06/14/1993

Fellowship Established to Honor Auburn Physiologist

AUBURN, Ala. - For the 20 years that Kenneth Ottis was on the faculty at Auburn University he worked diligently to build a physiology teaching and research program. Though he retired in 1973, he is still associated with that program and its students.

His latest contribution is being made through the Kenneth Ottis Distinguished Graduate Fellowship in Physiological Sciences, a new award established in honor of Ottis, professor emeritus of zoology. The inaugural recipients of this award are Gayle Christopher and Tracy Bridges, both graduate students in the Department of Zoology and Wildlife Science at Auburn University. Christopher is a doctoral candidate and Bridges is working on her master's degree.

John Pritchett, head of the Department, explained that the award was established to "recognize and support students with goals of university teaching and research in the physiological sciences."

"When Dr. Ottis came to Auburn in 1953 there was not a physiology graduate program at Auburn University. He initiated the graduate and research programs, even building his own laboratory and animal room in the attic of Comer Hall," recalled Pritchett, who is a former student of Ottis.

"Today there are nine faculty members in our department alone who work in various aspects of physiology and dozens campus wide," Pritchett added.

Christopher Old, a Birmingham physician and also one of Ottis' former students, provided the leadership to create and endow the Fellowship. "He was a great teacher," recalled Old. "It's hard to find the kind of inspiration he gives."

The award will be given annually to outstanding students who are interested in academic teaching and research careers in physiology.

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Auburn, AL 36849
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Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
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June 14, 1993