Roos, Thomas, 1930-2003

Dates

• Existence: 1930 - 2003

Biography

Thomas Roos was born March 19, 1930, in Peoria, Ill. He attended Harvard University for his undergraduate degree and earned his Ph.D. in 1960, from the University of Wisconsin. He served with the Army during the Korean War and joined the Dartmouth faculty in 1960. Professor Roos became a full professor in 1970, and twice chaired the department of biology in 1969 to 1970 and again in 1978 to 1982. He taught introductory biology and comparative anatomy to generations of Dartmouth undergraduates. His research interests included endocrinology, animal development, comparative anatomy, and evolution. His work involved work with monkeys, chinchillas, rodents, pheasants, and sea horses. Roos was an early proponent of the integration of computers into biological research and education. As an outspoken member of the Dartmouth faculty, Professor Roos worked to strengthen academic freedom for Dartmouth faculty and students, helped extend the college's mandate to include women, argued that ROTC programs are incompatible with intellectual independence, and served as an advisor to Native American students. He served as the faculty representative to the Board of Trustees and worked on numerous committees addressing the economic positioning of the faculty and the budget priorities of the college, the role of faculty in the governance of the college, and disciplinary standards for students. Professor Roos served on the original committee that created the plan for year-round operation of the college in 1971, and chaired the committee that developed the college's Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program. Roos died in 2003.

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