served on the Cincinnati Memorial Center Board of Directors and was past president of the Cincinnati Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America.

Capt. Dunn held bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Cincinnati. In 1972 he was the first recipient of a doctorate in UC's new speech and hearing program. He later completed a postdoctoral fellowship in electron microscopy and cochlear morphology at Ohio State University and was a guest researcher at Sweden's University of Lund.

He was an organizer of the UC College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Association, serving on its first board, its executive council and as president. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the department of communication sciences and disorders in 1989 and from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1992.

Capt. Dunn served as an adjunct professor at UC and Miami University and developed collaborative programs between UC and NIOSH. The University of Cincinnati Alumni Association gave him the Award for Distinguished Service in 2001.

He was an avid collector of jazz recordings, held a pilot's license and was an excellent marksman.

Survivors include: Jean Callahan, his companion of 34 years; a sister, Melody Sparks; and two brothers, Kenneth and Philip Dunn.

A private funeral was held. Arrangements for memorial service in Cincinnati in January are pending.


04/17/14 07:09 AM #2    

Ann Shepard (Rueve)

The service was a real tribute. Many Public Health Service colleagues,, all in uniform, including the assistantSurgeon  General, visited from Washington, DC.  


04/23/14 01:15 PM #3    

Gene Stern

Derek was one of my dearest friends from WHHS.  He was quiet but fierce on the football field and that is why he was voted co-captain with me our senior year.  I came from Winton Place and Derek lived near Knowltons Corner not far from me.  He was a true gentleman who made great strides in his career in Public Health.  I heard about his untimely passing and although I could not attend the funeral I sent a tribute to the Funeral Home and bought an ad in the Eagle football program in his name that year.


04/26/14 11:04 PM #4    

Harold Merse

Derek & I were always "running in ' to each other, either at the hospital (Bethesda Base) as I believe his significant other was employed there, as at that time I was also, or other public places......it was uncanny..... we were good friends.

Derek died at Good Samaritan Hospital in 2002 ......I was on duty that night & would probably have had to respond to the final "Code Blue" on Derek ...................I asked one of my colleagues to respond to that code........I could not........ I could not "see" Derek like that........


04/28/14 02:19 PM #5    

Larry Klein

Derek was All-City defensive end at Walnut and a guy who could tease and be teased and have fun with it.  Our friendship carried on to UC where Derek played on my intramural football team two years (we played in the 'fraternity' league, though we were independents).  He certainly had a remarkable career in his health field.  Only wish he could have made it a longer one.


05/22/14 12:05 PM #6    

Ira Goldberg

Though Derek lost his life far too early, his accomplishments prove that some nice guys do not finish last. A good and serious man, his impact on us and our country is nothing but positive.


06/01/14 06:18 PM #7    

Eugene Katona

Derek and I were in the same graduate program at the University of Cincinnati. He was a really wonderful guy. We took Gross Anatomy and Neuroscience at the medical school including the labs. Derek was smart as anyone I know and a dedicated researcher. I visited him at his lab at Niosh (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) and enjoyed his always easy going, warm and genuine friendship as he gave me his personal tour of the facility. I think about him and remember him often.


06/09/14 08:05 PM #8    

Rick Gloeckler

Derek and I rode the city bus to WHHS everyday from the 7th to 12th grade andthus became good friends.  We added water to a volcano in Mrs. Levinson's latin class and the volcano erupted from the fizz powder contained therein.....she knew it was Derek and i who had done the deed (we were her least favorite students) but was never able to prove it.  One day in study hall, Derek stood up and sang "Don't go on Wolverton Mountain"....I assume he had to do that in pledging ODK...everybody was amazed because Derek was usually a pretty quiet guy.  I remember him in the Roger Bacon football game as we were playing guys from Corryville/Clifton from my neighborhood.  Derek was playing defensive end against a High School All American and giving him everything he wanted and more.  I was not aware of his passing until afterwards or I would have attended his funeral...he was one of my best high school friends.  Great guy.  


06/10/14 03:25 PM #9    

Harry Martin

Derek gave the commencement address when my daughter recieved  her BS in Speech Pathology. She said that his address helped motivate her to pursue her Masters in the same field.


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