Communications

Roger Soderberg

August 25, 2024 

The first inorganic chemist to join the faculty, Soderberg was instrumental to the design and construction of Burke Laboratory.

Roger Soderberg, professor emeritus of chemistry, died on Aug. 25. He was 88 years old and resided at Kendal at Hanover.

"Over the course of more than four decades at Dartmouth, Roger was widely respected as an inorganic chemist, an engaging teacher, and as a phenomenally dedicated university citizen," Dean Elizabeth F. Smith said in a message to the Arts and Sciences community. "With his collaborative and convivial manner, and passion for the natural beauty of the Upper Valley, he made lasting contributions to our campus and enhanced the lives of countless colleagues, students, and friends."

Soderberg was born in 1936 in Berwyn, Illinois. He attended Elgin High School and went on to earn a degree in chemistry in 1958 from Grinnell College, where he met Mary Kincaid, to whom he was married until her death in 2003. Soderberg earned his PhD in inorganic chemistry from MIT as a National Science Foundation predoctoral fellow under the guidance of the renowned chemist Albert Cotton. His graduate work involved fundamental research on the inorganic complexes of cobalt and nickel, with studies published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Soderberg joined the Dartmouth faculty in 1962 as an instructor of chemistry—and the first inorganic chemist to join the department. He was promoted to assistant professor in 1964, associate professor in 1969, and full professor in 1976. At Dartmouth, Soderberg continued his work in inorganic chemistry with publications on both nickel and palladium chemistry. Seminal research he pioneered in 1972 described the first chelate complexes of an iodonium cation, an exciting new area.

"Thanks to Roger's discovery," chemistry professor emerita Gordon Gribble says, "these novel species are finding use in organic synthesis."

In subsequent years, and in collaboration with the late dean and chemistry professor James Hornig, Soderberg turned his attention to air pollution in the Upper Valley as emanating from wood smoke. He focused on the presence of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are ubiquitous in wood smoke and a clear factor in human lung cancer.

As a teacher, Soderberg was known for his engaging lectures and high standards. He was especially dedicated to mentoring undergraduates who arrived at Dartmouth without prior advanced coursework in science. He taught general chemistry and inorganic chemistry, and in the 1980s, with revived student interest in sustainability, he also took the lead in teaching environmental chemistry and developing affiliated lab exercises.

Admired by colleagues as an outstanding administrator, Soderberg was instrumental to the design and construction of Burke Laboratory, the chemistry department's state-of-the-art home, which was completed in 1992. In recognition of his efforts, the department presented Soderbergwith a special plaque.

"Roger jumped to take the lead on the design of the building and worked closely with the architects and fellow administrators to make it happen," professor of chemistry Dean Wilcox recalls. "The department is eternally grateful to him for that enormous effort, which was the crowning achievement of his career."

Soderberg's wide-ranging interests also made a lasting impression on his peers. "One of the things that especially impressed me about Soderberg was his broad range of knowledge about a range of things—not only chemistry but also engineering and history," Albert W. Smith Professor of Chemistry Emeritus David Lemal recalls.

An avid hiker, Soderberg led several expeditions with colleagues to the White Mountains and woods around the Upper Valley. He was also a well-recognized figure riding his bicycle around Hanover.

Colleagues treasured Soderberg's upbeat, friendly presence, and recall how he frequently joined David Lemal and fellow Dartmouth chemists Chuck Braun and Water Stockmayer for lunch—such that they were known as the "Norwich for lunch bunch."

After he retired from Dartmouth in 2004, Soderberg continued to meet colleagues for faculty lunches on campus, even when he was bound to his wheelchair—reportedly always in good cheer.

He often told people that he had "the best job in the world."

Soderberg is preceded in death by his wife, Mary; his son Dan (Silvia); his parents, Victor and Grace (Hamilton) Soderberg; his brother Dick (Mim) and sister Jean. He is survived by his younger sister Nancy Harrold (Jack), son Tim (Naoko), and grandchildren Eduardo, Marisol, Jorge, Midori, and Kentaro, along with an extended family. A memorial service will be held at Kendal at Hanover at a later date.

In Soderberg's honor, the Dartmouth flag will be lowered on Sept. 10 and 11.

Peter Saccio

August 19, 2024

Peter Saccio, Leon Black Professor Emeritus of Shakespearean Studies and Professor of English, died on Aug. 19. He was 83 years old.

"A brilliant and beloved professor and celebrated Shakespearean scholar, Peter was a sought-after luminary for countless Dartmouth students, colleagues, and alumni, as well as friends from across the country and abroad, over the course of more than four decades on the faculty and for many years after," Dean Elizabeth F. Smith said in a message to the Arts and Sciences community. "With his remarkable erudition, spirited wit, and deep sense of humanity, Peter made a lasting impact on our campus, the Upper Valley performing arts community, and far beyond."

Saccio was born in 1941 in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in Bethlehem, Connecticut. He discovered his love of Shakespeare as a child and chose to attend Yale University to pursue a career in drama. Although he persuaded Yale's drama department to produce Henry VI, the king role went instead to his classmate, Sam Waterston—an experience that prompted Saccio to recognize his relative strengths and set his sights on scholarship. He earned a BA in philosophy at Yale, followed by a PhD in English from Princeton University, where he held Woodrow Wilson and Jacobus fellowships.

Saccio joined the faculty at Dartmouth in 1966, teaching primarily Shakespeare and modern British drama. He served as vice chair and chair of the Department of English, and was successively given two endowed chairs at Dartmouth, the Willard Professorship in Oratory and Drama and the Leon D. Black Professorship in Shakespearean Studies. He retired in 2007.

In addition to many scholarly articles on Shakespeare and reviews of professional productions, Saccio authored two books, The Court Comedies of John Lyly: A Study in Allegorical Dramaturgy (1969) and Shakespeare's English Kings: History, Chronicle, and Drama (1977). The latter became a classic in the field, and to Saccio's delight, a popular resource for actors and directors seeking to understand their characters. He also edited Thomas Middleton's comedy A Mad World, My Masters, for the Oxford Complete Works of Thomas Middleton.

In 1990, the Teaching Company (now Great Courses) began recording and marketing scholarly lectures, and Saccio's lectures on Shakespeare were among the original eight that were offered and distributed on CDs and DVDs. The lectures brought Saccio to audiences around the world, who sang his praises. "Professor Saccio's love affair with Shakespeare resounds clearly through all his talks," one student wrote. "His enthusiasm is infectious; it is serious but relieved with humor and asides where appropriate."

Saccio was also regularly invited to deliver lectures at major theatrical venues, including Shakespeare's Globe in London, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, and the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Minnesota. He gave lectures to Dartmouth Alumni Clubs across the country, often collaborating with the late Charles Wood, Daniel Webster Professor of History, and on alumni cruises in Europe. He also lectured extensively in public libraries for the Vermont Humanities Council.

At Dartmouth, Saccio's classes were often oversubscribed and he was cited as a favorite professor by many alumni, including the Class of 1971. The recipient of the John M. Manley Huntington Award for Outstanding Teaching, he was especially admired for combining his vast knowledge of Shakespeare with practical insights about theater production.

"He had a real sense of how performances are created," recalls Professor of Theater Peter Hackett '75. "My friends and I who were leaning towards acting, directing, and design had great affection for Saccio because he was able to open up the world of Shakespeare as well as our understanding of how these plays were brought to life."

Among Saccio's most active commitments at Dartmouth was the welfare of gay and lesbian students. He was faculty advisor to the gay student organization (which had several different names during the 1980s and 1990s) and chair of the Board of Trustees of the Edward Carpenter Foundation, a private foundation established with alumni gifts at a time when Dartmouth did not choose to accept donations for gay and lesbian causes. In 1992, he taught the English department's first course in gay literature.

"He was a tremendous pioneer for gay and lesbian students at Dartmouth at a time when it was not typical," says Colin Partridge '72, a former student who became Saccio's lifelong friend.

Associate Professor of English Melissa Zeiger recalls Saccio's kindness as a colleague, and how he championed gay authors with sensitivity and care. "In the midst of sad times, including the AIDS epidemic, he was able to celebrate the joyousness of gay literary production," she says.

"The way our culture has been run for 1,000 years, if you're gay you're alone," Saccio said in an interview with Dartmouth Alumni Magazine. "Some people start out thinking they're the only people in the world like this."

"Literature does illuminate life," he continued. "It can extend our experience beyond the range of one person."

Saccio's late partner, James Steffensen, was a professor of drama at Dartmouth beginning in 1980. The pair often collaborated professionally, including in the leading of students and alumni to London for theater-focused study and tours, often in association with the Hopkins Center for the Arts. With Steffensen and after his death, Saccio regularly kept in touch with many former Dartmouth students, often serving as a patient listener and trusted advisor both professionally and personally.

When Vermont's Northern Stage was founded in 1997, Saccio quickly befriended its founding director and became an ardent supporter. When Peter Hackett and his wife, Carol Dunne, joined Dartmouth's theater faculty, Saccio introduced them to the company—ultimately leading to Dunne taking its helm as artistic director in 2013. In addition to serving as an artistic advisor and acting in several productions, Saccio was on Northern Stage's Board of Directors for several years and remained connected long after he stepped down.

Saccio's own acting credits include the Shakespearean roles of Casca, Angelo, and Bassanio, as well as various parts in ancient and modern plays. And it was at Dartmouth, finally, when he played the role of the king in a production of Henry IV in the Moore Theater.

Saccio is survived by his sister, Mary Anne Gateley of Searcy, Ark.; his brother and sister-in-law Edward and Joyce Saccio of Havana, Florida; four nieces and nephews, four great-nieces, and a great-nephew.

A memorial service will take place on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Church in Hanover.

Donations in Saccio's memory may be made to St. Thomas' Church, Northern Stage, a gay/AIDS charity or support group of the donor's choice, or to the Professor James L. Steffensen Memorial Fund at Dartmouth, which Saccio established to further Steffensen's work in the education of theater students.

In Saccio's honor, the Dartmouth flag will be lowered on Wednesday, Sept. 11, and Thursday, Sept. 12. 

James Heffernan

August 05, 2024

James Heffernan, professor emeritus of English and longtime resident of Hanover, died on July 21 of metastatic prostate cancer. He was 85.

"James was a prolific scholar of literature, a cherished teacher, and a passionate champion for the humanities. With his expansive intellect, playful wit, and generous spirit, he touched the lives of countless students and colleagues at Dartmouth and around the world," Dean Elizabeth F. Smith said in a message to the Arts and Sciences community.

Born in 1939, and raised in the Boston suburb of Jamaica Plain, Heffernan earned his BA from Georgetown University in 1960 and his PhD in English from Princeton in 1964. He was an instructor of English at the University of Virginia for two years before joining Dartmouth as an assistant professor in 1965. After being promoted to associate professor in 1970 and full professor in 1976, Heffernan served as chair of the English department from 1978 to 1981 and as the Frederick Sessions Beebe Professor in the Art of Writing from 1997 to 2004, when he retired.

The author of 10 books and dozens of scholarly articles, Heffernan began his academic career with a focus on English Romantic poetry and broadened his focus over the years to the entire Western canon and the interconnections between literature, art, and politics. He also co-authored a popular textbook, published first in 1982 by W.W. Norton, Writing: A College Handbook, that sold over 100,000 copies in its first year and continued through five editions.

Heffernan followed his first book, Wordsworth's Theory of Poetry: The Transforming Imagination (1969), with The Re-Creation of Landscape: A Study of Wordsworth, Coleridge, Constable, and Turner (1985), which compares the nature poetry of two major Romantic poets to the work of two of England's most important landscape painters.

In 1992, Heffernan edited a collection of essays, Representing the French Revolution: Literature, Historiography and Art, that was published after he hosted a conference on the French Revolution at Dartmouth in July of 1989. The acclaimed historian Simon Schama described the book as "the best set of essays that we have" on English responses to the French Revolution, and he called Heffernan's piece on Wordsworth's Prelude a "superlative essay, the best modern reading of the Prelude I know."

Heffernan next turned his attention to ekphrastic poetry, in which poets set out to re-create in words a work of visual art. His 1993 book, Museum of Words: The Poetics of Ekphrasis from Homer to Ashbery, was followed in 2006 by Cultivating Picturacy, a collection of essays on the relationship between literature and art. The book was praised by many eminent scholars, including Gillen D'Arcy Wood, who called it "a treasure for scholars and students interested in the history, theory, and practice of text-image relations."

In 2009, Heffernan launched Review 19, which reviews academic studies of 19th-century British and American literature. With hundreds of reviewers, ranging from graduate students to emeriti, the site published nearly 700 articles and drew more than 200,000 unique visitors.

His next book, Hospitality and Treachery in Western Literature (2014), traces the giving and taking of hospitality in Western literature, from Homer's Odyssey to Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? This was followed by his 2023 book, Politics and Literature at the Dawn of World War II, the first comprehensive study of the impact of the outbreak of World War II on the literary work of American, English, and European. The New York Review of Books called it "an appealing enticement to read some of the most inventive works of wartime literature and to recognize their contributions to the historical record."

In addition to his scholarly writing, Heffernan wrote extensive political commentary. Between 2005 and 2017, he published nearly 70 columns in the Huffington Post, with topics ranging from abortion rights and immigration to terrorism and the Israel-Palestine conflict. He also authored a number of satirical pieces, with titles such as "Should Stephen Colbert Be the Next Pope?" and "Jesus and His Wife: The Pre-Nup."

At Dartmouth, his literature courses garnered copious praise from students, especially his senior seminar on James Joyce's Ulysses. His other popular courses included Romantic Poetry and A Survey of English Literature: Dryden to Eliot.

Heffernan was also highly regarded by students around the world who watched his lectures via the Teaching Company's Great Courses: 24 lectures on Ulysses and more than 20 additional talks on authors including Jane Austen, Albert Camus, and Samuel Beckett. His courses attracted numerous five-star reviews, including praise of his "acting (and singing!) skills" and ability to "recite dialogue so beautifully in character." They also inspired students from as far as Iran to write Heffernan with messages of gratitude, leading in some cases to years-long correspondences.

Heffernan also took great pride in helping to host Democratic candidates on campus. In 1992, he introduced Hillary and Bill Clinton to their first Dartmouth audiences—the former on Jan. 9 and the latter on Feb. 13. In 1994, when Hillary returned to campus as first lady, Heffernan was invited to drive in her motorcade as it traveled from Lebanon Airport to the Hopkins Center and then back after her speech.

In his public lectures and writing, Heffernan advocated vocally for the study of the humanities. "Having spent trillions of dollars fighting terrorism with bullets and bombs, we need literature and the humanities now more than ever, because they strive to heal, to nurture the most priceless of all our possessions: our humanity," he wrote in a 2021 column in The American Scholar. His final book, a memoir posted on his website, details a blueprint for the future of the humanities at Dartmouth, which includes the revival of a required year-long course for first-year students covering ancient to modern texts.

A palpable love of words permeated all of Heffernan's work, which also includes poetry he composed for family members and friends on special occasions, such as a free verse narrative about his mother on her 100th birthday. In his memoir, he reflects on the famous words of Dylan Thomas:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

"Having lived more than twice as long as Dylan Thomas, I do not rage against the dying of the light," Heffernan wrote. "On the contrary, my point of departure for this chapter is my own little twist on his angry couplet:

Do not go silent into that good night,
Write, write against the dying of the light.

This sense of joyful engagement defined his approach to teaching. "Ultimately, my teaching springs from a passion to learn, which is what I strive to share with my listeners," he said. "School is just the beginning of education. If you want to stay alive to the very end of your life, never stop learning."

Heffernan is survived by his wife, Nancy Coffey Heffernan; his two children, Andrew and Virginia Heffernan; their partners, Heidi Rose Robbins and Richard Stanislaw; and his four grandchildren, Kate Robin Heffernan, Dylan Heffernan, Benjamin Samuels, and Susannah Samuels. Funeral services will be held at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Hanover in the early fall, followed by interment of ashes in the Columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the LISTEN Center of Lebanon in Heffernan's honor.

The Dartmouth flag will be lowered in Heffernan's honor on Aug. 7 and 8.