Obituaries
September 2004
Jean-Jacques Laffont, Distinguished Professor, 57
On May 1, USC College Economics Professor Jean-Jacques Laffont died
after a long battle with cancer. On May 5, the newspaper Le Monde
remembered Laffont as, “One of the best economists of his generation,”
adding, “Through his research, which ranked with those of Nobel
Prize-winning caliber and his tireless work in developing institutions,
he is one of the economists that has done the most for the study of
French economics.”
Laffont joined USC College in September 2001 as the first holder of the
John Elliott Chair in Economics. He was recently named a USC
Distinguished Professor. Throughout his life, Laffont provided guidance
to international organizations such as the World Bank and some of the
largest European and American private and state-owned firms. His book
Competition in Telecommunications (MIT Press), translated into Chinese,
was an industry handbook.
At USC, Laffont was a force behind strengthening the economics
department’s research efforts in areas of theoretical and applied
economics and was instrumental in attracting numerous senior faculty to
USC College’s economics department. Laffont came to USC from the
University of Toulouse, where he had built a leading research center.
He was the author of more than 200 papers and 14 books. Laffont earned
his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 1975.
David Andrus, beloved teacher, 63
David J. Andrus, USC College professor and peace activist, died June 29
from cancer. Andrus joined the USC School of International Relations as
an adjunct instructor in 1994 teaching Latin American issues and served
as director of the peace and conflict studies program.
Andrus received his M.A. and Ph.D. from USC in Politics and
International Relations. At the center of his research was the
long-term impact of current U.S. foreign policy, particularly that of
post-war Iraq. In 1999, he spent time in Iraq as a member of a
humanitarian assessment delegation sponsored by the Red Crescent. He
returned to Iraq in June 2003, hosted by Christian Peacemaker Teams, an
organization that provides human-shielding and intermediary services to
populations suffering conflict.
William E. Trusten, dedicated student advisor, 51
William E. Trusten, a long-time senior staff member in the USC College
biological sciences department and an alumnus of USC Thornton School of
Music, died June 9 of cancer. Trusten joined the biology department in
1988, first working with the molecular biology graduate students and
then, in 1996, directing the administration of all biology doctoral
programs. Trusten helped scores of students successfully navigate the
graduate school experience. Before his death, the department created a
new student award in his honor. With funds from the department, the
College and individuals whose lives Trusten had touched, the department
successfully collected $20,000 to endow the William E. Trusten Student
Award. At a small, brief ceremony held in Trusten’s hospital room in
May, the inaugural $1,000 award was presented to neuroscience doctoral
student Kim Christian, now a postdoctoral fellow at the National
Institutes of Health.Donations by check in Trusten’s memory may be made
to support the endowed award (payable to “William E. Trusten Student
Award”) in care of Glen A. Smith, Biological Sciences, AHF 107F, MC
0371, USC, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0371.
Jerome Lawrence, playwright, wrote “Inherit the Wind,” 88
Jerome Lawrence, a faculty member in the USC Professional Writing
Program for 16 years, died February 28. Lawrence was a playwright
and theater director whose plays include the classic courtroom drama
“Inherit the Wind.” He taught playwriting at USC.
Hubert Selby, writer, 75
Hubert Selby, an adjunct professor in the USC Professional Writing
Program for nearly 20 years, died April 26. Selby was an
internationally acclaimed author who wrote Last Exit to Brooklyn,
Requiem for a Dream, and other dark, existential novels that dealt with
the victims of a society that had failed them.
Edward C. McDonagh, sociologist, 89
Edward C. McDonagh (B.A., Sociology, ’37; Ph.D., Sociology, ’42) died
April 21. He was a professor of sociology at USC from 1947-1969 and
dean of the division of social sciences and communications from
1960-69. He also served as dean of the College of Social and Behavioral
Sciences at Ohio State from 1974-78.
William Whitney, historian, 88
William Whitney (B.A., Art History, ’37) died January 13. Whitney
taught art history at colleges throughout Northern and Southern
California and served as executive director of the California
Historical Society from 1966-70.
Nathan L. Halpern, television pioneer, 90
Nathan L. Halpern (B.A., ’36) died April 3. He developed the concept of
closed circuit television, was a trustee for the Central Park
Conservancy, and a founding member and president of the East Hampton
Beach Preservation Society.
David E. Nuttall, physicist, 62
David E. Nuttall (M.A., Physics, ’74; Ph.D., Physics, ’77) died March
24. Nuttall was a photo-radar interpreter with the U.S. Air Force from
1960-63 and in 1962 was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal. After
graduating from USC, he spent most of his life working in the aerospace
industry. He has been honored with the establishment of the David E.
Nuttall Scholarship Fund at USC.
Jean Cleveland Roberts, peace activist and environmentalist, 85
Jean Cleveland Roberts, a longtime USC supporter, died June 15. Roberts
was a tireless peace activist who, along with her husband Burton,
created the USC College Roberts Professorship in Applied Violence
Studies. She was also a dedicated environmentalist and helped fund the
USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies.
Gerald Deskin, pioneer in educational psychology, 75
Gerald Deskin (Ph.D., Psychology, ’68) died March 9. He was the founder
of the Learning Center. He was a columnist for the Los Angeles Daily
News and past president of the San Fernando Valley Psychological
Association.
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