It is with mixed emotions that we announce Dr. Russell Bauer retired from the UF Department of Clinical and Health Psychology after 42 years of influential and impactful science, service, patient care, and mentorship. Family, friends, colleagues, and mentees (the lines between which have blurred for Rus over the years) gathered in person and online to celebrate Dr. Bauer’s incredible career on July 16th at the Harrell Medical Education Building.
Semi-formal attire was juxtaposed by plates piled high with ribs and barbecue, which felt appropriate for honoring a man who embodies excellence in both the professional and recreational endeavors. The air was filled with far more laughter and joy than sadness or tears. Despite being a self-described heart-on-his-sleeve individual, Dr. Bauer kept his cool delivering his retirement speech with the typical Rus charisma and humor… much to the chagrin of Dr. Dede, who lost several bets based on his expectation that Dr. Bauer would not make it more than a few lines before breaking down.
The “back of the baseball card” statistics are impressive. Numerous scientific publications and grants, decades of graduate student mentorship, countless hours of service to the department and to the field of neuropsychology, and a shelf full of mentorship and teaching awards. Among the many career highlights include being past president of the International Neuropsychological Society and of APA Division of Clinical Neuropsychology, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, a Distinguished Neuropsychologist of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, University of Florida Pre-Eminence Term Professor, and Expert Panelist for the Minnesota 2022 Update Conference on Education and Training in Clinical Neuropsychology. Appropriately, Dr. Bauer was recently awarded Emeritus Faculty status in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology.
More importantly, Dr. Bauer has an undoubtedly unmatched list of intangible contributions that do not show up on a CV. The tree of neuropsychology has a sturdy limb emanating from near its foundation that bears Dr. Bauer’s name, and the generations of branches growing from that limb are dense, wide-reaching, and thriving. If defined by the duration of influence and impact, the Rus Bauer Era of neuropsychology has no end in sight. Viva la Bauer Lab.
Contributors: Dr. Aliya Snyder and Dr. Breton Asken