Mitchell Retires after 38 Years of Service

12 September 2007 — Robert Mitchell, professor of biology at Penn State, has retired after 38 years of service to the university. Mitchell's research has been on the biology of aging, with a recent focus on developing and examining the usefulness of biomarkers of aging. These biomarkers help scientists to understand the causes of aging, to estimate biological versus chronological age, to predict disease and life expectancy, and to measure the effects of various interventions on the course of aging. In addition to teaching courses in general biology, anatomy, and physiology, Mitchell has taught an undergraduate course in the biology of aging for over 25 years.

A hallmark of Mitchell's career has been a dedication to undergraduate education. From 1980 until his retirement, he served as professor-in-charge of the Premedicine major and the General Science major in Penn State's Eberly College of Science. He also was director and advisor for the accelerated Penn State-Jefferson Premedicine-Medicine Program, which accepts about 30 students each year to begin their studies at the University Park campus and finish at Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia with both their B.S. and M.D. degrees. In addition, he directed the Penn State component of the special Early-assured Admit Program with the College of Medicine; has been an advisor with the Honors College since its inception; and has been a 25-year advisor for students in Alpha Epsilon Delta, the national health professions honor society. Also, since 1980, Mitchell has chaired the Penn State Health Sciences Preprofessional Evaluation Committee, which prepares letters of evaluation for Penn State students applying for admission to medical and other health profession schools.

Mitchell was awarded the 2004 Undergraduate Program Leadership Award in recognition of exemplary leadership for the transformation or revitalization of an existing undergraduate degree program. Enhancements of undergraduate programs facilitated by Mitchell, included the creation of a new first-year seminar and a physician-shadowing program for premedicine students; a peer-mentoring program for freshmen intending to major in premedicine and science; a postbaccalaureate premedicine program for college graduates who need science courses for careers in the health professions; a minor in science; a five-year B.S./MBA program for science/business studies in cooperation with the Smeal College of Business; and four-year science major programs at the Penn State Abington, Altoona, Berks/Lehigh Valley, and York campuses.

During his tenure at Penn State, Mitchell served as acting head of the Department of Biology in the fall of 2005, and as interim department head during the periods from 1995 to 1997 and from 1999 to 2000. Among his many awards and honors, Mitchell received the Alpha Chi Sigma Professor of the Year Award, the St. Georges Medal of the American Cancer Society, the Eberly College of Science Alumni Society Distinguished Service Award, the Barash Award for Human Services, the AMOCO All-university Teaching Award, and the C.I. Noll Outstanding Teaching Award from the Eberly College of Science.

Mitchell earned his B.S. in biology from Denison University in 1964, his M.S. in zoology from Ohio University in 1966, and his Ph.D. in physiology from Penn State in 1969. He joined the Penn State faculty in 1969.

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