Evonuk’s Legacy
Eugene Evonuk, PhD (1921-1984)
Dr. Evonuk was Director of the University of Oregon’s Applied Physiology Laboratory from 1967 to 1984. In this role he mentored his students with great sensitivity and selfless devotion. He was known for his brilliant command of physiology, infectious curiosity, strong sense of justice, inexhaustible cheerfulness, and unfailing encouragement to students. His delight in the varying interests and research endeavors of his students and his capacity to converse and advise on a wide variety of topics demonstrated his conviction to his frequent saying, “Never be so narrow as to lose sight of the big picture.”
He valued and cherished cooperation and mutual support among students in the physiology laboratory, inspiring such ideals by his own willingness to work alongside his students. His legacy continues today through the efforts of his former students, many of whom are leaders in the field of environmental physiology today, the support of graduate students by the Evonuk Award, and the advanced studies made possible by the Evonuk Environmental Physiology Core which is built on the site of Evonuk’s original Applied Physiology Lab.
The Eugene and Clarissa Evonuk Memorial Graduate Fellowship in Environmental or Stress Physiology
Eugene Evonuk devoted his life to scholarly achievement in the field of applied physiology and to the professional careers and personal growth of his students. This fellowship was established in 1984 to honor his ideals and to assist and encourage others to pursue achievement in the realm of environmental or stress physiology. Several recent Evonuk Fellows have used the unique characteritics of the Evonuk Environmental Physiology Core to enhance their research projects.
