A Fond Farewell to Dr. Bidelman
by Shelly Ardonne
Dr. Gavin Bidelman has made a lasting impression on the University of Memphis in his ten years at the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Institute for Intelligent Systems. Dr. Bidelman experienced a lot of firsts here in Memphis, including teaching, running a lab, and receiving funding for his R01 project. Despite all his accomplishments, his most cherished memories at the University of Memphis involve his colleagues and students. “I couldn’t have asked for better folks to spend my day with,” Dr. Bidelman said. “Faculty and administrators have been fantastic colleagues and friends. They have allowed me to do what I love to do for the better part of a decade with unwavering support. And students—undoubtably the real workhorses of academia—I have had some outstanding students over the years, many of whom I now call colleagues.”
The respect Dr. Bidelman has for his students and colleagues is reciprocated by everyone
I interviewed. Dr. Oller, Professor and Plough Chair of Excellence in the School of
Communication Sciences and Disorders, has worked closely with Dr. Bidelman for many
years. He shared, “Gavin Bidelman has been a remarkable asset to our program, and
he will be missed. He has brought both deep intellectual insights, great energy, and
a gentle touch to management of social relations both among faculty and with students.
Rarely does one find such an excellent colleague, speaking his mind clearly and firmly,
but managing to maintain good relations even in the context of differing opinions.”
Jane Brown, a current student of Dr. Bidelman said, “Dr. Bidelman encourages independence while still checking in regularly and keeping me on track. I have always felt valued and supported by Dr. Bidelman, and he pushes me to be a better student and researcher.” For Kelsey Mankel, a recent alumna of the PhD program and postdoctoral fellow at UC Davis, her time with Dr. Bidelman still influences her career. She said, “I am applying what I learned from Dr. Bidelman and the UofM CSD program every day to shape our lab's research, publications, grant applications, and collaborations with other clinicians and scientists. I also believe that my training with Dr. Bidelman will make me more successful as I transition to a faculty member position in the next couple years.”
“They say you can’t write the riveting book of life without a page-turning start,”
explained Dr. Bidelman. “I’m glad to be able to call Memphis CSD my Chapter 1.” While
Dr. Bidelman will be missed dearly at the University, we wish him continued success
in his new position at Indiana University. We are honored to have been a part of his
“book of life” as well.
And to Gavin, the School and the people in it wish you and your family every possible success in your new chapter!