In Honor of Prof.  Michael L. Pollock, Ph.D., FACSM

 

We are constantly inspired by the legacy of a fine investigator and incomparable human being, former Professor and Head of the Center for Exercise Sciences at University of Florida (Gainesville, FL, USA), former President of the American College of Sports Medicine (1982-83). 

 

 Dr. Pollock short bio:

 

Michael Lee Pollock was born on June 24, 1936, in Los Angeles. He received a bachelor's degree in physical education from the University of Arizona in 1958, a master's degree in 1961 and a doctorate in 1967 in exercise physiology from the University of Illinois. He taught and did research at University of Illinois from 1961 to 1967, Wake Forest University from 1967 to 1973, the Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas from 1973 to 1977, the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee from 1977 to 1984, and the Texas Heart Institute in Houston in 1985. Since 1986, he had been affiliated with the University of Florida, where he was a professor of medicine, physiology and health and human performance and director of the Center of Exercise Science. Despite arthritis, he took his own advice and exercised regularly. Mike, as he's was called by his colleagues, published three books (translated into several languages), and more than 300 articles on exercise. He suffered a stroke on May 1998, at the age of 61, on a Friday afternoon, right after giving a presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Orlando, Fla. He died that night, according to the organization. He was survived by his wife, Rhonda, a son, Jonathan, and two daughters, Lauren and Elisa.

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Dr. Gomes was an invited research professor at College of Health and Human Performance (1998-1999) working with Dr. Pollock, and after his passing working with another fine investigator Dr. Scott Powers, Ph.D. and head of the Center for Exercise Sciences after Dr. Pollock. In 1988, during the ACSM meeting, Dr. Gomes was responsible to inform the ACSM organization the sad news of the passing of Dr. Pollock.