July 8-9, 2004

ITEM 124-2003-R0704     Authorization to Confer the Title of Professor Emeritus of Anatomy upon Dwight E. Phillips; Montana State University-Bozeman

THAT: Upon the occasion of the retirement of Dwight E. Phillips from the faculty of Montana State University, the Board of Regents wishes to express its appreciation for his service to the University, the Montana University System, and the people of the State of Montana.

 

EXPLANATION: Dr. Phillips, a Lewistown, Montana native and graduate of the University of Montana, earned his Ph.D. in Anatomy at Tulane University School of Medicine in 1971. He joined the faculty of Montana State University in September 1973 as Assistant Professor of Anatomy in the former Department of Biology and in the WWAMI Medical Education Program. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1976 and to Full Professor in 1984. Dr. Phillips also has had an appointment as Affiliate Professor of Biological Structure at the University of Washington School of Medicine since 1984. He has served for five years as either Associate Director or Interim Director of the Montana WWAMI Program.

Dr. Phillips was one of the first hires in the fledgling WWAMI Program in 1973 and as such he was charged with establishing a teaching program and facilities in medical gross anatomy where none had been before. Under his guidance the anatomy teaching program has acquired a reputation for excellence throughout the WWAMI region and the facilities have grown to provide many services, both locally and for other institutions of higher education in Montana.

Dr. Phillips will be remembered by 31 years of first-year medical students for his enthusiastic teaching of anatomy, characterized by students as rigorous and relevant but student-friendly. In addition to medical gross anatomy, Dr. Phillips contributed many years to the teaching of other anatomical disciplines at both the graduate and undergraduate level. He has been recognized on numerous occasions for his teaching. Examples of that recognition include the Fridley Distinguished Teaching Award and the Cox Award for Creative Scholarship and Teaching at Montana State University and, at the University of Washington School of Medicine, the Dean's Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Teaching and the Distinguished Teaching Award of the Graduating Class.

His research career focused on basic pathology of the developing nervous system, most notably studies of animal models of fetal alcohol syndrome in humans. Those efforts included a nationally funded research program that produced many publications and presentations. Of particular note are the opportunities he created for undergraduate students in his research laboratory, sponsoring over 60 undergraduate students in his laboratory over his career, many of those from the American Indian Research Opportunities Program on campus. Alumni of the laboratory have generally gone on to either research careers or to become professionals in medicine, veterinary medicine, or other health care fields.

Dr. Phillips served in his most recent years as Associate and Interim Director of the Montana WWAMI Program, providing responsible leadership while interacting with faculty and/or administrators from several MSU departments, from the University of Washington School of Medicine, from the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, and with the Bozeman and Montana medical communities. He did this while always serving as an advocate for the students involved.

In summary, Dr. Phillips has earned the rank of Professor Emeritus through his commitments to quality in teaching, research, administration and public service. He has served as an outstanding model and mentor for thirty-one years for the first-year medical students in the WWAMI Program at Montana State University as well as for undergraduate and graduate students aspiring to careers in medicine or in basic biomedical research.

For these and other contributions, the Board of Regents of Higher Education is pleased to confer upon Dwight E. Phillips the rank of Professor Emeritus of Anatomy at Montana State University, and wishes him well for many years in the future.