Dear Rice colleagues,
I am writing to share that two long-standing members of our faculty passed away in June: Frank Martin Fisher Jr. (95), professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology, and John C. Polking (93), professor emeritus of mathematics. Through decades of research, teaching and service, each left significant contributions to our academic community.
Frank arrived at Rice in 1961 after completing his doctorate at Purdue University. Over a career spanning more than half a century, his focus shifted from invertebrate zoology and parasitology to the climate sciences, driven by his interest in the Texas Gulf Coast wetlands. Collaborating with colleague Ron Sass, the former Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the School of Natural Sciences, who passed away in 2024, Frank engineered innovative rice paddy management techniques that virtually eliminated methane emissions. This research helped reshape environmental science by analyzing ecosystems as whole systems, ultimately influencing international climate models. He was named professor emeritus in 2002.
John earned his doctoral degree from the University of Chicago and joined Rice’s math department in 1968, having briefly taught at Brandeis University. In 2004, he retired as professor emeritus, but continued to teach a course every spring semester for another few years. His theoretical work advanced the fields of harmonic analysis, operator theory and spectral theory. John also served a multiyear term in Washington, D.C., as the director of the National Science Foundation's Division of Mathematical Sciences. Nationally, generations of students utilized his MATLAB software routines and textbooks.
John is survived by his wife, Agnes “Stevie” Coppin-Polking, and a celebration of life is scheduled on Anna Maria Island in Florida this fall. A reception celebrating Frank's life was held in July. He was predeceased by his wife and son and is survived by his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandson, Frank.
Frank and John’s dedication to their respective disciplines and the education of Rice students illustrates the strength of our faculty. I invite you to read more about Frank and John in Rice News.
Warm regards,
Amy Dittmar, Howard R. Hughs Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs