John W. Strohbehn Duke University Photograph
John W. Strohbehn passed away on 22 February at the age of 70 after a long illness. John was born in San Diego, CA, and attended Stanford University, where he earned the BS, MS and PhD degrees in electrical engineering. His early research was in electromagnetic and laser propagation. He joined the faculty of the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College in 1963, eventually becoming the Sherman Fairchild Professor of Engineering in 1983. As associate dean from 1976 to 1981, John was instrumental in developing the biomedical engineering program at Dartmouth. He applied his background in electromagnetic propagation to the field of hyperthermia in the 1970s, and was a guiding force in the design and development of interstitial microwave antenna array hyperthermia systems for treatment of superficial and deep-seated tumors at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He contributed more than 100 papers in electromagnetic wave propagation, including more than 40 peer-reviewed publications in the field of hyperthermia, ranging from theoretical modeling of hyperthermia devices to clinical implementation. He was very active in the engineering and physics aspects of hyperthermia and served as President of the North American Hyperthermia Group in 1986 before it evolved into the North American Hyperthermia Society. In recognition of his accomplishments in the field of hyperthermia, John was recipient of the third annual J. Eugene Robinson Award in 1991, where he delivered his oration entitled ‘An Engineer Looks at Hyperthermia’. In honor of his scientific contributions to medicine, Dartmouth Medical School established the John W. Strohbehn Medal, which is awarded annually to a medical or graduate student who exemplifies excellence in biomedical research.
John's other major academic interests included medical imaging and, more recently, environmental engineering. He was a founding fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, fellow of the American Association for the advancement of Science, the IEEE, and the Optical Society of America. John's leadership and vision led him to be appointed the Provost of Dartmouth College from 1987 to 1993. In 1994, John and his wife, Barbara, moved to Duke University, where he served as Provost and chief academic officer as well as professor of biomedical engineering, until retiring in 2003.
John is survived by his wife Barbara (‘Bo’), a sister, three children and five grandchildren. John wore several different hats throughout his career; he will be missed and remembered by many as a mentor, researcher, teacher, leader, and friend.