RIP Professor Whitten

<p>Just wanted to say......I got an email that Professor Whitten (Physics professor) had passed away yesterday at home.</p>

<p>I didn't...expect this... I know lecture was canceled on Friday due to a medical condition...but...</p>

<p>RIP Professor. You're one of the funniest professors I've had.</p>

<p>that’s really disappointing news, i don’t know who he is but i’m sure it’s a terrible loss for the physics department</p>

<p>i wish his family all the best.</p>

<p>He was a really great guy. I had him for Physics 1B last Spring, and I could tell that he truly enjoyed teaching us, which is definitely something to be thankful for. Rest in peace.</p>

<p>Would anybody care to post a copy of the email that he sent to his 1C students the day before his passing? I do not believe that this would be in vain. After all, it is much to his credit that he cared for his students to that degree even in his final day.</p>

<h2>He sent this to us 1A students one day before:</h2>

<p>Date: Dec 3 8:33 AM
Subj: MyUCLA Class Email for PHYSICS 1A LEC 1: canceled lecture
From: X [Add to addressbook]
To: X
Reply-To: <x>
Due to a medical situation the Physics 1A lecture today, 9:00-9:50AM, and the office hours today 2:00-5:00PM, my office, Knudsen 5-123B, are cancelled.Everything scheduled for the Physics 1A class next week stands.</x></p>

<h2>Yours, Chuck Whitten</h2>

<p>This really sucks… It seems like only yesterday he was giving me an in-depth explanation of quark-gluon plasma, in his office hours, and far outside the scope of the course. I will miss him…</p>

<p>To the students of Physics 1C:</p>

<p>It is with great sadness and shock that I inform you that our esteemed colleague, and your professor, Chuck Whitten, has died at his home on Saturday. As I was a daily collaborator with Prof. Whitten, I have taken over the duty of finishing the course. The final exam will be prepared based on Professor Whitten’s instructions and will be given as scheduled. Grades will be assigned consistent with Prof. Whitten’s well established standards.</p>

<p>I want to reassure all of you that we in the department are committed to smoothly finishing the course. If you have any concerns, need clarification or help, please do not hesitate to contact me. My office is next to Prof. Whitten’s and I will be available Monday through Friday 10-4…</p>

<p>He was a jolly, healthy, energetic professor. While he might not measure up in teaching ability to Corbin, Whitten was one of the few who’d try his best to explain something to you no matter how long it would take. The last week for 1C was to be a series of bonus lectures about diffraction…stuff that was not to be covered on the final. He knew nobody would show up…well maybe out of the usual 100 students only 20-26 showed up. He chuckled, didn’t get mad…and joked that we were hardcore. Good times…</p>

<p>Bum bum bum.</p>