Professor Constantin Behler died on June 22 at the age of 57. Behler dedicated the great majority of his career to service at UW Bothell. Aside from a four-year stint at Stanford University, he joined UW Bothell in 1990 and remained here until his retirement in February. In addition to his role as a founding faculty member, he was the very first recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award in 1995.
In a 2010 interview, Behler said he was drawn to UW Bothell because of its interdisciplinary approach. He said his love of teaching was derived from his parents, who were passionate academics. Dean Bruce Burgett of the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences says Behler “shaped the development of IAS over the last two decades; it would be a different place without him.” Burgett says Behler was on the search committee that recruited him. “One reason I came to UW Bothell was because I was so impressed by his passion for teaching and his brilliance.” Burgett says he will miss his mixture of intellectual vigor and boisterous laughter.
He was one of the people who built the campus, said Professor Colin Danby.
“He was a great teacher, a deeply thoughtful scholar, and just a wonderful colleague: funny, generous, hard-working, incisive,” Danby said.
Behler was a true Husky who earned two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Washington. He also earned a master’s degree in German studies and a Ph.D. in German studies and humanities, both from Stanford University.
Chancellor Wolf Yeigh said UW Bothell is a close-knit community. It is painful when we lose one of our own. Please know there are resources available to you to support you during this loss. Employees are encouraged to use UW CareLink, which can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 866.598.3978.
