Honorary Alumnus
Gordon A. Bradley
Presented November 7, 2009
UW Forest Resources Alumni Association
This award is given to someone who, although not a graduate of the UW Forest
Resources program, has had a profound effect on the program over many years.
Tonight, the UW FRAA is proud to recognize Professor Gordon Bradley as its 2009
Honorary Alumnus.
For over 37 years, Professor Bradley has provided leadership to the University and
to our School. Coming to us from California, where he earned his BS and Master’s
degrees in Landscape Architecture, he steadily progressed through the
professorial ranks, cumulating in his promotion to Professor in 1991 – five years
after receiving his PhD degree in urban and environmental planning from the UM.
Professor Bradley’s administrative talents were widely recognized and led to his
appointment as associate dean of the CFR in 1998 followed by vice chair and chair
of the College faculty from 2005-2009. Since 2004, he has also led the University’s
individual PhD program housed in the Graduate School and he also co-directs the
CESU located in the School. In 1993, he was recognized by his alma mater,
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, as its Distinguished Alumnus.
Professor Bradley has successfully taught a large number of courses over his UW
career dealing with wild land recreation planning and design, environmental
impact assessment, urban forestry, forest resources policy and several editions of
our distinguished visitor’s seminar series. He has also led and/or participated in a
large number of research programs dealing with urban ecology, forest land use
planning, forest esthetics, growth management and natural resources
management in urban environments. In the course of his research, he came in
contact with a diverse array of private, public and non-governmental
organizations, thus broadening the impact of his work regionally, nationally and,
indeed, internationally.
He has participated on numerous UW and School committees dealing with a wide
range of topics such as chairing faculty search committees, curriculum design,
adjudication committees and graduate student committees – both as chair and
committee member. One committee that he chaired – the strategic planning
steering committee – was responsible for altering the course of our College
between 1995-2001. We all owe him a great debt of gratitude for his tireless
work as leader of this committee during this critical phase in our School’s history.
Having worked with Professor Bradley since his arrival on campus in 1972, I can
attest to a few personal traits that have made him such a successful professional
and a pleasure to work with all these years. Perhaps his strongest trait is that of
loyalty – loyalty to his family, his friends, his professional associates and to his
ideals – each very important to him. His integrity is beyond reproach and the
steadfast support and leadership that he has provided to this School, its programs
and its students provide an excellent example for others to follow. I am pleased to
count him as one of my friends and I am proud to be able to present the 2009
Honorary Alumnus award to Professor Gordon Bradley.