Five Become Professor Emeritus at Florida Tech

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Five retiring faculty members were presented with Professor Emeritus Awards at Florida Tech’s Honors Convocation in April. They were Juanita Baker, professor of psychology; John F. Clark, professor and director of space systems at the Spaceport Graduate Center; Robert Fronk, interim dean, College of Business; Thomas Peake, professor of psychology; and Gary Wells, professor and department head, biological sciences.

Baker, a clinical psychologist, joined the university in 1984 and has been director of Florida Tech’s Family Learning Center for sexually abused children and their families since 1991. She has provided psychological services to Brevard County children and directed a therapeutic foster home program from 1984 to 1989. Baker also has successfully worked to gather financial support for graduate psychology student fellowships.

Clark joined the university in 1991 after an illustrious career with NASA as a U.S. Space program pioneer. He was chief space scientist for NASA headquarters, 1958-1965, and center director of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 1965-1976. He was director of space applications and technology, 1976-1987, for RCA Corp., a major space program contractor at Kennedy Space Center. Among many honors, he is an elected Fellow of the International Academy of Astronautics and the Explorers Club.
Fronk, at the university since 1974, created Florida Tech’s master’s degree program in computer education in 1984. He was co-editor of the Florida Science Teacher, the journal of the Florida Association of Science Teachers, for three years. Upon retirement he was vice president for academic affairs as well as interim dean for the College of Business.

Peake, a neuropsychologist, came to the university in 1984 and was the clinical supervisor at the East Central Florida Memory Clinic. He is the author of numerous professional papers and published articles. He also wrote the book, Cinema and Life Development: Healing Lives and Training Therapists. Teacher and mentor, he trained students, psychologists and health care professionals for two decades and has been a therapist in private practice.
Wells was a National Institutes of Health fellow at the University of Oklahoma and a National Science Foundation fellow at the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Wisconsin. He joined the Florida Tech Department of Biological Sciences in 1973 and was department head there since 1985.

At the ceremony, Wells and Fronk also received the Lynn E. Weaver Award for lifetime service to the university. The award, named for President Emeritus Weaver, who was president from 1987 to 2002, was also awarded to Richard Enstice, director, Extended Studies Division of University College.
Retiring faculty earn the title in recognition for faithful service. They must have a minimum of 15 years of academic service; at least 10 of these to be served at Florida Tech.