LSC Emeriti

Larry Meiller

Credentials: Retirement Date: 2022

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Larry Meiller is a professor emeritus in the Department of Life Sciences Communication and host of “The Larry Meiller Show,” a 90-minute, call-in talk show heard each weekday from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Wisconsin Public Radio. Meiller teaches broadcast classes and has received the Outstanding Advisor Award and the Excellence in Teaching Award from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Meiller has won numerous awards for his radio work, covering topics such as the environment, health, consumer issues, and more, and was inducted into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2017. He has advised about 250 master’s and doctoral students, played a vital role in launching UW’s student radio station WSUM, and served on nearly 30 college and campus committees, with a particular focus on student affiars and international activities.

Tom Still

Credentials: Retirement Date: 2021

Position title: Senior Lecturer Emeritus

Before his retirement in 2021, Tom has shared his expertise with over 580 students, exposing them to the field of entrepreneurship and careers in science, technology, and communications for over 16 years. Completion of a communications internship was a key component of the senior capstone course taught by Tom, LSC 640: Case Studies in the Communication of Science & Technology. Students in his course appreciated the ability to build their portfolio and apply what they learned throughout their undergraduate experience in LSC to a real-world context with a company or organization in their final semester.

Beyond his role in the classroom, Tom is president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, which is a non-profit, bipartisan science and technology policy advisory board to the governor and Legislature. Tom also serves on the Board of Trustees for the WiSys Technology Foundation, the Industrial Advisory Board for the UW-Madison College of Engineering, the Board of Visitors for the UW-Madison Department of Computer Sciences, the board of directors for the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, and the board of directors for the Wisconsin Healthcare Business Forum, among other civic and business groups.

Michael Flaherty

Credentials: Retirement Date: 2020

Position title: Lecturer Emeritus

Before this retirement in 2020, Michael Flaherty had been a senior lecturer and instructor at the department since 1991. Drawing upon his skills gained in industry, he taught introductory science writing classes and classes that utilize social marketing to aid nonprofits in the Madison community. Flaherty is proud to have taught nearly 900 students in his three different courses.

He is president of Flaherty & Associates, a public policy communications and public relations firm focused on communication strategies to support issue- and idea-based nonprofits, government agencies, and private sector initiatives.

Flaherty is formerly director of marketing and public affairs for Meriter Health Services, a community-based health care system that includes a hospital, clinics, a physician group, and Physicians Plus, a provider-owned HMO. He started his career as a journalist, working for the Wisconsin State Journal as a business and government reporter, as a Washington D.C. correspondent for a Dow Jones daily newspaper group, and for regional newspapers in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Susan Lampert Smith

Credentials: Retirement Date: 2019

Position title: Lecturer Emerita

Susan Lampert Smith taught science writing in LSC undergraduate curriculum since 1990 and mentored a large number of young science writers in successful careers. Additionally, Lamper Smith was a science writer for UW Health, focusing on research from the UW Carbone Cancer Center and UW School of Medicine and Public Health. She worked with media relations with outlets ranging from the BBC and Al Jazeera to Wisconsin Public Radio and the Dodgeville Chronicle. Lampert Smith formerly wrote an award-winning newspaper column and won the national Agricultural Journalism Award for a story on kids and farm safety. Additionally, she was a member of the National Association of Science Writers and the American Association of Medical College’s Group on Institutional Advancement.

Ron Seely

Credentials: Retirement Date: 2018

Position title: Lecturer Emeritus

After a prolific career as a science and environmental reporter, Ron Seely joined the Department of Life Sciences Communication in the early 1990s as a lecturer teaching students the art of scientific writing. Seely has won numerous state and national awards for his journalism over the years. Until he retired in 2013, Seely was an award-winning reporter at the Wisconsin State Journal for 35 years, covering science and the environment for 20 of those years.

Shiela Reaves

Credentials: Retirement Date: 2018

Position title: Professor Emerita

Shiela Reaves was a professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Life Sciences Communication when she retired in 2018. Reaves joined the department in 2001 and was also an affiliate faculty member of American Indian Studies. A beloved instructor and mentor, she specialized in visual communication and was interested in how neuroscience supports interdisciplinary theories of visual imagery used in science communication and visual messages. Before coming to UW-Madison, Reaves worked as a photographer for The Capital Times in Madison, WI. She was the first full-time female photojournalist on a Wisconsin daily newspaper and won Wisconsin Newspaper Photographers Association awards in news and sports.

Mohammad (Mike) Douglah

Credentials: Retirement Date: 2006

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Douglah, earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural and Extension Education Services at UW-Madison in 1965. He returned to UW-Madison in 1990 after teaching in his homeland of Iraq. Douglah taught continuing and vocational education, program evaluation, and agri-science and natural resource education as a faculty member of the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) and worked with UW-Extension Cooperative Extension as an evaluation specialist. Douglah’s research focused on the role of evaluation in public service organizations.

Marion Brown

Credentials: Retirement Date: 2005

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Marion joined the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) as a professor in 1961. In addition, he also served as Director of the Land Tenure Center in both Chile and UW-Madison and taught in the Department of Environmental Sciences. Marion’s research focused on persuasive communication, science writing, technology transfer, media relations, design/administration of outreach communication programs, and communication in economic and cultural change in developing countries.

Suzanne Pingree

Credentials: Retirement Date: 2005

Position title: Professor Emerita

Suzanne joined the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) in 1981 as a professor in the home economics journalism area.  She was also a long-time member of the Women Studies Program. Her research focused on computers in health communication, cognitive and affective processes in media effects, and macro-micro conceptual links in communication research.

Thomas Schomisch

Credentials: Retirement Date: 2004

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Schomisch (Deceased) served as a professor in the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) from 1983-2004 where he taught advertising, market research, and marketing campaign courses. His research focused on marketing communication, communication in cooperatives and other complex organizations, advertising, and public relations.  He served as department chair from 1999 to 2004.Schomisch also served as an advisor for the UW-Madison National Agri-Marketing Association for 17 years. He was named Outstanding Student Advisor by the college in 1996 for his work with NAMA and in 1997 and 2003 he was named Outstanding National NAMA Advisor.

Margaret Andreasen

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1999

Position title: Professor Emerita

Margaret joined the department in 1980 serving as a professor of Agricultural Journalism and Family Resources and Consumer Sciences. Before coming to UW-Madison, Margaret was an experienced television broadcaster from the University of Illinois. Her research focused on family communication patterns, audience interpretations of conflicting messages, the impact of communication technology on families, and broadcast communication.During her time at Agricultural Journalism, Margaret hosted a call-in radio show on WHA Radio.

Brian Howell

Credentials: Deceased: 2003

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Brian Howell was a journalist at the Wisconsin State Journal and was the editor of Madison Magazine. Howell wrote about three main passions of his: Madison’s lakes, biotechnology and life sciences, and the intersection of lifestyle and business. Howell brought his passion for writing to his LSC students as he was a popular instructor. When Brian passed away in 2003, his media colleagues, family, and friends established the Brian Howell Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded annually to students in LSC who have taken LSC’s Case Studies in the Communication of Science and Technology capstone course which shares Howell’s values. Brian Howell was an inspiration to his students and his legacy will continue to be passed on as his endowment has and will benefit LSC’s undergraduate and graduate students for years to come.

William Thiesenhusen

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1998

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Thiesenhusen (Deceased) joined the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) as a professor in 1965, and was appointed as director of the Land Tenure Center that same year. Will’s research focused on international agricultural development of Third World countries, especially Latin America.

John Fett

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1997

Position title: Professor Emeritus

John Fett (Deceased) joined the faculty of the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) in 1962 where he taught classes in radio, film, and publications. He served as chairman for the department from 1977 to 1982. Fett’s research focused on development communication, information program evaluation, theory and practice of communication in rural development in developing countries, and evaluation of extension and other educational information programs.

Lloyd Bostian

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1994

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Lloyd served as a professor in the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) from 1959 to 1994 where he taught dozens of courses in publications editing, production, and journalistic writing.  During his tenure, he was awarded the Emil H. Steiger Distinguished Teaching Award in 1983, the highest honor in teaching on the UW-Madison campus. During much of his time Lloyd also served as the college’s publications editor. Bostian’s research focused on the effectiveness of print media, the impact of technical and scientific writing styles, readership, and the use of technical information. His research also examined the communication habits of Wisconsin women employed outside the home.

Richard Powers

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1994

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Richard “Dick” Powers (Deceased) was a professor in the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) starting in 1951 when he joined the faculty as a science writer. He served as chairman for the department from 1964 to 1969. Powers was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 1982. He is the author of the “The First 75 Years”, a brief history of the Agricultural Journalism department.

John Ross

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1993

Position title: Professor Emeritus

John Ross (Deceased) taught as a faculty member at UW-Madison from 1954-1993 in Agricultural Journalism and Environmental Studies. His research focused on the role of information in controversial environmental issues, the process of decision-making in developing environmental policies, and attitudes on resource exploitation. He received his advanced degrees from the UW in Agricultural Journalism and Mass Communications, respectively. He was one of the first students to receive a Ph.D. in mass communications from UW-Madison.

Fritz Albert

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1989

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Fritz Albert (Deceased) was an award-winning documentary filmmaker and photographer. He joined the department in 1954 and during his tenure he produced more than 100 films on agriculture, natural resources, and rural development. His research focused on technology transfer via film or video, the role of film in rural and international development, and international distribution of nontheatrical films and videotapes.

Bryant Kearl

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1989

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Bryant Kearl (Deceased) played a key role in the development of the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC).  He joined the faculty in 1942 and served as department chair from 1951 to 1963 and notably expanded the research program during his tenure. Kearl helped continue the department’s strong commitment to effective extension information. Kearl also helped stress the importance of building strong communications components into overseas contracts for the college and is credited for helping to establish many of the university’s international programs.In 1963, Kearl served as Associate Dean for the Graduate School.  Then in 1967, Kearl took on the role of Academic Vice-Chancellor for UW-Madison where he served under William Sewell, Edwin Young, and Irving Shain. He then served as acting chancellor from July 1 to September 12, 1968. In 1893, Kearl became the first Dean of the Division of Outreach where he was charged with integrating the University and the Madison-based UW-Extension programs.

Harold King

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1985

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Harold (Deceased) earned a B.S. and M.S. in Agricultural Education from UW-Madison.  After working with UW-Extension in Marinette County for 10 years and broadcasting a farm program for WHA Radio, Harold joined the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) in 1967 working on county agent support materials.  During his time with the department, Harold led the publications unit and helped to develop the college’s farm management computing service.

Maury White

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1983

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Maury (Deceased) earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Agricultural Journalism at UW-Madison and joined the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) in 1947 as director of the university’s farm radio program. Except for a two-year stint as farm radio director at Ohio State and time at Cornell to earn his Ph.D., he remained behind the microphone until 1968 when he was named the director of the Farm and Industry Short Course —a position he held until his retirement. As a faculty member in the Department of Agricultural Journalism his teaching and research focused on agricultural communications and broadcasting. In addition to teaching UW students, he instructed county agents from Wisconsin and other states in the use of radio and television.

Claron Burnett

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1982

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Burnett (Deceased) held a joint appointment at the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) and the UW-Extension. Joining the department’s faculty in 1955, he taught courses in news writing, feature writing, publicity, educational exhibits, and agricultural publications. Burnett co-authored a college textbook, “Agricultural News Writing”, that was used for more than 25 years.  He was an extension visual aids specialist and during his career, he worked to build up the department’s slide files from roughly 300 to several thousand.

Nellie McCannonn

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1980

Position title: Professor Emerita

Nellie (Deceased) served UW-Madison and the life sciences communication field for more than 37 years. She joined the department’s faculty in 1953 where she headed the home economics journalism major. She handled the home economics news service and taught newswriting and feature writing classes. She was also president of the Wisconsin Home Economics Association and on the board of the American Home Economics Association.

Andrew W. Hopkins

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1951

Position title: Professor Emeritus

Andrew Hopkins (Deceased) served as a professor in the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) from 1913 until 1951 and served as the department chairman for 37 years.  A Wisconsin native, Hopkins was decided to Wisconsin, family farms, livestock agriculture, and clear communication, and during his tenure with the department he worked tirelessly to further these causes.Hopkins served on the college radio committee and played a key role in establishing agricultural outreach through WHA and in pioneering farm and home radio.  He was known as an innovator in information programs and played a key role in establishing a tradition for useful extension information.

William A. Sumner

Credentials: Retirement Date: 1947

Position title: Professor Emeritus

William “prof” Sumner (Deceased) joined the faculty of the Department of Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) as bulletin editor in 1915 and played an active role within the department until his death in 1959. He worked to expand the numerous departmental programs and developed a program of teaching and research in agricultural journalism.