BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION (2015) 93(1):17, 1–1 DOI 10.1095/biolreprod.115.132688
IN MEMORIAM Patrick W. Concannon, Ph.D. 1941–2015
The Society for the Study of Reproduction and the scientific community lost a stalwart on February 23, 2015, when Dr. Patrick Concannon passed away. Pat was a treasured colleague, and outstanding mentor, and an exceptional organizer and promoter of reproductive biology in carnivores. Patrick (Pat to his many friends and colleagues) was born on September 25, 1941, in Weymouth, MA. The son of Irish immigrant John Concannon and his wife, Florence, Pat was part of a large extended Irish family. After graduating from Boston College High School, he followed with a bachelor of science from Boston College and a master of science in comparative biology from Northeastern University. Pat completed his Ph.D. at Cornell University in 1971 under the tutelage of Dr. William Hansel and then continued his career at Cornell as a researcher and educator. Pat was a passionate scientist. It is without hyperbole we state that Pat stands as the world’s greatest contributor to our understanding of carnivore reproductive biology. Indeed, he was known in the field as the ‘‘Father of Small Animal Reproduction.’’ His early work defining the ovarian cycle of the bitch was followed by numerous studies of canine pregnancy, parturition, and lactation. His multiple findings on spontaneous and pharmacological induction of estrus and ovulation and of puberty, contraception, and pregnancy termination in dogs all can be found in textbooks and constitute the milestones of small animal reproduction. He was first to define the hormone patterns of induced ovulation in the domestic cat and made a major contribution to the understanding of delayed implantation in carnivores. In addition to his large body of scientific work, Pat was the tireless organizer who founded and chaired the Quadrennial International Symposium on Canine and Feline Reproduction. He solicited speakers, arranged venues and caterers, and even selected dance music for social events, along with managing the review of the manuscripts that appeared in the five volumes of proceedings that he edited. He tirelessly edited all to the
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standard of the best peer-reviewed journals, often after hours of discussions that exhausted his coeditors. Some 16 years ago, Pat, with Peter Daels, one of his multiple international disciples, conceived and established the not-for-profit International Veterinary Information Service, an online publisher of books, chapters, and proceedings in veterinary science. This endeavor, to which he devoted an enormous amount of energy, has thrived. It provides veterinarians all over the world with free access to a wide range of materials in the field of animal health. It stands as a memorial to his belief that we should make knowledge accessible and available to all, without distinction. As a mentor, Pat never stopped thinking about new approaches, pathways, mechanisms, interpretations, hypotheses, and experiments. He never lacked ideas to be pursued and was always excited to talk not only about reproductive biology, but also about all aspects of the scientific endeavor. His enthusiasm was tempered by his ability to listen and by his patience. He not only guided and challenged colleagues, but also encouraged lab technicians and graduate students. He taught undergraduate science and veterinary students for many years at Cornell. He not only lectured but also instructed on research technique and guided students through case-managed studies. He believed each of us should have an understanding of our own physiology, and he enjoyed teaching an undergraduate course in human physiology to which he invited local physicians to lecture on their individual specialties. Pat was an accomplished sailor. He began on Lake Cayuga, attacking the challenge with the same intensity that characterized his scientific endeavors: analyzing trajectories, evaluating the wind, looking at the position of his adversaries and of his sails, making and acting on hypotheses. He raced his boats frequently and subsequently sailed in the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and numerous other sites throughout the world, enjoying with calm the most dramatic of winds, cooking with expertise in the galley. When he was racing his sailboat, often with students as crew, he would still be teaching, not only science but also the theory of sailing. But Pat was never able to stop working and questioning. Even after leaving Cornell, his friends proclaimed that he had never retired; his briefcase full of manuscripts and potential projects was his constant companion. Patrick Concannon was a good man, a fine human being who enjoyed life and lived science every day. Across the world, someone is using an idea, a concept, or a suggestion initiated by Pat Concannon. He left us, but his work will continue. Pat was a wonderful colleague, collaborator, and most of all, a friend. He was the quintessential family man, married nearly 50 years to his wife Natalie, father to Bryan and Meghan, and dedicated grandfather. He will be greatly missed. ——John P. Verstegen III and Bruce D. Murphy
IN MEMORIAM Patrick W. Concannon, Ph.D. 1941–2015
The Society for the Study of Reproduction and the scientific community lost a stalwart on February 23, 2015, when Dr. Patrick Concannon passed away. Pat was a treasured colleague, and outstanding mentor, and an exceptional organizer and promoter of reproductive biology in carnivores. Patrick (Pat to his many friends and colleagues) was born on September 25, 1941, in Weymouth, MA. The son of Irish immigrant John Concannon and his wife, Florence, Pat was part of a large extended Irish family. After graduating from Boston College High School, he followed with a bachelor of science from Boston College and a master of science in comparative biology from Northeastern University. Pat completed his Ph.D. at Cornell University in 1971 under the tutelage of Dr. William Hansel and then continued his career at Cornell as a researcher and educator. Pat was a passionate scientist. It is without hyperbole we state that Pat stands as the world’s greatest contributor to our understanding of carnivore reproductive biology. Indeed, he was known in the field as the ‘‘Father of Small Animal Reproduction.’’ His early work defining the ovarian cycle of the bitch was followed by numerous studies of canine pregnancy, parturition, and lactation. His multiple findings on spontaneous and pharmacological induction of estrus and ovulation and of puberty, contraception, and pregnancy termination in dogs all can be found in textbooks and constitute the milestones of small animal reproduction. He was first to define the hormone patterns of induced ovulation in the domestic cat and made a major contribution to the understanding of delayed implantation in carnivores. In addition to his large body of scientific work, Pat was the tireless organizer who founded and chaired the Quadrennial International Symposium on Canine and Feline Reproduction. He solicited speakers, arranged venues and caterers, and even selected dance music for social events, along with managing the review of the manuscripts that appeared in the five volumes of proceedings that he edited. He tirelessly edited all to the
1
Article 17
Downloaded from www.biolreprod.org.
standard of the best peer-reviewed journals, often after hours of discussions that exhausted his coeditors. Some 16 years ago, Pat, with Peter Daels, one of his multiple international disciples, conceived and established the not-for-profit International Veterinary Information Service, an online publisher of books, chapters, and proceedings in veterinary science. This endeavor, to which he devoted an enormous amount of energy, has thrived. It provides veterinarians all over the world with free access to a wide range of materials in the field of animal health. It stands as a memorial to his belief that we should make knowledge accessible and available to all, without distinction. As a mentor, Pat never stopped thinking about new approaches, pathways, mechanisms, interpretations, hypotheses, and experiments. He never lacked ideas to be pursued and was always excited to talk not only about reproductive biology, but also about all aspects of the scientific endeavor. His enthusiasm was tempered by his ability to listen and by his patience. He not only guided and challenged colleagues, but also encouraged lab technicians and graduate students. He taught undergraduate science and veterinary students for many years at Cornell. He not only lectured but also instructed on research technique and guided students through case-managed studies. He believed each of us should have an understanding of our own physiology, and he enjoyed teaching an undergraduate course in human physiology to which he invited local physicians to lecture on their individual specialties. Pat was an accomplished sailor. He began on Lake Cayuga, attacking the challenge with the same intensity that characterized his scientific endeavors: analyzing trajectories, evaluating the wind, looking at the position of his adversaries and of his sails, making and acting on hypotheses. He raced his boats frequently and subsequently sailed in the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and numerous other sites throughout the world, enjoying with calm the most dramatic of winds, cooking with expertise in the galley. When he was racing his sailboat, often with students as crew, he would still be teaching, not only science but also the theory of sailing. But Pat was never able to stop working and questioning. Even after leaving Cornell, his friends proclaimed that he had never retired; his briefcase full of manuscripts and potential projects was his constant companion. Patrick Concannon was a good man, a fine human being who enjoyed life and lived science every day. Across the world, someone is using an idea, a concept, or a suggestion initiated by Pat Concannon. He left us, but his work will continue. Pat was a wonderful colleague, collaborator, and most of all, a friend. He was the quintessential family man, married nearly 50 years to his wife Natalie, father to Bryan and Meghan, and dedicated grandfather. He will be greatly missed. ——John P. Verstegen III and Bruce D. Murphy
