Brother Patrick Dowd ’50, FSC Ward, Ph.D., dean of the School of Engineering. “The Fischbach Room BROTHER PATRICK DOWD in Leo Hall houses a one-of-a-kind collection of vacuum tubes and ’50, FSC, who created the other electrical devices that Br. Patrick assembled over the years.” world-famous vacuum Br. Patrick contributed historically valuable documentation and tube collection at the Colvacuum tubes to other museums, as well. He was responsible for reslege and received an honcuing RCA’s production files and making them part of his extensive orary Doctor of Science collection when its Harrison, N.J., plant closed. Br. Patrick saved and from Manhattan in 1988, then donated many of the materials to the Antique Wireless Associadied on Aug. 8. He was 94. An educator throughout tion (AWA) Museum, which is now known as the Dowd-RCA Archive — an extensive archive used regularly for research. Parts of the colhis career, he spent some lection are often loaned to other museums to show the changes of 30 years at Paramus Cathovacuum tubes throughout the years. lic High School in Paramus, Well-respected in the tube history community, Br. Patrick was the N.J., beginning there as a first recipient of the Tyne Award in 1980, in honor of his efforts to teacher in 1960. His other preserve and document the history of valve technology. He also holds educational assignments included teaching at St. Raymond’s School the AWA Houck Award for Preservation, and was a fellow of the Radio in Manhattan and Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn; Club of America and received its Ralph Batcher Award. serving as principal and director at St. Jerome’s School in the Bronx A Christian Brother for 76 years, he entered the Novitiate in 1937. and Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington, N.J.; and serving Br. Patrick earned his bachelor’s degree from The Catholic University as director of De La Salle Institute in Manhattan. of America and a master’s degree from Manhattan College. He retired He turned one of his scientific passions of collecting electrical vacuum tubes into one of the largest collections in the world. It is housed to the Christian Brothers Center in Riverdale in 1995, where he stayed until moving to De La Salle Hall in Lincroft, N.J. in the Fischbach Room in Leo Hall and has been written about in CQ, Br. Patrick is survived by his nieces, Kathleen Dowd-Ciric and Cecilia Popular Electronics, The OTB and other publications. Dowd-Kozak; a nephew, Edward Dowd (Donna); and their families. “Br. Dowd left us a legacy that is as visible as it is unique,” says Tim
Sushila Gidwani-Buschi SUSHILA GIDWANI-BUSCHI, PH.D., associate professor emeritus of economics and finance at the College, died on Sept. 14. She was 85. One of the first female faculty members at the College and in the School of Business, Gidwani, known to those at Manhattan by her maiden name, started teaching on campus in 1965 as an associate professor of industrial management. Earlier, she began her teaching career at Wisconsin State University, having also served as a sales tax inspector for the government of Bombay, India. During her decades of service at the College, she shared her expertise on the economics of Ghandi, peace, and feminism before she retired in 1994 as associate professor of economics and finance. Outside of the classroom, Gidwani was known for her social responsibility, often cooking Indian cuisine for the College community to raise funds for causes in India. “The one overriding contribution she made
to Manhattan College was constantly making sure that her humanistic principles were always reflected in her teaching and her research,” says Charles Geisst, Ph.D., professor of economics and finance. “Economics and finance were more than numbers, and she always emphasized the social and ethical side to them.” A member of many professional organizations, Gidwani served as the founding treasurer of the National Federation of Indian-American Associations, and the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, and as treasurer of the South Asian Council for Social Services. President of the Organization for Universal Communal Harmony, Gidwani was also cofounder of Asian-Indian Women in America and an active member of the National Indian American Association for Senior Citizens. A native of Pakistan, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Bombay University, and her
MBA and doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota. Gidwani is survived by her husband, Joseph Buschi, formerly assistant professor of physics at Manhattan College; and her daughter, Serena (Phillip Coyle); and granddaughter, Lila. MAnHAttAn.eDU N 59