Statement of President Shirley Ann Jackson on the Death of Professor Edward L. "Ted" Shuster '81

September 17, 2004

“The Rensselaer community is deeply saddened by the death of Professor Shuster. His teaching skills were evident in the enthusiasm of his students and his contributions to Rensselaer evident by the admiration of his colleagues. Professor Shuster’s research on the Hudson River will benefit all who live along its shores and share concerns about its future. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”

BACKGROUND:

Edward L. Shuster, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Dr. Shuster was an expert on Hudson Basin hydrology. He studied flow, suspended particle transport and deposition, and dissolved organic carbon dynamics in the main stem and major tributaries of the Hudson River. His expertise was directly relevant to the transport and fate of particle-associated contaminants including PCBs and trace metals.

Dr. Shuster played a vital role in the ongoing Riverscope project designed to enhance monitoring and observation of the Hudson River’s physical, chemical, and biological systems through remote sensing. The goal of the project is to create a networked infrastructure of environmental field facilities for use by a diverse community of scientists, educators, regulators, and the general public.

Professor Shuster taught graduate and undergraduate students through Rensselaer’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. His teaching focused on groundwater hydrology (transport of contaminants through water), environmental geology, and sedimentology, and integrated his expertise on the Hudson River.

Professor Shuster graduated from Rensselaer with a B.S. in Geology in 1981, a M.S. in Geology from Penn State University in 1990, and a Ph.D. in Geology from Rensselaer in 1994.

Contact: Theresa Bourgeois
Phone: (518) 276-2840
E-mail: bourgt@rpi.edu