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September 18, 2008
Who Remembers Bernie? And Why?
Last week the Chronicle of Higher Education mentioned Bernie Machen. Remember Bernie? He was the Dean here at the School of Dentistry shortly before I arrived in the late 90s. When I was interviewing for position of Dentistry Librarian, my primary cram-for-the-test study source was Dental Education at the Crossroads from the Institute of Medicine and the Committee On The Future Of Dental Education.
Dental Education at the Crossroads: http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4925
The description of the book starts with this: "Six dental schools have closed in the last decade and others are in jeopardy. Facing this uncertainty about the status of dental education and the continued tension between educators and practitioners, leaders in the profession have recognized the need for purpose and direction." We are still facing these issues and addressing them in critical curriculum redesigns.
J. Bernard Machen was at this time the Dean of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, and an active member of the Committee On The Future Of Dental Education. From the University of Michigan, he has only continued to move onward and upward in the academic hierarchy, currently President of the University of Florida.
OK, so what has Bernie been doing at UF? You can take a look at this Google News search to see what is being picked up by the popular press:
Google News: "bernard machen" OR "bernie machen"
The big buzz come from the Chronicle of Higher Education, who published an article last week featuring Machen as the famed inspiration for a mixed drink in the bars of Gainesville. The Chronicle has the article locked down to subscribers, so I don't dare show you the pretty pictures or give the recipe. I can point you to the news in the Gainesville local press, which states, "The drink includes rum, blackberry brandy, banana liqueur, lime juice and grenadine syrup."
Thirsty for a Machen?: http://www.gainesville.com/article/20080916/COLUMNISTS/809170298/-1/news07&title=Publication_tries_to_recreate__Machen__drink
Executive Mixers: In which we imagine cocktails named for college presidents: http://chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i03/03a00601.htm
So what is Bernie doing academically, aside from being UF President? Well, he's still working on the issues that matter to us, here.
Machen, J. Bernard. Will We Allow Dentistry to Be Left Behind? Principles Underlying Dental Education and Practice. Journal of Dental Education 72(2_suppl): 10-13 2008. http://www.jdentaled.org/cgi/content/citation/72/2_suppl/10
What do you think will be remembered? The pretty mixed drink, or the fight for the survival of dental education?
Posted by pfa at September 18, 2008 09:21 AM