M. Gordon “Reds” Wolman, an internationally respected expert in river science, water resources management, and environmental education, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and a faculty member at Johns Hopkins for more than half a century, died at his home in Baltimore on Feb. 24, 2010.

At the time of his death, President Ronald J. Daniels and Dean Nick Jones sent the following email message to the entire university community:

“One of the most distinguished and beloved men ever to grace this university has died. M. Gordon Wolman—Reds, of course, to everyone—had been, until his death on Wednesday at 85, a member of our faculty since 1958.

“But the truth is that— as the son of the equally legendary Professor Abel Wolman—Reds had been a Johns Hopkins man almost literally from birth. He grew up at this university, graduated from Johns Hopkins in 1949, and returned as associate professor and chair of what was then the Isaiah Bowman Department of Geography.

“He was promoted to professor in 1962 and appointed as the B. Howell Griswold Jr. Professor of Geography and International Affairs in 1975. He chaired his department, now known as the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, for three decades. He served two terms as interim provost. He was an esteemed teacher. He was an incredibly influential scholar, having literally written the book on how rivers work. He was as much a citizen of the world as he was a citizen of the university, devoting much of his time and expertise to issues of environmental policy.

“But, most of all, he was Reds: genial, gentle, eloquent, kind, and always worth talking to. When you saw that carrot top and bow tie headed your way, you couldn’t help but smile. You couldn’t help but know your day was about to take a turn for the better.

“For the first time since 1937, The Johns Hopkins University is without a Professor Wolman on its faculty. Reds and his father were giants. We are a far better university for the years they spent here, and far better people for having known and learned from them.”

Gifts to honor Reds Wolman may be made to the M. Gordon Wolman Fellowship, an endowed fellowship for incoming PhD students. For more information call (410) 516-8723 or visit engineering jhu.edu/Reds_Wolman_gift.

“Reds had the highest opinion of the human race of anybody I’ve ever known. Everybody was wonderful to him. To hear him tell it his students were all above average, his colleagues and his friends were all exceptional. The thing that Reds left behind was the task that all of us have to try to live up to what he thought of us.”

— John Boland, professor emeritus of Geography and Environmental Engineering