University Times

Thomas Metzger, associate professor of mathematics and a former vice president of the University Senate, died Feb. 24, 2005 after a brief illness.

Known as the “go-to” person in the mathematics department, Metzger took great care of students as director of the graduate studies program and undergraduate director. At Pitt for 32 years, Metzger was remembered by his colleagues as a feisty and pleasurable scholar to debate and spend time with, especially during Friday afternoon “fluid mechanics seminars” at the former Faculty Club.

“Tom was the epitome of a professor in the classical and the very best sense of the word,” said John Chadam, chair of mathematics. “He loved mathematics and he loved his students. His colleagues embraced him as a scholar and his students appreciated him as a dedicated teacher. He had an insatiable capacity for taking on tasks that needed to be done, no matter how important or trivial,” he said. Since Metzger’s death, graduate students in the mathematics department have collected thousands of dollars to establish a Thomas A. Metzger annual book fund.

Chancellor Mark Nordenberg added: “Virtually every dealing with Tom was characterized by his good cheer, strong sense of collegiality and commitment to the greater good of the University. He made important contributions to Pitt’s progress and will be missed, both as a colleague and as a friend, by those of us who were fortunate enough to know and work with him.”

A mathematical analyst, Metzger’s academic interests were the iteration of rational maps, including parts of this theory extending to the general Riemann surface case. He was also interested in analytic number theory.

Metzger received his B.A. from Seton Hall in 1965, an M.S. from Creighton University in 1967 and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Purdue University in 1971. He was an assistant professor at Texas A&M University from 1971 to 1973.

Joining the Pitt faculty in 1973 as an assistant professor, Metzger assumed various responsibilities in the mathematics department during his tenure: He developed the Mathematics Assistance Center and served as the department’s mathematics library representative, math club faculty adviser, Mathematical Association of America faculty liaison and departmental minority recruiting coordinator.

“Tom was a staunch defender of graduate studies, and at the same time had the welfare of the entire department uppermost in his mind,” said departmental colleague Stuart Hastings.

“He also was a strong supporter of the department’s seminar program in his mathematical subspecialty of analysis, and was a major force for many years in keeping this important research activity vibrant,” Hastings said.

“Tom could have heated discussions with colleagues, including the chairman, but these never interfered with friendly banter at the fluid mechanics seminars where Tom was undoubtedly the central figure.”

Some younger faculty learned much from Metzger. “Tom often gave me very helpful advice, especially as a new faculty member,” said Chris Lennard, associate professor of mathematics. “Tom’s friend and colleague, Henry Cohen, recently sketched Tom to me rather succinctly in a few words: Kind, fierce, fair, caring and loyal. So many people love Tom for the joy of life and friendship that flowed from him so freely,” Lennard said.

Colleague Juan Manfredi, professor of mathematics, fondly remembered his debates with Metzger, a senior faculty member who took him under his wing and treated him like a son, according to Manfredi. The men, who had adjacent offices, frequently addressed each other by their last names, especially when a “lively discussion” was in the offing, he said.

“Tom would magically produce the appropriate document to make a point – the notes he took at a meeting, the copy of the memo he kept,” Manfredi said. “While we would often disagree, Tom made it clear that professional disagreement and personal friendship go hand in hand. On Fridays, no matter what happened during the week, we were again Tom and Juan enjoying the fluid mechanics seminar.”

Manfredi added, “Coming in the morning to the office will not be the same when Tom is no longer in his office ready to discuss an advance in complex analysis, the Pitt basketball game, the presidential election, or to show the latest photographs of his granddaughters McKenzie and McKenna.”

In addition to being involved in his home department, Metzger devoted much time to the University Senate, Faculty Assembly and Senate Council and was senate vice president in 2001-02. He chaired the Senate educational policies committee and the Senate library committee and was a member of the University policies and budgeting committee. Also, he served on the task force on evaluation of departmental chairs, parameters and attribution subcommittees, Provost advisory council on instructional excellence, grants and benchmarking subcommittees.

“I am still shocked and saddened by the news of Tom’s death,” said Irene Hanson Frieze, vice president of the University Senate. “I have worked with Tom on Senate issues for many years. Tom was most recently chair of the Senate educational policies committee. This committee was interested in the campus climate at Pitt for various groups, such as those with disabilities, those with varying sexual identities and sexual orientations, as well as concerns of women faculty and students. As chair, Tom welcomed discussion of faculty and student concerns and helped provide a supportive environment for the committee meetings. It was always clear that Tom cared a great deal about the University and was willing to step in whenever he could to help with problems. He will be greatly missed.”

Metzger is survived by three daughters, Beth Ann Carter, Pamela Fairman and Katie Metzger; two sons, James T. Metzger and William P. Metzger, and two grandchildren. Donations can be made to Thomas A. Metzger/Culver Fund, University of Pittsburgh, Arts and Sciences Development Office, 910 Cathedral of Learning.

The mathematics department is in the process of establishing another fund in Metzger’s honor.

-Mary Ann Thomas